April Novak

For More Information

• Google Scholar
• Research Gate profile

Education

• University of California, Berkeley, PhD in Nuclear Engineering, 2020
• University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, BS in Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering, 2015

Academic Positions

• 2023-present, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering
• 2023-present, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, National Center for Supercomputing Applications (0%)

Other Professional Employment

• 2020-2023, Maria Goeppert-Mayer Fellow, Argonne National Laboratory

Research Interests

• Multiphysics methods and applications
• Multiscale thermal-hydraulics
• Monte Carlo transport methods
• Reactor design and analysis
• High performance computing

Selected Articles in Journals

• A.J. Novak, J.W. Peterson, L. Zou, D. Andrs, R.N. Slaybaugh, and R.C. Martineau. "Validation of Pronghorn Friction-Dominated Porous Media Thermal-Hydraulics Model with the SANA Experiments." Nuclear Engineering and Design 350:182-194 (2019)
• R.C. Martineau, D. Andrs, R. Carlsen, D. Gaston, J. Hansel, F. Kong, A. Lindsay, C. Permann, A. Slaughter, E. Merzari, R. Hu, A. Novak, and R. Slaybaugh. "Multiphysics for Nuclear Energy Applications Using a Cohesive Computational Framework." Nuclear Engineering and Design 367:110751 (2020)
• P. Romano, S.P. Hamilton, R.O. Rahaman, A. Novak, E. Merzari, S.M. Harper, P.C. Shriwise, and T.M. Evans. "A Code-Agnostic Driver Application for Coupled Neutronics and Thermal-Hydraulic Simulations." Nuclear Science and Engineering 195:391-411(2020)
• A.J. Novak, S. Schunert, R.W. Carlsen, P. Balestra, R.N. Slaybaugh, and R.C. Martineau. "Multiscale Thermal-Hydraulic Modeling of the Pebble Bed Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor." Annals of Nuclear Energy 154:107968 (2021)
• A.J. Novak, R.W. Carlsen, S. Schunert, P. Balestra, D. Reger, R.N. Slaybaugh, and R.C. Martineau. "Pronghorn: A Multidimensional Coarse Mesh Application for Advanced Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics." Nuclear Technology 207:1015-1046 (2021)
• A.J. Novak, D. Andrs, P. Shriwise, J. Fang, H. Yuan, D. Shaver, E. Merzari, P.K. Romano, and R.C. Martineau. "Coupled Monte Carlo and Thermal-Fluid Modeling of High Temperature Gas Reactors Using Cardinal." Annals of Nuclear Energy" 177:109310 (2022)
• A.D. Lindsay, D.R. Gaston, C.J. Permann, J.M. Miller, D. Andrs, A.E. Slaughter, F. Kong, J. Hansel, R.W. Carlsen, C. Icenhour, L. Harbour, G.L. Giudicelli, R.H. Stogner, P. German, J. Badger, S. Biswas, L. Chapuis, J. Hales, W. Jiang, Z.M. Prince, S. Schunert, D. Schwen, B.W. Spencer, A. Recuero, D. Yushu, Y. Wang, C. Wong, T. Hu, A. Novak, Y.S. Jung, Y. Miao, C. Mathews, A. Rovinelli, J.W. Peterson, C. Green, A. Wilkins, S. Veeraraghavan, "2.0 - MOOSE: Enabling Massively Parallel Multiphysics Simulation." SoftwareX 20:101202 (2022)
• G.L. Giudicelli, A. Abou-Jaoude, A.J. Novak, A. Abdelhameed, P. Balestra, L. Charlot, J. Fang, B. Feng, T. Folk, R. Freile, T. Freyman, D. Gaston, L. Harbour, S. Harper, T. Hua, W. Jiang, N. Martin, Y. Miao, J. Miller, D. O'Grady, D. Reger, E. Shemon, N. Stauff, M. Tano, S. Walker, and C. Permann, "The Virtual Test Bed (VTB) Repository: A Library of Multiphysics Reference Reactor Models Using NEAMS Tools." Nuclear Science and Engineering 197:2217-2233 (2023)
• A.J. Novak, P. Shriwise, P.K. Romano, R. Rahaman, E. Merzari, and D. Gaston, "Coupled Monte Carlo and Conjugate Heat Transfer for Wire-Wrapped Bundles Within the MOOSE Framework." Nuclear Science and Engineering 197:2561-2584 (2023)
• A.J. Novak, H. Brooks, P. Shriwise, and A. Davis, "Monte Carlo Multiphysics Simulation on Adaptive Unstructured Mesh Geometry," Nuclear Engineering and Design 429:113589 (2024)
• G. Giudicelli, C. Green, J. Hansel, D. Andrs, A. Novak, S. Schunert, B. Spaude, S. Isaacs, M. Kunick, R. Salko, S. Henderson, L. Charlot, and A. Lindsay, "The MOOSE Fluid Properties Module," Computer Physics Communications 307:109407 (2024)
• V.C. Leite, E. Merzari, A. Novak, R. Ponciroli, and L. Ibarra, "Application of a Physics-Informed Convolutional Neural Network for Monitoring the Temperature Field in High-Temperature Gas Reactors." Nuclear Science and Engineering 199:1712-1732 (2025)
• Y. Yu, H. Park, A. Novak, and E. Shemon, "High-Fidelity Multi-Physics Fully Coupled Model for Lead Cooled Fast Reactor and its Applications for Statistical Calculation of Hot Channel Factors", Nuclear Engineering and Design 435:113915 (2025)
• A.J. Novak, C. Bourdot Dutra, D. Shaver, and E. Merzari, "CFD Simulation of Interassembly Bypass Flow in Sodium Fast Reactors," Nuclear Engineering and Design 439:114044 (2025)

Articles in Conference Proceedings

• M.A. Mendes, M. Eltawila, K.C. Sawatzky, A.J. Novak, and R.C. Martineau, "Validation of Cardinal Coupled Neutronics and Thermomechanics Using the KRUSTY Experiments,'' Proceedings of NETS (2026)
• C.H.H. Moore, K.C. Sawatzky, A.J. Novak, and K.D. Atkinson, "Validation of a Two-Step Neutronics Workflow using Gnat and OpenMC with the ZED-2 Research Reactor,'' Proceedings of Physor (2026)
• K.C. Sawatzky, E. Walid Ahammed, P.P.H. Wilson, P.C. Shriwise, P.K. Romano, and A.J. Novak, "Mesh Tally Adaptive Mesh Refinement Strategies for Spatial Gradients Driven by Material Heterogeneities,'' Proceedings of Physor (2026) 
• K.C. Sawatzky, A.J. Novak, and Y. Miao, "Application of a Multiscale Temperature Treatment to Multiphysics Calculations in a TRISO Fueled Microreactor,'' Proceedings of Physor (2026)
• E. Walid Ahammed, K. Sawatzky, L. Gross, A. Novak, P. Shriwise, P. Romano, and P. Wilson, "Development of Mesh Tally Amalgamation Algorithm for Coupled High Fidelity Multiphysics Simulation,'' Proceedings of Physor (2026)
• T. Franklin, L.B. Carasik, P.C.A Simon, C.T. Icenhour, G.Giudicelli, L.H. Harbour, L. Yang, D. Gaston, M. Shimada, G. Gall, A.M. Lietz, M. Eltawila, A.J. Novak, and H. Brooks, "Divertor Monoblock Multiphysics Analysis Using the SALAMANDER Code,'' Workshop on Digital Engineering for Fusion Energy Research (2025)
• M. Elkamash, L. Harbour, and A.J. Novak, "Verification of a Preliminary Ray Tracing Particle Tracking Algorithm Within the MOOSE Framework," Proceedings of ANS (2025)
• M. Elkamash, L. Charlot, J. Dorville, P. Ferney, E. Shemon, P. Romano, and A.J. Novak, "Modeling Radiation Heat Transfer in the DOME Shield Cavity," Proceedings of ANS (2025)
• K. Sawatzky, E. Walid Ahammed, P.P.H. Wilson, P.C. Shriwise, P.K. Romano, and A.J. Novak, "Adaptive Mesh Refinement Applied to Unstructured Mesh Tallies in Cardinal-OpenMC," Proceedings of ANS (2025)
• A. Hegazy, A. Novak, P.C. Simon, and R. Uddin, "Multiphysics Simulation of TRISO Fuel Compacts and the Effects of Homogenization on Fission Products Release," Proceedings of ANS (2025)
• P.C. Simon, C. Icenhour, G. Giudicelli, L. Harbour, L. Yang, D. Gaston, M. Shimada, G. Gall, A. Lietz, M. Eltawila, A.J. Novak, T. Franklin, L. Carasik, H. Brooks, ``FENIX: Advanced Multiphysics Simulation for Fusion Energy Systems,'' Proceedings of Plasma-Facing Materials and Components for Fusion Applications (2025)
• P.C. Simon, C. Icenhour, M. Shimada, G. Giudicelli, L. Harbour, D. Gaston, L. Yang, H. Brooks, M. Eltawila, A.J. Novak, G. Gall, A. Lietz, T. Franklin, L. Carasik, "Modeling Fusion Systems With MOOSE-based Capabilities: FENIX (Fusion ENergy Integrated multiphys-X)'', Proceedings of Open Source Science in Fusion Energy (2025)
• J.F. Specht IV, A.J. Novak, "Polygonal Functional Expansion Tallies Using Transformed Zernike Polynomials,'' Proceedings of M&C (2025)
