Plasma physics with applications to nuclear fusion energy: plasma waves, current drive, laser/plasma interaction; atomic radiation in plasmas; petroleum refining; statistical inference and pattern recognition, modified Otto-cycle engines

Technology development and engineering risk; assessment of complex technologies that may support decarbonization of the energy system.  Fission and fusion systems R&D; reactor safeguards, regulatory policy and proliferation risk; Research employs process modeling, systems engineering, engineering economics, and quantitative risk and decision analysis.

IoT platforms and applications; energy-efficient; cloud and mobile systems; distributed systems and geo-replicated applications

Urban planning and development of sustainable infrastructures for the 21st century

Resilient and sustainable structural design, and efficient structural systems and forms that minimize construction materials.

Dr. Gates is the stellarator physics leader at PPPL. In this role he acts as the US Technical Representative for the International Collaboration on Superconducting Stellarators. He is also the Principle Investigator of an ARPA-E project entitled “Stellarator Simplification using Permanent Magnets”. At Andlinger, Dr. Gates is also performing research on the improvement of stellarator designs and has recently submitted a proposal entitled “Using permanent magnets for near perfect quasi-symmetry in a stellarator”.  Stellarators are a type of plasma containment device that has great promise for creating fusion energy.

If you’d like to learn more about the stellarator concept see Dr. Gates’ lecture: https://www.pppl.gov/events/2021/science-saturday-renaissance-stellarator-fusion-concept

Nuclear power (fission/fusion); nuclear fuel cycle/nonproliferation; neutronics calculations for new systems (e.g. small modular reactors; safeguards and verification; energy policy)

Built environment, structural health monitoring (SHM), advanced SHM technologies, physics- and data-based diagnostics and prognostic, decision making, smart adaptable and deployable structures, heritage and historic structures.

Mid-infrared sensing applications in environment using high-performance quantum cascade lasers; instrument development for remote sensing of pollutants; field deployments of environmental sensors; laser development for mid-infrared, trace-chemical sensors

Role of environment in human health; social and economic factors on adult health and the physiological pathways through which these factors operate