Martin Nieto-Perez is an Associate Teaching Professor at the Ken and Mary Alice Department of Nuclear Engineering. Martin received his BS (1997) in Chemical Engineering from Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana in Mexico City, and a MS (2001) and PhD (2004) in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After his PhD he held a postdoctoral appointment at Argonne National Laboratory between 2004 and 2006. Between 2008 and 2021 he was professor/researcher at CICATA, one of the research units of Instituto Politecnico Nacional in Queretaro, Mexico. Martin’s research focuses on two main thrusts: plasma-material interactions in both high and low temperature plasmas, and neutronics and kinetic modeling/design relevant to the insertion of fusion-based neutron sources in the nuclear fuel cycle both in the front-end (as fissile material breeders) and the back end (actinide burners, spent fuel regenerators).

• BS, Chemical Engineering, Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana - Iztapalapa, 1997
• MS, Nuclear Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2001
• PhD, Nuclear Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 2004

Journal Articles

Martin Nieto-Perez, Matthew S Parsons, Maya Avida, Samah Balouza, Kenta Kawashimo, Camila Lopez-Perez and Robert J Goldston, 2026, "Initial Assessment of 3D-Printed Molybdenum Lattices as a Substrate for Liquid Metal Plasma-Facing Components", Fusion Science and Technology, pp. 13

Martin Nieto-Perez, Meral Sharkass, Swarit Dwivedi, Yun Kyung Shin, Adrianus C van Duin and Predrag S Krstic, 2025, "Retention, sputtering and surface chemistry at tungsten oxide surface facing deuterium plasma", Journal of Nuclear Materials, 606, pp. 155622 (8 pp.)

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2024, "Oxidation of Tungsten at Room Temperature Irradiated by Oxygen Plasma", The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 128, (38), pp. 16120-16132 (13 pp.)

Martin Nieto-Perez, Hanna Schamis, Camilo Jaramillo-Correa, Matthew Parsons, Trevor Marchhart and Jean Paul Allain, 2024, "The IGNIS-2 surface science facility for the study of plasma-material interactions", Review of Scientific Instruments, 95, (4), pp. 43508

Martin Nieto-Perez, Camila Lopez-Perez, Trevor Marchhart and Kenta Kawashimo, 2023, "A liquid metal dropper for experiments on the wettability of liquid metals on plasma facing components", Review of Scientific Instruments, 94, (10)

Martin Nieto-Perez, Camila Lopez-Perez, Trevor Marchhart, Alexandru Horia Marin and Jean Paul Allain, 2023, "Liquid lithium wettability studies on novel zirconium-alloyed porous tungsten", Nuclear Materials and Energy, 37, pp. 11

Martin Nieto-Perez, Gerardo Lopez-Echavarria, Jorge A Huerta-Ruelas, Gonzalo Velazquez and Guadalupe Mendez-Montealvo, 2023, "Influence of the surface/volume ratio on the rheological properties of starch dispersions", Czech Journal of Food Sciences, 41, pp. 54-63

Martin Nieto-Perez, Gerardo Lopez-Echavarria, Guadalupe Mendez-Montealvo, Gonzalo Velazquez, Alberto Herrera-Gomez and Jorge Huerta-Ruelas, 2023, "High viscosity change of corn starch suspensions prepared from granules quick treated with cold plasma", Plasma Processes and Polymers, 20, (2), pp. 13

Miguel A Segura-Ramirez, Martin Nieto-Perez, Rosa G Gonzalez Huerta and Pedro Vazquez-Landaverde, 2022, "Experimental measurements of naphta-like hydrocarbons conversion kinetics in an atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge", Revista Mexicana de Ingenieria Quimica, 21, (1), pp. 12

Martin Nieto-Perez, Israel Sifuentes-Nieves, Guadalupe Mendez-Montealvo, Pamela C Flores-Silva, Guadalupe Neira-Velazquez, Oliveiro Rodriguez-Fernandez, Ernesto Hernandez-Hernandez and Gonzalo Velazquez, 2021, "Dielectric barrier discharge and radio-frequency plasma effect on structural properties of starches with different amylose content", Innovative Food Sciences & Emerging Technologies, 68, pp. 9

Christian Gómez Samaniego, Martin Nieto-Perez and Gonzalo Ramos, 2021, "Simulation of the inner electrode geometry effect on the rundown phase characteristics of a coaxial plasma accelerator.", Revista Mexicana de Física, 67, (1), pp. 162-172

Martin Nieto-Perez, Humberto Salazar-Cravioto, Gonzalo Ramos, Swadesh Mahajan, Prashant Valanju and Michael Kotschenreuther, 2020, "Modeling of a Spherical Tokamak as an Extended Neutron Source Using ASTRA and MCNP", IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 48, (6), pp. 7

Martin Nieto-Perez, Miguel Lindero-Hernandez and Gonzalo Ramos, 2019, "Evaluation of Copper-Beryllium Contacts for High Current Density Pulsed Applications", IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 47, (8), pp. 4048 - 4051

