Oak Ridge Today

College of American Pathologists renews accreditation of beryllium laboratory managed by ORAU

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The College of American Pathologists, or CAP, has renewed its accreditation of the Beryllium Laboratory managed by Oak Ridge Associated Universities for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.

Located in Oak Ridge, the laboratory is one of only four in the United States certified to perform the beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test. This test helps to determine if a person has developed sensitization to beryllium, which could evolve into chronic beryllium disease also known in the past as berylliosis. Inquiries regarding the test and how to access lab services can be sent to occ.health@orau.org. [Read more…]

ORAU awards 30 research grants to junior faculty

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Oak Ridge Associated Universities has awarded competitive research grants totaling $150,000 to 30 junior faculty from ORAU member institutions. The annual grants are made through the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards program that provides funds to enrich the research and professional growth of young faculty.

The recipients, each of whom is in the first two years of a tenure track position, will receive $5,000 in “seed money” for the 2013-2014 academic year to enhance their research during the early stages of their career. Each recipient’s institution also matches the ORAU award with an additional $5,000, making the total prize worth $10,000 for each winner. Winners may use the grants to purchase equipment, continue research, or travel to professional meetings and conferences. [Read more…]

Robertsville Middle wins best overall score at eighth-grade level in math contest

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Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge won best overall score and was recognized for being the top school in the eighth-grade level at the Tennessee Middle School Math Competition recently held at Pellissippi State Community College. Pictured from left to right are Mrs. Spurling (teacher), Quinn Bader, Logan Rumbaugh, Kaitlan Paine, Carinne Cheney, Abbey Greenhalgh, Andrew Whitus, Ben Kelley, Curtis Roberston, and Becky Hanaver. (Submitted photo)

Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge won best overall score and was recognized for being the top school in the eighth-grade level at the Tennessee Middle School Math Competition recently held at Pellissippi State Community College. Pictured from left to right are Mrs. Spurling (teacher), Quinn Bader, Logan Rumbaugh, Kaitlan Paine, Carinne Cheney, Abbey Greenhalgh, Andrew Whitus, Ben Kelley, Curtis Roberston, and Becky Hanaver. (Submitted photo)

More than 600 students from 40 area schools competed for the honor of being named the top middle school math students in East Tennessee.

The 2013 Tennessee Middle School Math Competition, now in its 13th year, was held recently at Pellissippi State Community College and was sponsored by Oak Ridge Associated Universities.

Farragut Middle School in Knoxville walked away with the No. 1 team ranking for the best overall score in both the sixth- and seventh-grade team categories. Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge took the No. 1 team ranking for the eighth-grade team category. [Read more…]

Two schools each win $5,000 in ORAU Extreme Classroom Makeover

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ORAU Extreme Classroom Makeover Contest

Students at two local schools spent the past month patiently awaiting a potential classroom-altering announcement, and last week their patience was rewarded.

ORAU made surprise classroom announcements and presented each a $5,000 grant as runners-up in the 2013 Extreme Classroom Makeover competition. Courtney Batchelor, an eighth-grade teacher at Lake City Middle School in Anderson County, and Kristan Headrick, a sixth-grade teacher at Coalfield School in Morgan County, will use the grants to purchase technology to outfit their classrooms. [Read more…]

ORAU welcomes four new universities as sponsoring institutions

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Andy Page

Andy Page

Oak Ridge Associated Universities recently welcomed Colorado State, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Utah, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Philadelphia University, and South Carolina State as its newest sponsoring institutions.

The new members were welcomed during the 68th annual meeting of the ORAU Council of Sponsoring Institutions in Oak Ridge, a press release said.

“We’re honored to have these six institutions join our growing university consortium,” said ORAU President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Page. “Membership in ORAU’s consortium broadens the already diverse opportunities these universities provide for students and faculty researchers in many critical areas of science and technology.”

[Read more…]

ORAU, ORNL announce winners of high-performance computing grant competition

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Oak Ridge Associated Universities and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have partnered again to award two new grants in the ORAU/ORNL High-Performance Computing Grant Program for 2013.

ORAU provides up to $75,000 over three years to researchers and their teams. In addition to the monetary award, ORNL provides faculty and student teams with valuable access to the laboratory’s computing resources and staff.

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Free Science Saturdays offered in Oak Ridge

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ORAU Science Saturdays

Oak Ridge Associated Universities has partnered with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to bring students and scientists together through a weekly program called Science Saturdays. (Image courtesy of ORAU)

Oak Ridge Associated Universities has partnered with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to bring students and scientists together through a weekly program called Science Saturdays.

Students in grades 8-12, along with their parents, are invited for six Saturday morning presentations in February and March where they will learn about a variety of engaging science topics through interactive presentations and hands-on activities.

[Read more…]

ORAU marks three million safe work hours

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Oak Ridge Associated Universities and its subcontractors have marked a key safety milestone—three million safe work hours without any days away, restricted, or transferred (DART) due to injury.

The accomplishment occurred over a 10-month period, since the corporation’s last DART case in February 2012.

[Read more…]