Company

Dr. Mike Laufer is the Co-Founder & CEO of Kairos Power. In this role, Dr. Laufer is responsible for all business and technical operations within the company as well as government affairs for Kairos Power’s design, development, and commercialization of the Kairos Power Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (KP-FHR).

Prior to co-founding Kairos Power, Dr. Laufer was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, Berkeley where his research included work in reactor safety, design, licensing, and code validation for advanced non-light water reactors. His technical expertise includes experimental and discrete-element simulation methods for granular flows relevant to pebble-bed nuclear reactors.

Dr. Laufer graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with Honors in International Security Studies. He received his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Edward Blandford is a Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer of Kairos Power. He is responsible for all KP-FHR engineering and technology development functions within the company. These responsibilities include all major hardware demonstrations, standing up fuel and salt supply infrastructure, manufacturing, supply chain and procurement, environmental health and safety, construction management, and engineering operations.

Prior to co-founding Kairos Power, he was at the University of New Mexico as an assistant professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering. Dr. Blandford was previously a Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. He also worked for several years as a project manager at the Electric Power Research Institute, focusing on steam generator thermal-hydraulics and material degradation management.

Dr. Blandford has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. He currently sits on advisory boards for the nuclear engineering departments of the University of New Mexico, Texas A&M, and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

Dr. Per Peterson is a Co-Founder & Chief Nuclear Officer of Kairos Power. Dr. Peterson also holds the William and Jean McCallum Floyd Chair in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.

He is an expert in topics related to high-temperature fission energy systems, safety and security of nuclear materials, and waste management. As a member of the Evaluation Methodology Group, he participated in the development of the Gen IV Roadmap while serving as co-chair for the Proliferation Resistance and Physical Protection Working Group. His research has contributed to the development of the passive safety systems used in the General Electric ESBWR and Westinghouse AP1000 reactor designs. With Charles Forsberg and Paul Pickard, in 2003, he proposed the FHR concept of a molten-salt cooled, solid fueled reactor.

Dr. Peterson graduated from the University of Nevada at Reno with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He holds an M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.

Mr. Peter Hastings is the Vice President of Regulatory, Quality, and Public Affairs at Kairos Power and leads teams responsible for licensing and siting activities, reliability engineering, quality assurance, nuclear safeguards and security, internal and external communications and community engagement, and government affairs, with a focus on establishing the regulatory basis for Kairos Power's reactor technology.

Mr. Hastings previously ran a successful management and regulatory consulting firm and held prior positions as Director of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs for Generation mPower, Licensing Manager for Duke Energy’s Nuclear Plant Development Division, and licensing and design-center lead NuStart Energy Development, LLC. Mr. Hastings’ background includes work as a reactor engineer responsible for startup testing and fuel performance monitoring, design engineer on the Monitored Retrievable Storage facility, manager in safety assurance and performance assessment for the Yucca Mountain repository, and licensing manager responsible for receipt of construction authorization for the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility.

Mr. Hastings earned his B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from North Carolina State University. He is a member of nuclear engineering advisory boards at NC State and Tennessee Tech University, a member of the Board of Directors at the US Nuclear Industry Council, and a member of the US Department of Commerce Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee (CINTAC). He is a registered professional engineer in North and South Carolina.

Mr. Jeffrey Olson is the Vice President of Business Development & Finance for Kairos Power, and has over 10 years of experience managing strategic growth initiatives for energy technology companies to develop, scale and manage their businesses. Prior to his direct engagement in the early stage energy sector, Mr. Olson spent the first half of his career in management consulting advising Fortune 500 companies on business growth and systems development.

Prior to joining Kairos Power, Mr. Olson led strategic partnership development and commercial operations at the artificial intelligence energy storage provider, Stem, Inc., as the company’s Vice President of Partner Operations. Mr. Olson joined Stem from the fuel cell sector in his roles in corporate finance and international business development with Bloom Energy. Mr. Olson also served as an executive with Accenture’s Strategy Group where he was a founding member of Accenture’s Global Sustainability Practice.