Martin Nieto-Perez, Marlenne Gomez-Ramirez, Lizbeth Soto-Ruvalcaba and Norma Rojas-Avelizapa, 2019, "Cold plasma: an alternative to reduce the viability of Aspergillus flavus conidia in lentil beans", Mexican Journal of Biotechnology, 4, (3), pp. 12

Martin Nieto-Perez, Daniel Hernandez-Arriaga and Dulce Maria Ventura-Ovalle, 2019, "Design of the Toroidal Field Coil System for the TPM-1U Tokamak", Fusion Science and Technology, 75, (2), pp. 148-159

Martin Nieto-Perez, Raul Avalos-Zuñiga and Gonzalo Ramos, 2017, "Monte Carlo simulation of ion–material interactions in nuclear fusion devices", Radiation Effects and Defects in Solids, 172, (5-6), pp. 429-440

Martin Nieto-Perez, Francisco Ceballos-Soto and Gonzalo Ramos, 2017, "Design of a pulse transformer for the ohmic heating system of a small tokamak", Fusion Engineering and Design, 121, pp. 325-336

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2016, "Guest editorial special issue on symposium on fusion engineering", IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 44, (9), pp. 1463-1465

Martin Nieto-Perez, Monica Perez-Gamboa, Swadesh Mahajan, Prashant Valanju, Michael Kotschenreuther and Juan Luis Francois, 2015, "A ²³²Th closed fuel cycle utilizing both a thermal and hybrid nuclear systems", Progress in Nuclear Energy, 83, pp. 135-143

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2012, "Design aspects of an experimental test stand for the study of liquid-lithium-film condensation", IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 5 Part 2

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2011, "AC bipolar pulsed power supply for reactive magnetron sputtering", IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 10

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2011, "Al-doped zinc oxide film deposition in function of power by ac bipolar pulse in reactive magnetron sputtering", IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 11 Part 1

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2011, "Chemical and physical erosion of carbon and metallic substrates containing lithium during low-energy deuterium ion irradiation", Journal of Nuclear Materials, 1

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2010, "Energetic Sn⁺ irradiation effects on ruthenium mirror specular reflectivity at 13.5-nm", Applied Physics A: Materials Science and Processing

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2010, "Modeling of surface composition dynamics in the ITER divertor region", IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 3 Part 1

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2009, "Experimental studies of lithium-based surface chemistry for fusion plasma-facing materials applications", Journal of Nuclear Materials, 1

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2009, "Reactivity of lithium exposed graphite surface", Applied Surface Science, 20

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2009, "Results of Joint Experiments and other IAEA activities on research using small tokamaks", Nuclear Fusion, 10

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2008, "Specular reflectivity of 13.5-nm light from Sn islands deposited on grazing incidence mirror surfaces", Applied Physics A: Materials Science and Processing, 1

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2007, "IMPACT: A facility to study the interaction of low-energy intense particle beams with dynamic heterogeneous surfaces", Review of Scientific Instruments, 11

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2006, "Effect of xenon bombardment on ruthenium-coated grazing incidence collector mirror lifetime for extreme ultraviolet lithography", Journal of Applied Physics, 5

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2006, "Measurement of implanted helium particle transport by a flowing liquid lithium film", Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2006, "Xe⁺-irradiation effects on multilayer thin-film optical surfaces in EUV lithography", Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 1-2

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2005, "Measurement of hydrogen absorption in flowing liquid lithium in the flowing lithium retention experiment (FLIRE)", Journal of Nuclear Materials, 1-3

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2004, "Studies of liquid-metal erosion and free surface flowing liquid lithium retention of helium at the University of Illinois", Fusion Engineering and Design, 1-3

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2003, "Experimental measurements of helium retention in flowing liquid lithium", Fusion Science and Technology, 1

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2003, "Helium retention and diffusivity in flowing liquid lithium", Journal of Nuclear Materials

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2002, "FLIRE - Flowing liquid surface retention experiment, design and testing", Fusion Engineering and Design, 61-62, pp. 245-250

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2001, "Effect of temperature and density profiles on the stopping power of heavy ions in IFE targets", Fusion Technology, 2

Conference Proceedings

Martin Nieto-Perez, Scout Bucks, Ama Dahanayake, Eric Hisihara, Saya Lee, Sola Talabi and Satish Krishnamoorthy, 2026, "Design Study to Develop an Experimental Facility for a Microreactor Process Heat Application: Cement Calcination", Proc. 21st International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics, University Park, United States

Martin Nieto-Perez and Jean Paul Allain, 2023, "Pedagogical aspects of teaching nuclear fusion engineering basics", ASEE Zone 1 Conference - Spring 2023, American Society for Engineering Education, University Park, United States, pp. 9

Martin Nieto-Perez, David Alamilla-Flores and Pedro Argumedo-Teuffer, 2017, "Hydrodinamic effect of Discharge of Dielectric Barrier in the flow of air around an airfoil NACA 0018", 16th Latin American Workshop on Plasma Physics, LAWPP 2017 - Conference Proceedings, IEEE, pp. `1-4

