John A. Boyd III

I am an experienced mechanical/design engineer and budding nuclear physicist. Through hands-on development, leadership, and project management, I developed expertise that is deeply rooted in creative problem solving and design. I have always maintained a strong emphasis on minimizing cost and improving manufacturing processes while also maximizing and preserving the quality of a product. 

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I am currently finishing up my thesis and working at the University of Virginia (UVa) as a Graduate Research Assistant. My primary focus is on the R & D of new gas electron multiplier (GEM) particle detectors used in nuclear, particle, and radiation physics (Click here to learn more about the working principles of these devices). I led the design of 4 new GEMs that were installed in Experimental Hall A of Jefferson Lab in Newport News. These are the primary particle tracking and trajectory reconstruction detectors at JLab. They were installed in mid-2021 and are still used in ongoing in-beam operations with detection efficiencies greater than 98%. I was responsible for the physical design, construction, testing, and operational characterization of these devices. I also designed the entire internal gas volume and performed extensive studies on its flow characteristics and operational stability. 

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In previous roles as an R & D Engineer/Manager I gained invaluable experience in full life-cycle product development and management. While R&D Manager for Taylor Valve (2009 - 2012) I successfully developed 10 new products from the stages of conceptualization and prototyping, into and through production, sales, and market analysis phases. I hold multiple patents and constantly strive to develop new concepts and products which can be protected in order to ensure their viability and capitalization in their market.