Mr. Olson graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with an MBA and a Certificate in Engineering & Business for Sustainability. He received his B.A. in Economics from St. Olaf College.

Linda Schenk is the Vice President of Financial Operations at Kairos Power. She is responsible for leading the organization’s Financial Planning and Analysis function, along with overseeing government grants and contract management.

Ms. Schenk’s 30 years of experience in the nuclear arena consists of notable positions at Jensen Hughes, Inc., including Director of Business Operations – Power Services as well as Director of Contracts and Compliance which encompassed the company’s nuclear export control program. Prior to these roles, Ms. Schenk was Vice President of Operations for ERIN Engineering and Research, Inc., where she was responsible for the company’s accounting, human resources, contracts, and administrative functions, while leading the tripling of the company’s revenue over a ten-year period. She also developed and managed ERIN’s nuclear export control program, and was a member of the Nuclear Energy Institute’s Export Control Task Force.

In advance of her professional roles, Ms. Schenk completed Business Administration coursework at Diablo Valley College.

Dr. Craig Gerardi is the Vice President of Manufacturing at Kairos Power. He leads the vertically-integrated manufacturing teams responsible for Kairos Power’s reactor technology hardware delivery. These include component and modular systems builds.

Dr. Gerardi is passionate about rapidly building the next generation of advanced nuclear reactor technology and workforce. In his previous role at Kairos Power, Dr. Gerardi was Senior Director of Engineering Testing groups that designed, built, tested, and operated physical tests and prototypes used to deploy and license KP-FHR hardware. Before joining Kairos, he led the Engineering Development & Irradiation Services (EDIS) Department at Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, IL. The EDIS Department conducted a wide range of experiments related to nuclear engineering technology including tests for reactor safety, instrumentation development, and production of radioisotopes for medical applications.

Dr. Gerardi obtained his Ph.D. and M.S. in Nuclear Science and Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his B.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Nuclear Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Dr. Micah Hackett is the Vice President of Fuels & Materials at Kairos Power. In this role, he leads the teams responsible for the testing and qualification of metallic and graphite materials as well as the manufacturing, testing, and qualification of TRISO-based annular pebble fuel. Kairos Power has designed and built innovative test systems for mechanical and material properties to better analyze effects in a reactor environment. The company has also strategically engineered and fabricated process equipment in-house to manufacture TRISO particles and annular pebble fuel to vertically integrate the fuel supply chain for Kairos Power’s fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR). Dr. Hackett has built a diverse team of experts and engineers who are passionate about learning by doing and focused on solving engineering challenges.

Before joining Kairos Power, Dr. Hackett built the materials team for the sodium-cooled fast reactor program at TerraPower, with concentrations in material optimization and qualification, supply chain development, manufacturing, irradiation testing, and advanced materials development. He focused especially on vendor and product development, building supply chains for important reactor components – working both domestically and internationally to establish new programs. Dr. Hackett also worked for Naval Reactors at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, where he was awarded the 2009 Young Scientist of the Year Award for his work in welding methods development.

Dr. Hackett earned his Ph.D. and M.S.E. as a Naval Reactors fellow at the University of Michigan in nuclear engineering in 2008 with a focus on irradiation effects in structural alloys. He completed his B.S. in nuclear engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology in 2002. He is a long-time member of the American Nuclear Society (ANS).

Mr. Brandon Haugh is the Vice President of Modeling & Simulation at Kairos Power. He is currently focused on empowering teams responsible for the development and deployment of modeling and simulation tools for Kairos Power’s Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (KP-FHR). Focus areas cover system level modeling, reactor physics, fuel performance, structural integrity of high temperature materials, and mechanistic source term deployed through the safety case for KP-FHR licensing. Mr. Haugh also leads teams that support the KP-FHR design through computational fluid dynamics, piping analysis, and design methods.

Prior to joining Kairos Power in 2018, Mr. Haugh’s career encompassed reactor and multiphysics modeling as well as operational support and spent fuel storage across the U.S. nuclear navy, commercial pressurized water reactors, and advanced light water reactors. He also brings extensive experience in commercial software methods licensing, software sales, training, and business development. All of this was done with a passion to rapidly improve methods and deployment of nuclear energy systems that can improve the quality of life for all.

Mr. Haugh earned his M.S. at Oregon State University in nuclear engineering with a primary focus on thermal hydraulics, experimentation, and software engineering. He is a member of the American Nuclear Society (ANS).

Dr. Alan Kruizenga is the Vice President of Salt at Kairos Power. He leads salt chemistry development activities across the organization and integrates salt chemistry learnings and development into the KP-FHR.

Before joining Kairos, Dr. Kruizenga led high-temperature salt and other materials science and chemistry programs for energy systems at Sandia National Labs. While at Sandia, Alan was awarded the highest honor bestowed by the US government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their careers, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.

Dr. Kruizenga is passionate about bringing practical knowledge, application-orientation, and problem-solving to theoretical science to make great ideas a reality. During his postgraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Dr. Kruizenga was a Nuclear Regulatory Fellow where his work focused on heat transfer in complex geometries for the SCO2 Brayton cycle application.

Dr. Kruizenga is a recipient of the 2017 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from President Obama.

Dr. Kerry McIntosh is the Chief of Staff for Kairos Power. In this role, Dr. McIntosh is responsible for supporting the CEO and collaborating with other Executive team members to ensure effective leadership and communication across the company, including the execution of strategic business initiatives and process improvements for optimized productivity.

Prior to joining Kairos Power, Dr. McIntosh supported leadership and operations teams at aerospace startup Astra Space, Inc. For over a decade, Dr. McIntosh gained broad leadership experience at software company Autodesk, including serving as Chief of Staff to the CTO, supporting their advanced research teams.

Dr. McIntosh holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Surveying from Queensland University of Technology and a Ph.D. in Digital Photogrammetry from the University of Newcastle, Australia. Dr. McIntosh was also a post-doctoral research fellow at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel.

Mr. Steven Yang is the Chief of Staff of Technology Development for Kairos Power. He is responsible for directly supporting the CTO and overseeing the successful execution of strategic business initiatives with senior leadership and department directors, including managing business verticals from design to manufacturing and deployment.

Prior to joining Kairos Power, Mr. Yang served numerous years on active duty in the United States Navy. He is an operational leader with over 20 years of experience leading diverse and cross-functional teams. During his time in the military, he specialized in submarine operations and nuclear & conventional weapons.

Mr. Yang holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, M.S. in Physics/Engineering Acoustics, and an Executive MBA.

Mr. Richard Boukal is the Senior Director of Supply Chain & Procurement at Kairos Power. In this role, Mr. Boukal provides supply chain and strategic leadership to the entire Kairos Power organization.

Mr. Boukal has more than 40 years of procurement/supply chain progressive leadership experience in the power generation industry. Prior to Kairos, he was the Director, Global Sourcing at Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas for 17 years. Prior to Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas, Inc., Mr. Boukal was the Senior Procurement Manager at Alstom Power, as well as the Senior Procurement Representative at Siemens Westinghouse Power Generation. Mr. Boukal also held procurement, supply management positions at ABB Power Generation/Combustion Engineering, Inc., and Peter Kiewit Sons Construction Company.

Mr. Boukal graduated from Creighton University with a degree in Marketing and received his MBA with a concentration in International Business from the University of Central Florida.

Patrick Clancy is the Senior Director of Information Technology at Kairos Power. He is responsible for technical strategies that support and accelerate the Kairos Power mission. He manages teams that are responsible for delivering and maintaining leading edge infrastructure, systems, and cybersecurity.

Patrick has been working in the Information Technology space for over 25 years, leading technical teams ranging from start-ups to Fortune 1000 companies, mostly in the financial, data analytics, and clean energy fields.

Patrick attended the University of California, Los Angeles.