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2016, "Design and subsystems tests for the TPM-1U tokamak", Proceedings - Symposium on Fusion Engineering

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2015, "Design and construction of demountable circular coil with high current density contacts", Digest of Technical Papers-IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2015, "Film condensation study of liquid lithium on materials relevant to fusion reactors", ICOPS/BEAMS 2014 - 41st IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science and the 20th International Conference on High-Power Particle Beams

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2013, "First results of the liquid lithium film experiment (LiLiFEx)", 2013 IEEE 25th Symposium on Fusion Engineering, SOFE 2013

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2013, "Optimization of fusion-fission hybrid reactor fuel composition", 2013 IEEE 25th Symposium on Fusion Engineering, SOFE 2013

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2012, "Design and construction status of the TPM-1U tokamak", Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2012, "Dynamics of the expansion discharge originated by a dense plasma focus", Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2012, "Use of triple Langmuir probes in the study of expanding shocks from a dense plasma focus", 39th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2012, EPS 2012 and the 16th International Congress on Plasma Physics

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2011, "Application of CO2 laser for electronic components soldering", Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2011, "Design of an experimental test stand for the study of liquid lithium film stability", Proceedings - Symposium on Fusion Engineering

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2011, "Particle-induced damage effects on extreme UV (13.5-nm) source collector mirror optics", Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2009, "Modeling of beryllium-carbon dynamics in the ITER divertor region", Proceedings - Symposium on Fusion Engineering

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2008, "Analysis methodology for project design utilizing UML", 2008 IEEE International Conference on Information Reuse and Integration, IEEE IRI-2008

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2008, "In-situ surface characterization of mechanical and electronic behavior during ionInduced nanostructure synthesis", Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2008, "Segmentation of medical images by region growing", 2008 IEEE International Conference on Information Reuse and Integration, IEEE IRI-2008

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2007, "Debris and radiation-induced damage effects on EUV nanolithography source collector mirror optics performance", Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2007, "Energetic and thermal Sn interactions and their effect on EUVL source collector mirror lifetime at high temperatures", Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, Part 2

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2006, "Effect of charged-particle bombardment on collector mirror reflectivity in EUV lithography devices", Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2006, "Plasma-material interaction studies on lithium and lithiated substrates during compact tokamak operation", AIP Conference Proceedings

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2005, "Angular distribution of eroded beryllium atoms from a beryllium target exposed to a deuterium plasma in PISCES-B", 32nd EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2005, EPS 2005, Held with the 8th International Workshop on Fast Ignition of Fusion Targets - Europhysics Conference Abstracts

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2005, "Erosion and degradation of EUV lithography collector mirrors under particle bombardment", Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE, 11

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2005, "Sn-induced surface modification of EUV plasma-facing collector mirrors", Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings

Martin Nieto-Perez, 2003, "Experimental measurement of hydrogen and helium retention on liquid lithium on FLIRE", Proceedings - Symposium on Fusion Engineering

Martin Nieto-Perez, 1999, "Computational studies of collisional processes in inertial electrostatic glow discharge fusion devices", Proceedings - Symposium on Fusion Engineering

Martin Nieto-Perez, 1999, "Issues for development of inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) for future fusion propulsion", 35th Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit

• Best Researcher at IPN, category Young Researcher, Instituto Politecnico Nacional, December 2010

• Fulbright/Garcia-Robles Scholar, US Department of State/CONACyT, August 1998 - July 2000

Service to Penn State:

• Committee Work, Advisor, Faculty Advisor, Leonhard Center for Enhancement of Engineering Education, Faculty Advisory Board, August 2025 - July 2027

• Contributions to Programs to Enhance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Advisor, Faculty Team Advisor, Sustainability Institute, Evironmentors Program, August 2025 - May 2026

• Contributions to Programs to Enhance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Advisor, Faculty Team Advisor, Sustainability Institute, Evironmentors Program, August 2024 - May 2025

• Committee Work, Attendee, Post Industrial Medwest and Appalachia Nuclear Alliance Workshop, Ken and Mary Alice Department of Nuclear Engineering, June 2022 - June 2022

• Committee Work, Attendee, Post Industrial Medwest and Appalachia Nuclear Alliance Workshop, Ken and Mary Alice Department of Nuclear Engineering, October 2022 - October 2022

• Committee Work, Attendee, Post Industrial Medwest and Appalachia Nuclear Alliance Workshop, Ken and Mary Alice Department of Nuclear Engineering, December 2022 - December 2022

• Contributions to Programs to Enhance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Advisor, Enviromentors Program, Institute for the Energy and the Environment, November 2022

• Contributions to Programs to Enhance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Evaluator, Millenium Scholars Candidtae Interviewer, Millenium Scholars Program, February 2026

Service to External Organizations:

• Participation in or Service to Professional and Learned Societies, Chairperson, Technical Committe Chairparson, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Fusion Technology Committee, January 2020 - December 2023