• A. Hegazy, A. Novak, and R. Uddin, "A Direct Forcing Immersed Boundary Technique Developed in the NekRS Spectral Element CFD Solver,'' Proceedings of M&C (2025)
• M. Eltawila, A.J. Novak, P.C. Simon, and G. Giudicelli, "Monte Carlo Multiphysics on Moving Meshes: Initial Verification and Case Studies,'' Proceedings of M&C (2025)
• K. Sawatzky and A.J. Novak, "Heuristic-Based Adaptive Mesh Refinement Applied to Ray Effect Mitigation Methods,'' Proceedings of M&C (2025)
• M. Mendes and A.J. Novak, "Validation of OpenMC Using the KRUSTY Component Critical Experiments,'' Proceedings of M&C (2025)
• L. Harbour, P. Shriwise, A. Novak, and D. Gaston, "MOOSE Web Server Interface: A Message-based External Interface for Multiphysics Simulations,'' Proceedings of M&C (2025)
• M. Elkamash, L. Charlot, M. Jaradat, S. Kumar, J. Dorville, E. Shemon, P. Romano, and A. Novak, "Development of the DOME Shield Model for the NRIC Virtual Test Bed,'' Proceedings of ANS (2024)
• P.C. Simon, C. Icenhour, G. Giudicelli, L.H.  Harbour, D. Gaston, M. Shimada, G. Gall, A.M. Lietz, M. Eltawila, A.J. Novak, and H. Brooks, "FENIX: Towards Fully Integrated Multiphysics Framework for Plasma Facing Component Modeling'' Proceedings of TOFE (2024)
• M. Eltawila, A.J. Novak, P.C. Simon, and G. Giudicelli, "Investigation of CAD-Based Geometry Workflows for Multiphysics Fusion Problems Using OpenMC and MOOSE'' Proceedings of the Pacific Basin Nuclear Conference (2024)
• P.C. Simon, C.T. Icenhour, M. Shimada, A. Lindsay, G. Giudicelli, L. Harbour, D. Gaston, H. Brooks, A.J. Novak, M. Eltawila, A.M. Lietz, G. Gall, and C. Fiorina, "Developing Multiphysics, Integrated, High-Fidelity, Massively Parallel Computational Capabilities for Fusion Applications Using MOOSE'' Proceedings of the Pacific Basin Nuclear Conference (2024)
• A. Hegazy, A.J. Novak, and R. Uddin, "Multiphysics Simulation of TRISO Fuel Compacts and the Effects of Homogenization," Proceedings of Physor (2024)
• M. Eltawila, A. Novak, and Y. Miao, "Coupled Multiphysics Modeling of Heat Pipe Microreactors using Cardinal, BISON, and Sockeye." Proceedings of Physor (2024)
• A. Abou-Jaoude, E. Shemon, G. Giudicelli, S. Walker, L. Charlot, M. Tano, J. Fang, A. Novak, Z. Ooi, H. Park, N. Wozniak, Y. Miao, A. Abdelhameed, N. Stauff, and L. Zou, "Status of New Models Hosted on the Virtual Test Bed (VTB) in 2023," Proceedings of ANS (2023)
• A.J. Novak, P. Shriwise, P. Romano, D. Shaver, J. Fang, H. Yuan, D. Gaston, E. Merzari, H. Brooks, and A. Huxford, "High-Fidelity Multiphysics for Fission: Challenges, Accomplishments, and Future Directions," Proceedings of Nureth (2023)
• A.J. Novak, C. Bourdot Dutra, D. Shaver, and E. Merzari, "NekRS CFD Simulations of Interassembly Flow in Sodium Fast Reactors," Proceedings of Nureth (2023)
