ARIF AKHTER RANGON

PhD Candidate in Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M University — researching neural-network surrogates for high-fidelity reactor physics simulations.

College Station, TX 77840 • arif_akhter@tamu.edu

Professional Experience

Mar 2023 — Current

Collaborator

Idaho National Laboratory
Idaho Falls, ID
  • Conducted deterministic radiation-transport simulations under DOE-NEAMS/NEUP project using GRIFFIN software in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory.
  • Interfaced Neural Network in Pebble Tracking Transport algorithm in GRIFFIN that is used to generate multigroup cross sections on the fly instead of using libraries.
Jan 2023 — Current

Graduate Research Assistant

Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
  • Developed neural network models in PyTorch to parameterize pebble-bed multigroup cross sections as functions of neutron spectra and thermal-hydraulic conditions, under supervision of Dr. Jean Ragusa.
  • Developed a methodology to generate a rich training dataset using Serpent Monte Carlo Code for the cross-section predictions with Neural Network.
Aug 2025 — May 2026

Graduate Teaching Assistant

Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
  • Assisted in teaching NUEN301: Nuclear Reactor Theory under Dr. Carlo Fiorina.
  • Assisted in teaching NUEN329: Analytical and Numerical Methods under Dr. Jean Ragusa.
  • Designed ADA-compliant homework sets and assignments, shifted from PDF-based solutions to Jupyter notebooks and transitioned from traditional homework to Canvas-native, auto-graded digital quizzes.
  • Produced video lectures, homework walkthroughs, and Q&A review sessions.
Dec 2019 — Jan 2020

Industrial Trainee

Bangladesh Atomic Energy Center
Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • Assisted in experimental design and plasma diagnostics at the Plasma Physics division in BAEC.
  • Analyzed particle flux data and contributed to the safety-protocol reports.

Education

Expected Fall 2026

Doctor of Philosophy — Nuclear Engineering

Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
  • Department of Nuclear Engineering, Texas A&M University
  • Major courses: Neutron Transport Methods, Deep Learning, Small Modular Reactors and Microreactors, Nuclear Fuel Cycles and Nuclear Material Safeguards, Methods and Applications of Partial Differential Equations, Statistics and Data Science.
Spring 2026

Master of Science — Nuclear Engineering

Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
  • Department of Nuclear Engineering, Texas A&M University
  • Major Courses: Nuclear Reactor Theory, Radiation Interactions and Shielding, Advanced Reactor Design, Reactor Analysis and Experimentation, Numerical Analysis.
Spring 2022

Bachelor of Science — Nuclear Engineering

University of Dhaka
Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
  • Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Dhaka
  • Major Courses: Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Reactor Thermal Hydraulics, Reactor Safety, Security and Safeguards, Decommissioning, Radiation Imaging, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.

Research & Thesis

Master's Thesis

Title
Dynamic Homogenization for Pebble Tracking Transport Using Artificial Neural Networks
Supervision
Dr. Jean Ragusa, Professor, Nuclear Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Description
Developed a neural-network-based multigroup cross-section predictor for Pebble Bed Reactors to use within the PTT framework in the Griffin reactor physics application. This NN surrogate enables 'pebble-wise' high-fidelity deterministic modeling by capturing local power peaking and spectral gradients.

Bachelor Thesis

Title
To Study the Effects of a Single Bubble Formed in a Turbulent Channel Flow Using VOF Method in OpenFOAM
Supervision
Dr. Md Mahidul Haque Prodhan, Assistant Professor, Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Description
Implemented volume-of-fluid (VOF) method for two-fluid mixture in a pipe flow and post-processed flow-field results in ParaView.

Publications & Articles

2023
U. M. Nabila, A. A. Rangon, M. H. Prodhan; 'Applications of Nuclear Technology, Bangladesh Perspective'; ENERZINE, Institute of Energy, University of Dhaka, ISSN 2518-6485, Issue 1, Vol 3, Page 61–69.
2018
M. H. Prodhan, M. H. Sahadath, A. A. Rangon, B. M. Rabby Hossain. 'A Review on Fukushima Nuclear Disaster and Recommendations for the Present and Future Nuclear Power Plant'; IOSR Journal of Applied Physics, 10(2), Pages 44–51.

Projects & Presentations

2025
Presented 'High-Fidelity PBR Depletion Calculation in Griffin using Artificial Neural Network' at INMM — Texas A&M Student Chapter: Pebble Bed and TRISO-Fueled Reactors Nonproliferation Workshop.
2024
Participated in Molten Salt Bootcamp held at the University of California, Berkeley.
2021
Design Project — Wireless multifunction smart security system for inaccessible places in a nuclear power plant. Department of Nuclear Engineering; University of Dhaka.
2020
Idea Presentation on Hypothetical MSR Power Plant Construction Under Seawater: Public Fear, Financial Analysis and Technical Feasibility Study. Annual Fab Fest, University of Dhaka.

Technical Expertise

Neutronics
GRIFFIN, Serpent, OpenMC
Thermal Hydraulics
OpenFOAM, ANSYS Fluent
DevOps & Automation
C, C++, Python, Docker, Git, Shell scripting
Document Processing
Overleaf / LaTeX, Microsoft Office

Certifications & Affiliations

Certifications
Associate Fellow of Academy for Future Faculty, Center for Teaching Excellence & Graduate and Professional School (CIRTL), Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
Affiliations
Graduate Student Member, American Nuclear Society (ANS), USA.

Personal References

Academic
Dr. Jean Ragusa
Ph.D. Supervisor
Professor, Nuclear Engineering
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
jean.ragusa@tamu.edu
Professional
Dr. Yaqi Wang
DOE / NEUP Project Collaborator
Senior Researcher, Fuels Modeling and Simulation
Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID
yaqi.wang@inl.gov