Oak Ridge Today

ORISE, Rotary Club plan to package 20,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger

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More than 100 volunteers from the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge will package 20,000 nutritious meals for Rise Against Hunger, an international hunger relief organization, in a few hours on Thursday, March 8.

The event is marking the expansion of a warehouse on ORISE’s south campus by helping feed people around the world.

“Volunteers will follow an assembly-line process to package highly nutritious dehydrated meals comprised of rice, soy, vegetables, and 23 essential vitamins and minerals,” a media alert said. “Rise Against Hunger will distribute the meals primarily to school feeding programs in developing countries around the world.”

ORISE is managed by ORAU, a nonprofit corporation and federal contractor, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

Oak Ridge High School wins Department of Energy Tennessee Science Bowl

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Winning first place in the 2018 Tennessee Science Bowl is an Oak Ridge High School team that is pictured above, from left to right with their trophy: Steven Qu, Henry Shen, Melody Guo, Joe Andress, and Batu Odbadrakh. (Submitted photo)

Winning first place in the 2018 Tennessee Science Bowl is an Oak Ridge High School team that is pictured above, from left to right with their trophy: Steven Qu, Henry Shen, Melody Guo, Joe Andress, and Batu Odbadrakh. (Submitted photo)

 

ORHS team advances to National Science Bowl

After months of training, studying, and improving their competition skills, 59 high school teams from across the state of Tennessee gathered this weekend to test their knowledge in broad science disciplines including chemistry, biology, physics, and energy.

Oak Ridge High School placed first in the annual competition and received an all-expenses-paid trip to the U.S. Department of Energy National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C., held April 26-30, as well as a $1,000 cash prize and a first-place trophy, a press release said.

The Tennessee Science Bowl is the nation’s third-largest regional competition. Held at Pellissippi State Community College’s Blount County Campus, the regional bowl prepares students to compete nationally with other exceptional students from schools across the country, the press release said. [Read more…]

Discover ORNL research opportunities at Virtual Career Fair

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Undergraduates, graduate students, and recent college graduates may find the research opportunity that meets their career goals during the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Science Education and Workforce Development Virtual Career Fair next week.

The Virtual Career Fair will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Thursday, February 22. It will be hosted by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a press release said.

“The virtual career fair is a great opportunity for students to investigate research opportunities available at ORNL,” said Bill Cox, ORISE group manager. “Participants will have the same ability to ask questions as if they were at a career fair in person.” [Read more…]

Trump administration requests more money for DOE, NNSA

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The sign at the main entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex is pictured above on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The sign at the main entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex is pictured above on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 2:50 p.m.

The Trump administration has requested more money for the U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration than it did last year, but the impact could vary at Oak Ridge’s major federal sites.

The NNSA, a semi-autonomous agency within DOE, would get a big increase of $2.2 billion, compared to spending levels enacted in fiscal year 2017. The boost would raise NNSA funding to $15.1 billion. The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge is an NNSA site.

The NNSA proposal is more than $1 billion higher than the $13.9 billion requested by the Trump administration in fiscal year 2018, which was up $1.4 billion over the fiscal year 2016 spending level ($12.5 billion).

Oak Ridge Today reported last year that Y-12’s funding would have been up 25 percent under President Donald Trump’s budget request for the current fiscal year, if Congress had approved the proposed spending levels. [Read more…]

Applications being accepted for research opportunities with Higher Education Research faculty program

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Pasquale Fulvio, Ph.D., researched carbon composites during his time in the Higher Education Research Experiences faculty program. (Photo submitted by ORAU)

Pasquale Fulvio, Ph.D., researched carbon composites during his time in the Higher Education Research Experiences faculty program. (Photo submitted by ORAU)

 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education is currently seeking college faculty for paid research opportunities at Oak Ridge National Laboratory through the Higher Education Research Experiences program, a press release said.

This research program provides opportunities for teaching and non-teaching faculty, like Pasquale Fulvio, to use the unique resources of ORNL to enhance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education, encourage careers in science and technology, and improve scientific literacy, the press release said.

Appointments will be located at ORNL and generally take place during the summer; part-time appointments may occur during the semester depending on the requirements of the project. Sabbatical appointments may also be available. The program provides stipends based on the certified academic institution salary for faculty, as well as limited travel and housing assistance, if eligible, the release said.

