Juneja named MRS Distinguished Presenter, represents ORNL on lab panel

Rinkle Juneja, an R&D staff scientist at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been recognized as an Early Career Distinguished Presenter by the Materials Research Society (MRS) and was selected to represent ORNL on the "Materials Research at the U.S. DOE National Laboratories" panel at the MRS Fall Meeting in December 2025.

As an Early Career Distinguished Presenter, Juneja was invited to present her research on how physics, data and domain expertise can be integrated within machine learning frameworks to accelerate qualification of fusion materials operating under extreme conditions. Her presentation focused on multi-scale modeling of crack propagation in plasma-facing components, the materials that directly endure the intense heat fluxes and thermo-mechanical stresses within a fusion environment. By leveraging physics-informed machine learning and microstructure-aware modeling, her research aims to better determine when and how cracks initiate and grow, and guide design or operation strategies that extend component lifetimes.

As part of this honor, Juneja will also contribute an invited article to MRS Communications, where she will further outline her vision for integrating machine learning with physics-based modeling to de-risk materials for next-generation, resilient fusion energy systems.

In addition, Juneja was chosen as ORNL's representative on an MRS panel featuring one scientist from 10 DOE national labs that showcased the breadth and impact of materials research across the DOE complex. Juneja highlighted ORNL's unique facilities and capabilities, including advanced microscopy, neutron scattering, high-performance computing and state-of-the-art synthesis and characterization tools for fusion materials, that make the lab a leader in tackling grand challenges in energy, scientific innovation and national security.

The panel also explored career pathways and workforce development at national laboratories. Juneja shared her own path to becoming a fusion materials scientist at ORNL, illustrating how research experiences, mentorship and interdisciplinary collaboration shaped her career. She also highlighted how ORNL is committed to building impactful careers for the next generation of scientists and engineers through internships, fellowships and early career opportunities.

Juneja is a fusion materials scientist in ORNL's Fusion Energy Division. Her research portfolio focuses on the development of machine learning-enabled multiscale modeling frameworks to accelerate materials qualification for fusion applications. She joined ORNL in 2020 as a postdoctoral researcher in the Materials Science and Technology Division after earning her doctorate in computational materials science from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.

UT-Battelle manages ORNL for the Department of Energy's Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. The Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.