Mr. Darrell Gardner is the Senior Director of License Applications at Kairos Power. He is currently directing teams developing the licensing strategies and licensing documents for the Kairos Power Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (KP FHR).

Previously, Mr. Gardner managed licensing document development activities associated with the NuScale and mPower small modular reactor programs. Mr. Gardner also managed licensing activities for the US EPR, where he was a 2008 Engineer of the Year, the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility currently under construction, and the Yucca Mountain Project Site Recommendation.

Mr. Gardner has a M.S. in Engineering and a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering both from the University of Tennessee. He is a member of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) large light water reactor consensus committee.

Esther Klisura is Senior Director, Head of Legal at Kairos Power. She oversees Kairos Power’s legal affairs and advises the company on commercial transactions, intellectual property, corporate governance, and employment matters, among other areas. In doing so, she draws on two decades of experience gained in law firms and corporate legal departments.

Previously, Ms. Klisura was in-house counsel for an independent power producer, where she worked with cross-functional teams developing utility-scale energy projects. She was involved in structuring, negotiating, and executing over half a billion dollars in contracts for the construction of clean energy projects, and provided legal support for research and development projects funded by the United States Department of Energy. Prior to that, Ms. Klisura was in-house counsel for an industrial manufacturer, where she advised the leadership team on a broad range of legal and compliance issues and managed a nationwide docket of high exposure liability matters.

Ms. Klisura earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California and her law degree from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. She is a member of the California State Bar.

Mrs. Jaclyn Rodriguez is the Senior Director of Talent & Organizational Development at Kairos Power. She is responsible for driving company-wide people strategies within the organization. She oversees various areas including Human Resources programs, Talent Acquisition, organizational development, workplace culture, training, leadership development, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives.

Previously, Mrs. Rodriguez was a part of various Human Resources teams within the healthcare and financial services industries, focused on driving talent acquisition, compensation, and employee relations.

Mrs. Rodriguez obtained a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of New Mexico in Organizational Communications and Management and is a Certified Human Resources Professional through the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM). She is currently in the process of completing her MBA with a concentration in Human Resources Management.

Mr. Ravi Singaraju is the Senior Director of Engineering Integration at Kairos Power. He leads coordination of multi-disciplinary efforts for major projects supporting development of the Kairos Power Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (KP-FHR).

Prior to joining Kairos Power, Mr. Singaraju worked at TerraPower where he supported the establishment of a Targeted Alpha Therapy program, managed research and development for manufacturing critical core components, and led design efforts around core components and key core assemblies for the Traveling Wave Reactor. Mr. Singaraju also worked in the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in technical areas including reactor servicing and fleet support. During his time with the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, he completed a multi-year assignment as a field engineer at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility supporting refueling, defueling, and decommissioning operations.

Mr. Singaraju earned his M.S in Mechanical Engineering at Union Graduate College and his B.S in Mechanical Engineering at Colorado State University, Fort Collins. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Washington State.

Mr. Martin (Marty) Bryan is the Director of Tennessee Site Integration at Kairos Power. In this role, Mr. Bryan leads efforts to ensure effective cohesion between teams across the company to integrate activities related to the deployment of the Hermes low-power demonstration reactor series at Kairos Power’s site in Oak Ridge, TN. Additionally, he interfaces with local stakeholders and regulatory agencies related to activities at the site.

Previously, Mr. Bryan spent most of his career supporting tasks related to licensing activities for new nuclear facilities including light water reactors, advanced reactors, and a nuclear fuel disposal facility. During this time, Mr. Bryan was responsible for working with technical and functional organizations to integrate their work into licensing and operational documentation. His prior responsibilities also included representing clients with the governing regulatory agency to resolve technical and licensing issues related to facility licensing, construction, and operation.

Mr. Bryan has a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Tennessee.

