Aaron Adams

 

Dr. Aaron Lee Adams is the Assistant Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Technology at Kennesaw State University (KSU), where he combines administrative leadership with a strong commitment to teaching, research, and student mentorship. His academic focus centers on advanced materials for nuclear applications, additive manufacturing, and sustainability, with an emphasis on increasing minority representation in engineering and graduate education. As a key collaborator, Dr. Adams played a vital role in KSU’s membership in the National GEM Consortium (Graduate Education for Minorities), highlighting his dedication to fostering diversity, equity, and academic excellence.

Dr. Adams holds a prestigious joint appointment with Idaho National Laboratory (INL), becoming the first KSU professor to earn this distinction. This partnership significantly enhances the university’s research infrastructure and provides undergraduate and graduate students with immersive, hands-on research experiences in nuclear materials and energy systems. His research supported by over $4 million in funding from agencies such as the NSF, DOE, NASA, NRC, and DoD has contributed to innovations in 3D-printed nuclear fuel forms, radiation detection, and materials science. His doctoral work, conducted in collaboration with Brookhaven National Laboratory, focused on post-growth annealing of cadmium zinc telluride for nuclear radiation detectors. He is also an affiliate member of the Center for Cyber-Physical Systems and Realm (CYPHR) at KSU, where he contributes to interdisciplinary initiatives linking advanced manufacturing, nuclear energy systems, and cyber-physical infrastructure.

Dr. Adams brings a wealth of industry and academic experience to his current role. Before joining KSU, he held engineering positions at NASA, Ford Motor Company, and Nucor Steel, and served as an associate professor at Alabama A&M University (AAMU), where he earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering Technology. He completed his MS and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and an additional MS in Marketing at the University of Alabama. He has served as a National Academy of Engineering Mirzayan Fellow, contributing to a federally funded consensus study on engineering technology education, and participated in an Engineers Without Borders project that brought clean water and solar power to remote Peruvian villages. Beyond his professional work, Dr. Adams enjoys sports, emerging technologies, and community outreach to inspire the next generation of engineers.