Applications are open year-round, and appointments are made throughout the year with flexible start and end dates, the press release said. [Read more…]

Applications being accepted for NSF Mathematical Sciences Internship Program

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Call for applications closes February 1, 2018

The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) is accepting applications for the National Science Foundation (NSF) Mathematical Sciences Graduate Internship Program, a 10-week summer program for graduate students pursuing a doctoral degree in mathematics, statistics, or applied mathematics.

To qualify, applicants must be enrolled as a graduate student pursuing a doctoral degree in mathematics, statistics, or applied mathematics at an accredited U.S. college or university, and have a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher, a press release said. For a complete list of discipline areas, visit http://www.orise.orau.gov/nsf-msgi/. Students graduating with a doctoral degree prior to the expected internship start date are not eligible, the press release said.

Selected participants will receive a stipend of $1,200 per week for their participation in the internship and limited travel reimbursement. All applications must be submitted by February 1, 2018. [Read more…]

ORISE seeking applications for DOE Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy science, technology policy program

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The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education is accepting applications for the 2018 U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Science, Technology, and Policy Program.

Opportunities are available in the areas of policy and marketing for the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs.

The deadline to apply is January 18, a press release said. [Read more…]

Jason Davis named health physicist for ORISE REAC/TS facility

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Jason Davis, health physicist at the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site, received the 2017 Elda E. Anderson Award from the Health Physics Society earlier this year. He is pictured with his wife, Samantha. (Photo by ORAU)

Jason Davis, health physicist at the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site, received the 2017 Elda E. Anderson Award from the Health Physics Society earlier this year. He is pictured with his wife, Samantha. (Photo by ORAU)

Award-winning health physicist has worked at ORAU since 2009

Jason Davis has been named health physicist for the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site, a world-renowned U.S. Department of Energy asset located at the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and managed by ORAU.

Davis is a highly regarded health physicist, bringing more than 14 years of experience in health physics and radiological engineering to REAC/TS, a press release said. He has worked in academia as well as for DOE and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His primary area of interest is internal dosimetry, and he has experience in external dosimetry, diagnostic medical imaging, radiation biology, and radiation protection.

REAC/TS is a deployable DOE asset and a leader in emergency medical response to radiological/nuclear incidents, the press release said. The REAC/TS team provides emergency response, advice, and consultation for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Counterterrorism and Counterproliferation. REAC/TS also offers continuing education for medical personnel, emergency planners, and others on the medical management of radiological/nuclear incidents, as well as decontamination techniques, through instructional and hands-on education. [Read more…]

Nuclear engineering science lab program at ORNL accepting applications for spring, summer 2018

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The Nuclear Engineering Science Laboratory Synthesis program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is accepting applications for spring and summer 2018. NESLS is a cooperative research initiative at ORNL administered through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and geared toward undergraduate and graduate students interested in nuclear engineering and science, a press release said.

NESLS offers students educational and research opportunities at a multidisciplinary national laboratory, the press release said. Research areas of interest may include nuclear security technologies; nuclear systems analysis, design, and safety; and fuels, isotopes, and nuclear materials.

To qualify, applicants must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student in a nuclear engineering, science, or eligible related program at an accredited U.S. college or university. Students working toward an associate of science or associate of engineering degree at a community college are also eligible to apply. All applicants must be 18 years or older and have at least a cumulative grade point average of 3.0. For a complete list of eligibility requirements, visit http://www.orau.org/ornl/nesls/. [Read more…]

ORISE unveils new website, provides one location for resources such as STEM internships, fellowships

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A screenshot of the new ORISE website.

A screenshot of the new ORISE website.

 

The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, or ORISE, has unveiled its new website, providing one location for a wide range of resources, a press release said.

The new ORISE website offers a portal for students and graduates looking for STEM internships, fellowships, and other professional development opportunities; information on scientific peer review; medical consultation for radiation incidents through the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site, or REAC/TS; worker health studies; environmental and radiological assessments; lab services; and much more ORISE information, the press release said. (STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.)

“A great deal of user research was performed before work on the actual website began, including conducting focus groups with people who the website is designed to target,” said ORISE Director Jim Vosburg. “We used this research to design the website for ease of navigation and to match the design and content with what our target audience wants and needs.”

The website navigation is primarily based on users identifying themselves, such as students and graduates, educators, scientists, health and environmental professionals, so they can quickly navigate to the areas they want to visit, the press release said.

Top-level navigation also features ORISE capability areas and assets, which allows users to more precisely locate the content that interests them, the press release said. [Read more…]