Agenda

Please note that this workshop is at our Hardin Valley Campus – and NOT the Oak Ridge Campus.

Use the following address:
2350 Cherahala Blvd.
Knoxville, TN 37932

TimeEventLocation
DAY 1:Tuesday, March 31st, 2026ORNL Hardin Valley Campus: Building 2350 (MDF)
2350 Cherahala Blvd. Knoxville, TN 37932
7:10amShuttles leave Turkey Creek hotels (Springhill and Homewood Suites) for Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF).10935 and 10955 Turkey Dr
Knoxville, Tennessee, 37934
7:30 - 8:00amArrival & RegistrationHVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
8:00 - 8:40amIntroduction and Opening Remarks (Working Breakfast): 
- Welcome address by representatives from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the U.S. Gas Turbine Association.

- Outline of the workshop objectives and specific focus on materials, manufacturing, and digital technologies.

- Dr. Robert Wagner (ORNL; Associate Lab Director, ESTD)
- Carlos Koeneke (GTA; Board Chair)
- Robert Schrecengost (DOE; Director of Power, Fuels and Chemicals, HGEO)
- James "Willie" Kemp; ORISE Fellow, DOE's Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Technologies Office
HVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
8:40 - 9:20amPlenary Talk 1:
Bobby Noble (EPRI)

Presentations on the latest advancements in materials science and manufacturing processes specific to gas turbines.
HVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112

9:20 – 10:20am

Panel Discussion 1:
Advanced Materials and Coatings 
Discussion on new material innovations and protective coatings.

Moderator:
Jonathan Li (Siemens Energy)

Panelists:
Dr. Sanjay Sampath (Stony Brook University)
Dr. Chantal Sudbrack (NETL)
Brett Tossey (Haynes International)
Thomas Williams (Carpenter)
HVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
10:20 – 10:30amBreakHVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
10:30 – 11:10amPlenary Talk 2:
Jeremee Wetherby (GE Vernova)

Current Gas Turbines Market and Supply Chain Challenges
HVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
11:10 – 12:10pmPanel Discussion 2:  
Digital Technologies and Predictive Maintenance

Moderator:
Dr. John Shingledecker (EPRI)

Panelists:
Dr. Leo Christodoulou (MMI Consultants)
Christopher Meyer (Solar Turbines)
Dr. Vladimir Orlyanchik (ORNL)
Dr. Ramesh Subramanian (Siemens Energy)
HVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
12:10 – 1:30pmWorking Lunch: Plenary Talk 3
Tony Brough (Dora Partners)

The current state of the industrial gas turbine market.
HVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
1:30 - 1:45pmBreakHVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
1:45 - 3:20pmBreakout Sessions (Parallel Sessions):
A) Advanced Materials & Coatings 

B) Digital Technologies and Predictive Maintenance
      - Focus on digital tools and data analytics to optimize performance and reduce downtime

Facilitators:
Jonathan Li (Siemens Energy)
Dr. John Shingledecker (EPRI)
HVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
3:20 – 3:45pmBreak HVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
3:45 – 4:50pmBreakout Sessions ReportingHVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
4:50pmDay 1 Adjourns (Shuttle from ORNL to Turkey Creek hotels)
DAY 2: Wednesday, April 1st, 2026ORNL Hardin Valley Campus: Building 2350 (MDF)
7:30amShuttles leave Turkey Creek hotels (Springhill and Homewood Suites) for Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF).10935 and 10955 Turkey Dr
Knoxville, Tennessee, 37934
8:00 – 8:10amCheck-in / Recap from Day 1ORNL: Hardin Valley Campus, Bldg. 2350 (MDF)
8:10 - 8:50amWorking Breakfast: Plenary Talk 4
Dr. Karen Thole (University of Michigan)

Shared Turbine Manufacturing Lessons Aimed at Reducing Development Times
HVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
8:50 – 9:50amPanel Discussion 3:
Manufacturing Technologies including Additive Manufacturing
   - Exploration of emerging manufacturing technologies and practices

Moderator:
Dr. Michael Kirka (ORNL)

Panelists:
Dr. Mark Douglass (Lincoln Electric)
Dan Johnson (Solar Turbines)
David Meek (Siemens Energy)
Dr. Carl Popelar (SwRI)
HVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
9:50 – 10:00amBreakHVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
10:00 - 11:00amPanel Discussion 4:
Repair, Refurbishment and Lifecycle Management

Moderator:
Dr. Jason Wilkes (SwRI)

Panelists:
Manish Kumar (Siemens Energy)
Dr. Tom Kurfess (Georgia Tech. / MRI)
Jonathan Lomas (GE Vernova)
Brandon Ruiz (Mitsubishi)
HVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
11:00 - 11:10amBreakHVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
11:10 – 12:10pmBreakout Sessions (Parallel Sessions):

C) Manufacturing Technologies including Additive Manufacturing

D) Repair, Refurbishment, and Lifecycle Management
      - Strategies to enhance repair processes and extend turbine lifespan

Facilitators:
Dr. Mike Kirka (ORNL)
Dr. Jason Wilkes (SwRI)
HVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
12:10 – 12:20pmBreakHVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
12:20 – 1:00pmWorking Lunch: Plenary Talk 5
Dr. Mark D. Benedict (AFRL)

Overview of digital transformation in the turbine industry and its impact on operations and maintenance.
HVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
1:00 - 1:30pmBreakout Sessions ReportingHVC Bldg. 2350 (MDF), Room 112
1:30 – 3:30pmORNL Facilities Tours 
MDF: 1:30 – 2:30pm
GRID-C: 2:30 – 3:30pm
ORNL Hardin Valley Campus
3:30 p.m.Day 2 Adjourns (Shuttle from ORNL to Turkey Creek hotels)