• V.C. Leite, E. Merzari, A. Novak, R. Ponciroli, and L. Ibarra, "Application of a Physically Informed Convolutional Neural Network for Monitoring the Temperature Field in Advanced Reactors," Proceedings of Nureth (2023)
• A.J. Novak, H. Brooks, P. Shriwise, A. Hegazy, and A. Davis, "Multiphysics Coupling of OpenMC CAD-Based Transport to MOOSE using Cardinal and Aurora," Proceedings of M&C (2023)
• L. Gross, A.J. Novak, P. Shriwise, and P.P.H. Wilson, "Verification of the Cardinal Multiphysics Solver for 1-D Coupled Heat Transfer and Neutron Transport," Proceedings of M&C (2023)
• H. Park, Y. Yu, E. Shemon, and A. Novak, "Development of Coupled Code System with Griffin, MOOSE and NekRS for Hot Channel Factor Evaluation in Fast Reactor," Proceedings of M&C (2023)
•  A. Hegazy and A.J. Novak, "Verification of the Cardinal Multiphysics Solver with the Doppler Slab Benchmark," Proceedings of M&C (2023)
• A. Chaube, A. Novak, H. Yuan, E. Merzari, D.R. Shaver, P.F. Fischer, and C. Brooks, "A Preliminary Fluid-Structure Coupling of NekRS and MOOSE via Cardinal," Proceedings of M&C (2023)
• A.J. Novak, A. Chaube, D. Shaver, and C. Brooks, "Validation of NekRS-MOOSE Conjugate Heat Transfer Coupling for a 7-Pin Bare Bundle,"  Proceedings of ANS (2022)
• A. Abou-Jaoude, E. Shemon, G. Giudicelli, S. Walker, T. Folk, M. Tano, J. Fang, and A. Novak, "Status of New Models Hosted on the Virtual Test Bed (VTB) in 2022." Proceedings of ANS (2022)
• M. Min, Y. Lan, P. Fischer, E. Merzari, S. Kerkemeier, M. Phillips, T. Rathnayake, A. Novak, D. Gaston, N. Chalmers, and T. Warburton, "Optimization of Full-Core Reactor Simulations on Summit." Proceedings of Supercomputing (2022)
• P.C. Shriwise, A. Davis, A.J. Novak, H.M. Brooks, and P.K. Romano, "Unstructured Mesh Capabilities and Multiphysics Simulation with OpenMC." Proceedings of TOFE (2022)
• Y. Yu, A. Novak, D. Shaver, and E. Merzari, "Coupled Simulation of Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) Subjected to Pressurized Thermal Shock (PTS) Using Cardinal." Proceedings of ATH (2022)
• A.J. Novak, D. Andrs, P. Shriwise, D. Shaver, P.K. Romano, E. Merzari, and P. Keutelian, "Coupled Monte Carlo and Thermal-Hydraulics Modeling of a Prismatic Gas Reactor Fuel Assembly Using Cardinal." Proceedings of PHYSOR (2022)
• A.J. Novak, P. Shriwise, R. Rahaman, P.K. Romano, E. Merzari, and D. Gaston, "Coupled Monte Carlo Transport and Conjugate Heat Transfer for Wire-Wrapped Bundles Within the MOOSE Framework." Proceedings of NURETH (2022)
• A.J. Novak, D. Shaver, and B. Feng, "Conjugate Heat Transfer Coupling of NekRS and MOOSE for Bypass Flow Modeling." Proceedings of ANS (2021)
• G. Giudicelli, A. Abou-Jaoude, and A.J. Novak, "Coupled Multiphysics Simulations of the Mk1-FHR in the Virtual Test Bed." Proceedings of ANS (2021)
• B. Feng, J. Fang, T. Hua, N. Stauff, A. Novak, L. Zou, R. Hu, P. Balestra, D. Reger, N. Martin, G. Giudicelli, and A. Abou-Jaoude, "Single- and Multi-Physics Models of Advanced Reactors in the Virtual Test Bed." Proceedings of ANS (2021)
