Dr. Ryan is a senior materials scientist with the Radiological Materials Group at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory specializing in the study of the structure and properties of glass and ceramic materials, with a focus on surface-related techniques and effects. He is currently using this approach to develop a mechanistic understanding of the long-term corrosion of nuclear waste forms. He is the lead US scientist for a six-nation collaborative group seeking a technical consensus on the glass corrosion rate. Dr. Ryan is also involved in the development of novel alternative waste forms for the sequestration of problem radionuclides using a variety of processing techniques, including bulk ceramic processing and traditional glass melting, as well as sol-gel, non-oxide, and other specialty glass synthesis techniques. He is leading two efforts to establish links between microstructure and strength for lithium aluminate ceramic pellets. He has also been involved in the design, synthesis and characterization of thin film materials for use in optoelectronic, infrared, tribological, and barrier applications. He is an active member of the American Ceramic Society, currently serving as the Vice-Chair for the Glass and Optical Materials Division.