Evan Dolley: Always up for a Good Challenge

Mechanics & Design, Materials, Materials Characterization, Material Reliability Testing, Physical Metallurgy

Challenge and change.

When present in a business environment, these two “C words” often evoke the fight or flight response. The anxiety kicks in. Muscles become tense. Heartbeats rise. Most people lay low and make safe moves until calm is restored. But look closely, and you’ll see a few individuals who are genuinely excited to tackle the issues.

Evan Dolley is one of those individuals. Always has been. From a young age Evan would seek out challenges. As a somewhat bored and wide-eyed teenager, he signed up for the biggest physical and mental challenge of his life – the United States Marine Corps.

“I joined the military to follow in the footsteps of my father and many uncles that served, many of which fought in WWI and the Korean Conflict,” he said. “Based on the many stories I heard, the Marine Corps seemed like the biggest physical and mental challenge, so off I went.”

Evan enlisted out of high school and served four years, achieving the rank of corporal. He made several overseas deployments to places such as Japan, Norway, and Korea to complete peacekeeping missions and Cold War exercises.

Once he returned stateside, Evan enrolled at the University of Dayton where he earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering while working part time at the U.S. Air Force Materials Laboratory. He then moved ten hours east to pursue his Ph.D. at Lehigh University.

“I was a heavy equipment mechanic in the Marine Corps and truly enjoy solving tough problems so mechanical engineering seemed like a perfect fit,” said Evan.

He immersed himself in the field and Evan’s work, including his 1999 dissertation, “Chemically Short-Crack Behavior of the 7075-T6 Aluminum Alloy,” drew some attention. In 2000 Evan joined Lockheed Martin as a principal engineer for Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, GE Research’s Niskayuna neighbor.

His work there focused primarily on materials behavior for naval nuclear energy, and he had several interactions with the people in GE Research’s Nuclear Corrosion Lab. A positive experience eventually led to a job opportunity with GRC.

Evan joined GE Research as a lab manager in 2011 and jumped in head first, managing the lab and performing research for multiple GE businesses in the area of materials behavior. He tackled challenging technical issues related to commercial nuclear but also played a primary role in providing challenging technical solutions for the resolution of high visibility field events supporting operation of GE Aviation engines and Oil & Gas drilling equipment.

Because of the deep expertise and wide-ranging experience of many GE Research employees, the business is often commissioned to run “tiger teams” to help GE’s other businesses overcome technical hurdles with existing or in-development products. These teams are small, temporary, and designed to fast track technical success.

In 2016, Evan was asked to join a tiger team tasked with helping GE Aviation’s Avio Aero business navigate a material production issue in their heat treatment process.

“I spent a month in Turin, Italy with a small group of about seven GE employees who represented a range of disciplines,” said Evan. “The challenge was multifaceted because not only did we have the obvious technical challenge, but we had to delegate responsibilities, agree on an approach, and ensure effective communication – all on an expedited timeline.”

Following the tiger team work, Evan spent an additional year working at Avio Aero in Turin as a chemical process engineer to mentor production engineers, troubleshoot technical production challenges, and develop new manufacturing processes. He returned to GE Research in 2017.

In 2012, prior to his Italian adventure, Evan helped GE Research secure a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a new material for commercial nuclear fuel rods (cladding) that offers increased oxidation resistance and can retrofit existing reactor designs. Partnering with Global Nuclear Fuel and three National Labs (Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, and Idaho), the project seeks to enhance nuclear plant safety and efficiency.

As nuclear platform leader for GE Research, Evan’s role was – and still is – to manage the program, provide technical and fabrication support, and to test mechanical components. Perhaps no surprise, his favorite part of the project is juggling all its moving parts.

“Again, you have the obvious technical challenges, but there’s so much more going on behind the scenes to ensure the project runs smoothly. There’s scheduling, communication, cost sharing, legal challenges, and ensuring all entities are contributing at the same level without duplicating work,” he said.

In addition, Evan presents at technical conferences to bring authenticity and credibility to GE’s efforts and to better position the business for future projects. Thanks in part to Evan’s dedication, the nuclear fuel project continues. In 2018, the DOE announced an additional $33.7 million in funding to the GE Research-led group.

So, with mental challenges covered, Evan recently decided to revisit his love for a good physical challenge and helping others. In August Evan completed his first volunteer mission with Team Rubicon, a nonprofit that deploys across the United States and around the world to help those impacted by disasters and humanitarian crises.

Largely comprised of military veterans and first responders, Team Rubicon cuts through the red tape, deploying to hard hit areas almost immediately. Volunteers leverage their military leadership skills, work long & hard hours, and pretty much sleep when/where they can.

Evan’s first experience with the organization was in Pennsylvania helping a handful of families that were impacted by floods last summer. Still waiting for government relief, Team Rubicon came in with heavy machinery and lots of manpower to clean debris and build up the land to prevent future issues.

“My experience so far has been very positive. Because we are mostly veterans, there was immediately a great sense of camaraderie. Team Rubicon provides great support for those who are reintegrating back into civilian life,” said Evan. “I am excited to continue volunteering with Team Rubicon and I can’t wait to tackle more challenges head-on.”

And the folks at GE Research have his back.

“Evan is always up for a challenge – the bigger the better. And when he takes on a challenge, he is committed,” said Margaret Blohm, technology director – structural materials. “Whether it’s moving his family to Italy to help Aviation, living in Houston for a month to help out with an Oil & Gas field issue, or donating his personal time to help people struggling with flood damage, Evan is there. Combining that drive to make a difference with his natural compassion for others makes Evan one of the best people I know. I am proud to have him on my team and proud to call him a friend.”

Read more about GE Research’s accident tolerant nuclear fuel project: