Connor's journey to the ENS final began when he won the Nuclear Institute's PhD Award earlier this year, which recognised the outstanding quality of his doctoral research. As the UK's professional membership body for the nuclear sector, the Nuclear Institute nominates one candidate each year to represent the UK in the European-wide competition.
This year, the ENS High Scientific Council received nominations from ten Member Societies, Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, the UK, and Ukraine. Having reviewed all candidates' documentation, the HSC met in April 2026 and selected just four finalists to progress to the final stage, and Connor is among them!
Connor completed his PhD at the University of Liverpool, under the supervision of Prof. Maulik Patel, on the "Effect of Microstructure and Energy Deposition on Radiation-Induced Modifications in ZrN”.
Connor’s research addresses a fundamental challenge in nuclear engineering: understanding how next-generation fuel materials hold up under the intense radiation environment inside a reactor. Conventional nuclear reactors use uranium dioxide (UO₂) fuel, but scientists and engineers are actively developing accident tolerant fuels (ATFs), advanced materials that offer improved safety margins and performance.
Uranium nitride (UN) is one of the most promising ATF candidates, offering higher thermal conductivity and greater uranium density than oxide fuels. However, studying how UN responds to radiation is complex and requires careful experimental design. Connor's research used zirconium nitride (ZrN), a structurally identical, non-radioactive material, as a model system, enabling detailed laboratory investigation of radiation-induced damage accumulation and recovery at both micro and nano scales The findings of Connor’s PhD shed light on how grain size, ion irradiation dose, and material structure influence radiation tolerance, insights that are directly applicable to the design and qualification of next-generation nuclear fuels.
With a nuclear renaissance well underway in the UK, including new large-scale reactors in development and an ambitious programme to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs), the demand for advanced fuel technologies that maximise safety, efficiency, and longevity has never been greater. Research like Connor's directly supports the UK's ability in developing and deploying these fuels domestically, reducing reliance on overseas supply chains and strengthening the scientific foundations of the national nuclear programme.
Our Chief Operating Officer, Michael Greenshields applauded Connor’s nomination, saying, “we are very proud of Connor receiving this recognition not just at a UK level but also at a European level. Connor is applying his expertise in practice at Orano, informing key nuclear material management programmes in the UK, working closely with subject matters experts based in France. Making it to ENS’s final shortlist is an outstanding achievement”.
What Happens Next?
As one of four finalists, Connor will travel to Brussels in November 2026 to present and discuss his PhD research before the ENS High Scientific Council, a panel of some of the most eminent nuclear scientists in Europe. The winner will be announced shortly after the two-day meeting. The ENS HSC PhD Award winner receives a €2,000 prize and the opportunity to publish their research in the open-access journal EPJ-N. A UK nominee won the overall award in 2020, and Connor will be hoping to bring that title back to Britain.
We are enormously proud of Connor's achievements and wish him every success in Brussels. Watch this space!
Find out more about the ENS High Scientific Council PhD Award at euronuclear.org