Skip to main content Skip to navigation
Hydrogen Properties for Energy Research (HYPER) Laboratory Ron Bliesner

Ron is legendary in the HYPER lab because…

Ron Bliesner

Ron loads catalyst for the reaction bed with CHEF in the background.

Ron 2

Ron looks into the DTSE with CHEF in the background.

 

he set the bar high as graduate #1.

“He could be the best student I’ve ever had,” said one senior MME faculty. Ron needed to be incredible- he had an ambitious 3 semester master’s thesis project to construct the Cryocatalysis Hydrogen Experiment Facility (CHEF). United Launch Alliance (ULA) funded Ron’s thesis to validate parahydrogen-orthohydrogen conversion for space-stage boil-off reduction. The project worked out in an incredible way. Down to the wire and without much guidance, Ron persevered.

During a phone referral for him I was asked, “Does Ron tend to come up with practical or far out design solutions?” To this I could confidently respond, “Yes, for most any problem Ron has a range of solutions in his head varying in approach and complexity.” He’s an incredible designer, fluid with quick work-arounds, and far beyond most mechanical engineers with circuit design and testing.

Ron had a solid cryogenics background after a summer internship at Praxair where he designed several heat exchanger test configurations, designed a liquid nitrogen testing rig for PNNL, and his Master’s thesis project. Although not the first to start in the HYPER lab, he was the first out the door. After his quick Master’s Thesis he aced the interview and is now a team leader at Blue Origin LLC.

Way to pave the way for the rest of us Ron. Here’s to plenty more following in your footsteps.