Dr. Anthonie Cilliers is the Director of Instrumentation, Controls & Electrical (IC&E) at Kairos Power. He is currently directing teams that are developing the IC&E systems of the various Kairos Power Testing, Prototype and Demonstration facilities. Development efforts are focused on Reactor Protection, Plant Control, Cyber-Physical Systems, Process Control, Test Support and Electrical Systems. In addition, the IC&E teams provide licensing and deployment support for the Kairos Power Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (KP-FHR).

Previously, Dr. Cilliers led the Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR) Research & Development group at the South African Power utility, Eskom. He remains an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Dr. Cilliers obtained a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering as well as M.Eng and B.Eng. degrees in Computer and Electronic Engineering from the North-West University, South Africa.

Mr. Robey Clark is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Kairos Power. In this role, he supports the executive team in developing and stewarding Kairos Power’s strategic direction.

Previously, Mr. Clark was a Partner at the Boston Consulting Group where he focused on Oil & Gas capital project cost and schedule delivery, operational improvement, and organizational optimization. Mr. Clark is a veteran of the United States Navy submarine force where he served onboard attack submarines and oversaw the safe operation of the reactor plant and associated steam systems.  Mr. Clark was also a Naval Reactor instructor, teaching reactor physics, radiological controls, and reactor protection to fellow submarine officers.

Mr. Clark holds a B.A. in Physics & Astronomy from Bowdoin College and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Evan Cummings is a Director of Business Development at Kairos Power. In this role, he is responsible for the commercial deployment of Kairos Power’s advanced reactor technology. Evan brings over 15 years of cleantech experience from both U.S. and European markets, encompassing roles in new business strategy, commercialization, and venture investment. His venture experience spans two corporate venture funds with capital deployments over $100M and multiple successful exits.

Evan’s career focus has been on driving the commercialization of novel energy technologies in collaboration with Fortune 100 and FTSE 100 enterprises. In doing so, he has held various board positions during his time at Exelon, Constellation, and Centrica. At Kairos Power, he focuses exclusively on catalyzing the deployment of carbon-free nuclear power generation.

Evan has an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.A. in Finance from Endicott College.

Mr. Jordan Hagaman is the Director of Reliability Engineering at Kairos Power. He leads the team responsible for risk-informing the design, manufacture, and operation of non-nuclear and nuclear hardware demonstrations.

The focus of Mr. Hagaman’s career has been safety analysis and risk assessment for nuclear reactor technologies; he has supported applications ranging from licensing basis analysis for operating plants to safety case development for conceptual light water reactors and non-light water reactors.

Mr. Hagaman earned a dual Bachelor of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering and Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Master of Nuclear Engineering from North Carolina State University.

Choua Her is the Director of Talent Acquisition at Kairos Power. She is responsible for the development of Kairos Power’s recruitment strategy as well as the management and implementation of programs, initiatives, and processes that support recruiting and staffing.

Choua brings over 15 years of recruiting and HR experience ranging from Fortune 500 to start-up companies in a variety of industries, including data storage, aerospace, defense, clinical lab, and game development.

Choua obtained her MBA with a concentration in Human Resources Management from Argosy University and her Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of California, Riverside.

Mr. Henry Korellis is the Director of the Salt Process Equipment Execution & Delivery (SPEED) group at Kairos Power. In this role, he leads development and delivery of key reactor system hardware and integrated maintenance solutions including salt valves, unitized heaters, mechanical supports, maintenance machines, and specialized tools to improve plant reliability and enable remote component replacements.

Upon joining Kairos Power, Henry delivered multiple subscale molten salt test skids consisting of architecture paralleling the fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) system. Since then, Henry has led the delivery of the highest flowing molten Flibe salt pump ever produced, providing more than 3,000 GPM and 2,000 hours of molten salt operation.

Prior to joining Kairos Power, Henry contributed to national security programs at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) for seven years, starting with hands-on technical laboratory and field testing. During this time, he amassed experience in high-pressure tritium conveyance system design, radiation effects on electronics, and mechanical design of flight hardware. He later owned aspects of system development, including design and delivery of tooling, process development, qualification, and final assembly of flight articles. Henry finished his trajectory at SNL as a technical program manager.

