PNNL

Richard Jacob joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in 2004 as a postdoctoral researcher. As a trained experimental physicist, Jacob has worked on diverse projects in magnetic resonance imaging, CT imaging, radiography, ultrasonic imaging, and ultrasonic modeling. He works across a wide range of disciplines and solves a variety of analytical, technical, and practical problems using creative, innovative approaches with strong attention to detail.

As Jacob’s research interests have evolved over the years, he has continued to contribute to multiple projects while rapidly coming up to speed on new applications and technologies. Because of the diversity of projects Jacob has worked on, he has developed a unique combination of bench-top and analytical skills and routinely takes projects from start to finish.

• Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE)
• Ultrasonic Testing
• Nondestructive Testing
• Ultrasonic Modeling and Simulation
• NDE in Advanced Manufacturing
• Radiography
• Technical Writing
• ASME Standards

• PhD in physics, University of Utah
• BS in physics, Arizona State University

• Outstanding Performance Award, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 2026
• Outstanding Performance Award, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 2026
• Exceptional Contribution Award, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 2025
• Pathway to Excellence Award, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 2025
• Pathway to Excellence Award, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 2024
• ASME Certificate of Acclimation for contributions to FMC Training Manual, 2024
• Outstanding Performance Award, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 2024
• Outstanding Performance Award, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 2023

• “Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for enhanced phased-contrast X-ray imaging”, US Patent No 11,826,187 (2023)
• “Serial Moire Scanning Phase Contrast X-Ray Imaging”, US Patent No. 11,639,903 (2023)
• “Methods, Systems, And Computer-Readable Storage Media For Enhanced Phase-Contrast X-Ray Imaging”, US Patent 11,006,912 (2021)
• “A Method for Evaluating Heterogeneity in Images,” US Patent 9424639 (2016)
• “Method and Apparatus for Enhanced In Vivo MRI Imaging,” US Patent 8466678 (2013)

Below are selected publications. For a complete list, view Jacob’s ResearchGate.

2026

• Elen, M., N. A. Conway, M. S. Prowant, and R. E. Jacob. 2026. Nondestructive Evaluation of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers. PNNL-38917. 
• Jacob, R. E. 2026. “NDE Approaches for Inspecting Components Fabricated Using Solid Phase Processing.” NDE for AM 2026 Workshop, Oak Ridge, TN, May 19, 2026. PNNL-SA-222998. 
• Jacob, R. E., M. Elen, M. S. Prowant, N. A. Conway, J. M. Harrison, and A. E. Holmes. 2026. “Evaluation of Commercially Available Assisted Data Analysis for Inservice Inspections.” IAEA-AMME Working Group Consultancy Meeting, June 2026. PNNL-SA-219365.

2025

• Jacob, R. E., M. S. Prowant, and N. A. Conway. 2025. Overview of Nondestructive Evaluation Methods for U-10Mo Fuel Foils. PNNL-38117. 
• Jacob, R. E., M. S. Prowant, and N. A. Conway. 2025. “Nondestructive Examination of Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing Materials.” Presented by R. E. Jacob at the 3rd Technical Workshop on Nondestructive Evaluation of Advanced Manufacturing Components, Richland, WA, April 2025. PNNL-SA-210653. 
• Miorelli, R., S. Bannouf, H. Sun, P. Ramuhalli, and R. E. Jacob. 2025. “Assessment of Classification Results of Welding Defects on UT Testing Signals in a Cross-Dataset Setting.” In NDE in Nuclear Conference, June 24–26, 2025, Los Angeles, CA. Palo Alto, California: EPRI. PNNL-SA-211858.

2024

• Jacob, R. E., M. S. Prowant, and C. A. Hutchinson. 2024. “Development and Testing of Coarse-Grained Models for Ultrasonic Simulations of Cast Austenitic Stainless Steel.” Ultrasonics 136. PNNL-SA-184732. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2023.107157.
• Montgomery, R. O., C. A. Hutchinson, N. A. Conway, M. S. Good, R. E. Jacob, I. J. van Rooyen, W. Chuirazzi, et al. 2024. Results of Post-Process NDE Using Advanced Techniques on AM Parts. PNNL-36747. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. http://www.pnnl.gov/main/publications/external/technical_reports/PNNL-36747.pdf.
• Prowant, M. S., R. E. Jacob, C. A. Hutchinson, J. M. Harrison, A. E. Holmes, and A. A. Diaz. 2024. Evaluation of Commercial Advanced NDE. PNNL-36928. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. https://www.pnnl.gov/main/publications/external/technical_reports/PNNL-36928.pdf.
• Sun, H., R. E. Jacob, and P. Ramuhalli. 2024. “Classification of Ultrasonic B-Scan Images from Welding Defects Using a Convolutional Neural Network.” In Proceedings of the 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control & Human-Machine Interface Technologies (NPIC&HMIT 2023), July 15–20, 2023, Knoxville, TN, 272–281. Westmont, Illinois: American Nuclear Society. PNNL-SA-184210.

2023

• Jacob, R. E., M. S. Prowant, N. A. Conway, C. A. Hutchinson, and A. A. Diaz. 2023. “Flaw Response Simulations Using Flaw Profiles Obtained by Destructive Testing.” Presented by R. E. Jacob at NDE in Nuclear 2023, Sheffield, United Kingdom, June 26, 2023. PNNL-SA-185007. 
• Jacob, R. E., and J. J. Gillespie. 2023. “Evaluation of Assisted Data Analysis for Encoded Ultrasonic Examinations in Nuclear Power Plants.” Presented by R. E. Jacob at the NDE in Nuclear Meeting, Sheffield, United Kingdom, June 26, 2023. PNNL-SA-185078. 
• Harrison, J., R. E. Jacob, M. S. Prowant, A. E. Holmes, C. Hutchinson, and A. A. Diaz. 2023. Evaluating Flaw Detectability under Limited Coverage Conditions. NUREG/CR. PNNL-34367. June 2023. 
• Jacob, R. E., and A. A. Diaz. 2023. Ultrasonic Modeling and Simulation for Nuclear Nondestructive Evaluation. NUREG/CR-7301. PNNL-33732. 
• Jacob, R. E., M. S. Prowant, and C. Hutchinson. 2023. “Development and Testing of Coarse-Grained Models for Ultrasonic Simulations of Cast Austenitic Stainless Steel.” Ultrasonics, 107157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2023.107157.
• Sun, H., P. Ramuhalli, and R. E. Jacob. 2023. “Machine Learning for Ultrasonic Nondestructive Examination of Welding Defects: A Systematic Review.” Ultrasonics 127. PNNL-SA-169657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2022.106854.

2022

• Jacob, R. E., M. S. Prowant, M. S. Hughes, and A. A. Diaz. 2022. Modeling and Simulation of Austenitic Welds and Coarse-Grained Specimens: Part II. PNNL-32702. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. http://www.pnl.gov/main/publications/external/technical_reports/PNNL-32702.pdf.
• Jacob, R. E., J. J. Gillespie, N. A. Conway, M. S. Prowant, C. Hutchinson, and A. A. Diaz. 2022. Ultrasonic Modeling and Simulation Status Update. PNNL-33625.

2021

• Jacob, R. E., A. E. Holmes, M. S. Prowant, T. L. Moran, W. E. Norris, and A. A. Diaz. 2021. Final Analysis of the EPRI CASS Round-Robin Study. PNNL-32218. October 2021.

2020

• Jacob, R. E., R. O. Montgomery, J. M. Harrison, M. Komarasamy, X. Jiang, and K. A. Ross. 2020. Survey of Pre-Service and In-Service Nondestructive Evaluation Techniques of Amt-Fabricated Components. PNNL-30759. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
• Harrison, J. M., R. E. Jacob, M. S. Prowant, A. E. Holmes, C. A. Hutchinson, and A. A. Diaz. 2020. Evaluating Flaw Detectability under Limited-Coverage Conditions. PNNL-30238. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
• Jacob, R. E., M. S. Prowant, C. Hutchinson, N. Deshmukh, and A. A. Diaz. 2020. Modeling and Simulation of Austenitic Welds and Coarse-Grained Specimens. PNNL-29899. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

2019

• Jacob, R. E., S. L. Crawford, T. L. Moran, M. R. Larche, and A. A. Diaz. 2019. NDE Reliability Issues for the Examination of CASS Components. PNNL-28840. NUREG/CR-7263.