Education
- Ph.D. in Plasma Physics
University of Texas at Austin - BA in Physics and Computer Science
University of California: Berkeley
Research
I have been working in the University of Texas Institute for Fusion Studies as a graduate research assistant. The group collaborates with many laboratories and universities worldwide on leading edge research on fusion devices. My thesis work was performed at the Alcator C-Mod Tokamak, where I have measured transport of helium ions in the tokamak core using Charge Exchange Recombination Spectroscopy, and compared measurements to gyrokinetic simulations, as well as examining the effect of helium distribution on RF wave heating. I have also worked on Doppler spectroscopy flow measurements on the Texas Helimak to study flow shear suppression of turbulence.
A powerpoint presentation summarizing my thesis work can be found here: defense4.pptx
Publications
- K.T. Liao. Helium Charge Exchange Recombination Spectroscopy on Alcator C-Mod Tokamak. PhD Thesis, University of Texas (2014) [pdf]
- K.W. Gentle, K.T. Liao, K. Lee and W.L. Rowan. Comparison of Velocity Shear with Turbulence Reduction Driven by Biasing in a Simple Cylindrical Slab Plasma, Plasma Sci. Technol. 12(4) 391 (2010)
- I.O. Bespamyatnov, W.L. Rowan, K.T. Liao, ALCBEAM-neutral beam formation and propagation code for beam based plasma diagnostics, Computer Physics Communications, 183(3) 669 (2011)
- I.O. Bespamyatnov, W.L. Rowan, K.T. Liao, O. Marchuk, Y. Ralchenko, Benchmark of Collisional-Radiative Models for ITER beams at Alcator C-Mod Tokamak. Nucl. Fusion 53 123010 (2013)
- X.R. Fu, W. Horton, I.O. Bespamyatnov, W.L. Rowan, S. Benkadda, C. Fiore, S. Futatani, K.T. Liao. "Turbulent impurity transport modeling for Alcator C-Mod", J. Plasma Physics, 79(5) 837 (2013)
- K.T. Liao, W.L. Rowan, I.O. Bespamyatnov, S.J. Wukitch, Y. Lin, A. Bader, N. Tsujii, Minority Ion Measurements During ICRF Experiments in Alcator C-Mod, AIP Conf. Proc. 1406, 361 (2011)
- K.T. Liao, W.L. Rowan, I.O. Bespamyatnov, A. Bader, R.S. Granetz, The emission spectrum of fast neutrals in Alcator C Mod and its use as a fast ion diagnostic, Bullet. Am. Phys. Soc. 54 (2009)
- K.T. Liao, W.L. Rowan, I.O. Bespamyatnov, A. Bader, R.S. Granetz, CXRS-based diagnostic for fast ion detection in the core of the Alcator C-Mod Tokamak, Bullet. Am. Phys. Soc. 55 (2010)
- K.T. Liao, et al. Fast ion charge exchange measurements during minority heating in Alcator C-Mod, Bullet. Am. Phys. Soc. 56 (2011)
- K.T. Liao, W.L. Rowan, I.O. Bespamyatnov, M.W. Brookman, S.J. Wukitch, Y. Lin, A. Bader, D. Pace, N. Tsujii, Following energetic ion behavior with fast ion charge exchange during minority heating in Alcator C-Mod. 12th IAEA TM Energetic Particles (2011)
- K.T. Liao, W.L. Rowan, I.O. Bespamyatnov, S.J. Wukitch, Fast ion and thermal helium transport experiments in Alcator C-Mod, Transport Task Force Workshop (2011)
- K.T. Liao, W.L. Rowan, I.O. Bespamyatnov, W. Horton, X.R. Fu, Transport of helium as an impurity and as a main ion in Alcator C-Mod, Bullet. Am. Phys. Soc. 57 (2012)
- K.T. Liao, W.L. Rowan, E.F. Jaeger, R.W. Harvey, I.O. Bespamyatnov, S.J. Wukitch, Y. Lin, Impact of Light Impurity Transport on ICRF Minority Heating and Mode Conversion Heating, Transport Task Force Workshop (2013)
- K.T. Liao, W.L. Rowan, D. Hatch, I.O. Bespamyatnov, R.S. Granetz, J. Walk, Search for gyrokinetic dependencies in helium transport at Alcator C-Mod, Bullet. Am. Phys. Soc. 58 (2013)
Music
I was the keyboardist/flautist/noise maker for the infamous Austin band Aryawn (2008-2010).Interests
- Cooperatives
- Veganism
- Food Not Bombs