Henry earned a Journeyman Pipefitter Certificate from the United Association Local 159 in Martinez, California. While in the apprenticeship program, Henry gained welding and brazing certifications that he applied to construct numerous pipe systems from a variety of materials.

Ashley Lewis is Director of Marketing and Communications at Kairos Power, an advanced nuclear technology, engineering, and manufacturing company working to enable the world’s transition to clean energy. In this role, Lewis oversees all aspects of corporate communications, branding, media relations, and public outreach in the communities where Kairos Power operates.

Prior to joining the Kairos Power team, Lewis served as a Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy. After completing her service, she worked for the Navy as a systems engineer while broadening her focus to include marketing and communications. She took on a role as marketing director for Hughes Marino, a California-based commercial real estate firm, where she built the in-house creative team from the ground up and oversaw corporate communications during a period of rapid expansion.Lewis would later establish an independent consultancy with a broad client base, developing branding and marketing solutions for companies in the technology, finance, media, consumer goods, and nonprofit sectors.

Lewis has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Utah, a master’s in engineering management from Old Dominion University, and professional certificates in graphic design and web design from the University of California, San Diego.

Mr. Craig Mayberry is the Director of Manufacturing Planning & Quality at Kairos Power. He leads several teams involved in the support of manufacturing operations including activities with manufacturing inventory control, welding development, manufacturing planning/scheduling, and quality control. These efforts support current testing and prototyping cycles as well as future development for processes needed to support the Kairos Power Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (KP-FHR).

Prior to joining Kairos Power, Mr. Mayberry worked in northern New Mexico fabricating ASME Section VIII vessels for the oil and gas industry. His data-driven approach to management helped establish and codify improved processes to streamline production and foster continuous improvement. His past experiences have also focused on implementing digital systems to manage inventory, job schedules, and customer communication. Mr. Mayberry is passionate about seeing people succeed and reach for their highest potential.

Mr. Mayberry earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from New Mexico State University. He also holds an M.B.A and Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from the same institution.

Dr. Gabriel Meric is the Director of Materials at Kairos Power. In this role, he leads a team of materials and test engineers responsible for the qualification testing of metallic and graphite structural materials for use in the irradiated high-temperature molten salt environment of Kairos Power’s fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR). Materials data generated by his team provide critical inputs to the design and licensing of the KP-FHR.

Since joining Kairos Power in 2019, Dr. Meric has held several roles within the Materials team, from principal investigator for metal and graphite irradiation testing, tribology testing, and creep testing to lead engineer responsible for standing up an in-house fuels and material characterization lab. Before Kairos Power, Dr. Meric was a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he worked on metal additive manufacturing for nuclear applications.

Dr. Meric obtained his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He also holds an M.S. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of California Berkeley, and a B.S. in Physics from École Polytechnique in France.

Dr. Augustus Merwin is the Director of Salt Chemistry at Kairos Power. In this role, he leads engineering programs related to the use of molten salts, partners with Environmental Health and Safety to develop best practices for handling Flibe, and oversees the chemistry of Flibe in its role as functional containment in the Kairos Power Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (KP-FHR).

Dr. Merwin’s career has centered on experimental work with molten salts in nuclear chemical engineering applications. Initially specializing in molten salts for reprocessing technologies — with a focus in electrochemical engineering — he developed expertise in hands-on work with high-temperature fluids and design-build-test cycles with molten salts. At Kairos Power, his work has spanned materials testing, radionuclide chemistry, radiological source term, and test programs using molten Flibe.

Prior to joining Kairos Power, Dr. Merwin was the 2016 Maria Goeppert Mayer Postdoctoral Fellow in the Nuclear Engineering Division of Argonne National Laboratory. He obtained his Ph.D. and M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering as well as dual B.S. degrees in Physics and Engineering Physics from the University of Nevada, Reno. Dr. Merwin is a licensed Professional Nuclear Engineer in the state of Nevada.

