Chris Hovanec

Christopher Hovanec received his Ph.D. from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Drexel University as a member of the Mechanics of Microstructures Research Group.  Upon graduation, Dr. Hovanec took a position at Naval Air System Command where he served as the lead metallurgist for the F/A-18 Super Hornet and its variants. In this role Chris was empowered with Flight Clearance Authority and approved the manufacturing of safety critical airframe components.

Dr. Hovanec has also had the privilege to serve as a Materials Engineer within the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) at the NRC. In this role Chris evaluated material performance and degradation in support of power plant operation and life extension.

Currently, Dr. Hovanec is a Technology Manger within the Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Office (AMMTO) at the U.S. Department of Energy. Chris' responsibilities at the DOE include the oversight of AMMTO core programs at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF), which is located at Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL), oversight of select portions of the Materials for Harsh Service Conditions portfolio, and various other metals focused initiatives.