• G. Giudicelli, D.R. Gaston, P. Balestra, A.J. Novak, M.D. DeHart, A. Abou-Jaoude, J. Ortensi, A. Lindsay, and R.W. Carlsen, "Coupled Multi-Physics Transient Simulations of the Mk1-FHR Reactor Using the MOOSE Framework." Proceedings of M&C (2021)
• J. Lee, P. Balestra, S. Schunert, A. Novak, Y. Hassan, M. DeHart, and R.C. Martineau, "Pronghorn Fully Compressible Equation Set Validation Against SANA Open Plenum Experiments." Proceedings of HTR (2020)
• P. Balestra, S. Schunert, R.W. Carlsen, A.J. Novak, M.D. DeHart, R.C. Martineau, "PBMR-400 Benchmark Solution of Exercise 1 and 2 Using the MOOSE Based Applications: MAMMOTH, Pronghorn." Proceedings of PHYSOR (2020)
• P. Romano, S. Hamilton, R. Rahaman, A. Novak, E. Merzari, S. Harper, and P. Shriwise. "Design of a code-agnostic driver application for high-fidelity neutronic and thermal-hydraulic simulations." Proceedings of PHYSOR (2020)
• A.J. Novak, R.N. Slaybaugh, and R.C. Martineau. "Multiscale Core Thermal-Hydraulics Analysis of the Pebble Bed Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor." Proceedings of M&C (2019)
• A.J. Novak, L. Zou, J.W. Peterson, R.C. Martineau, and R.N. Slaybaugh. "Pronghorn: Porous Media Thermal-Hydraulics for Reactor Applications" Proceedings of ANS (2018)
• A.J. Novak, L. Zou, J.W. Peterson, R.C. Martineau, and R.N. Slaybaugh. "Pronghorn: A Porous Media Thermal-Hydraulics Core Simulator and its Validation with the SANA Experiments." Proceedings of ICAPP (2018)
• L. Zou, J.W. Peterson, A.J. Novak, R.C. Martineau, and H.D. Gougar. "Stabilized Finite Element Formulation for Thermally-Driven Porous Media Flows in Pronghorn." Proceedings of ANS (2018)
• A.J. Novak, P. Romano, B. Wendt, R. Rahaman, E. Merzari, L. Kerby, C. Permann, R. Martineau, and R.N. Slaybaugh. "Preliminary Coupling of OpenMC and Nek5000 Within the MOOSE Framework." Proceedings of PHYSOR (2018)
• B. Wendt, A.J. Novak, P. Romano, and L. Kerby. "Integration of Functional Expansion Methodologies as a MOOSE Module." Proceedings of PHYSOR (2018)
• J.C. Kendrick, A.J. Novak, C.M. Poresky, N. Zweibaum, P.F. Peterson. "Observations of Flow Instability in a Heated Narrow Vertical Slot in the UCB CIET Facility." Proceedings of ICAPP (2016)

Honors

• 40 Under 40 Award, Nuclear News inaugural recipient (2024)

Teaching Honors

• List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by their Students (Spring 2025)
• Students' Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (2024)
• List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by their Students (Spring 2024)
• Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award (2020)

Research Honors

• R&D 100 Award, "Cardinal: Accelerating Discovery in Fusion and Fission Energy" (2023)
• Innovations in Nuclear Technology R&D Award, 1st Place in Advanced Reactor Systems (2018)