Mr. Drew Peebles is the Director of Licensing Applications at Kairos Power. In this role, he leads teams developing the licensing documents needed to deploy the Kairos Power fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR).

Mr. Peebles has over 17 years of experience in the nuclear industry. Previously, he worked on licensing, nuclear analysis, and safety analysis efforts supporting other reactor development programs including NuScale Power Module, B&W mPower, GE-Hitachi ESBWR, and Westinghouse AP1000.

Mr. Peebles holds a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Dr. Nader Satvat is the Director of Nuclear Design and Methods at Kairos Power. In this role, Dr. Satvat is responsible for leading and mobilizing multiple disciplines that are supporting reactor core design, reactor physics, radiation transport and shielding, radiation detection and monitoring, ex-core criticality safety, and nuclear design methods for the Kairos Power Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (KP-FHR).

Previously, as Senior Manager of Core Design at Kairos Power, Dr. Satvat was responsible for the team preparing the KP-FHR Core Design Topical Report, a significant licensing milestone for KP-FHR technology. As an engineer, Dr. Satvat invented KPACS, an advanced core simulator designed to support fuel cycle optimizations for KP-FHRs.

Before joining Kairos Power, Dr. Satvat’s experience spanned teaching and research in various areas, including computational reactor physics and method development at Purdue University. He also has international teaching experience at the University of Technology Malaysia.

Dr. Satvat holds a Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from Purdue University. He completed his postdoctoral research at the University of Utah, where he also participated in the operation and relicensing of the 100kW TRIGA reactor.

Mr. Brian Song is the Director of Civil Structures at Kairos Power. In this role, he leads teams responsible for the civil structural design and analysis for Kairos Power's Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (KP-FHR). From Mr. Song's 20 years of experience, he brings proficiency in advanced structural design and analysis across various materials, significant construction expertise, and a strong track record in external contract management. Mr. Song is focused on the seamless integration of rigorous design principles with practical construction methodologies, ensuring the consistent delivery of robust and efficient engineering solutions.

Prior to joining Kairos Power, Mr. Song was a Lead Principal Engineer at Westinghouse, where he spearheaded a multidisciplinary team supporting the structural engineering of the AP1000 modular design project. During this time, Mr. Song gained a deep understanding of complex nuclear construction and demonstrated the ability to drive critical and innovative engineering outcomes.

Mr. Song holds an M.S. and a B.S. in Civil and Structural Engineering from Ohio State University, and a B.S. in Architectural Engineering from Yeungnam University in South Korea. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer in Illinois and New Mexico.

Mr. Terrence Williams is the Director of Environmental Health and Safety at Kairos Power. In this role, he directs the development and management of Kairos Power’s environmental health and safety programs to ensure that Kairos Power is in compliance with local, federal, and state regulations and verifies that regulatory policies, procedures, and work requirements are adequate to protect employees, contractors, and the environment.

Following his training at the U.S. Navy Nuclear Power School as a machinist, Mr. Williams continued his career leading operations in the oil and gas industry. Wanting to create better working environments for employees, Mr. Williams segued into the field of health and safety where he started off by earning various accreditations.

Mr. Williams holds an MBA from Ashford University and a bachelor’s degree in general studies from the University of Connecticut.

Candice Yu is a Director of Business Development at Kairos Power, responsible for forging strategic partnerships with commercial and industrial customers. With nearly 15 years of experience, she has a proven track record of launching advanced energy solutions and driving growth.

Before joining Kairos Power, Candice spearheaded commercial initiatives at Shell Energy, expanding their decarbonization offerings to include onsite solutions like energy storage and renewable microgrids. Previously, she developed and executed go-to-market strategies centered on energy storage for AI-powered software provider Stem, automaker Daimler, and renewable developer SunEdison. Candice serves as a Board Advisor to ReJoule, a startup specializing in battery health diagnostics and second-life applications for used EV batteries. She began her energy career in power procurement for the major utilities, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

Candice holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and a Master of International Affairs from the School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego.