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ORAU, Thurgood Marshall College Fund expand STEM opportunities for HBCU students, faculty

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ORAU and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund have joined forces to expand STEM research opportunities for students and faculty at historically black colleges and universities. On hand to sign a memorandum of understanding on March 29, 2019, were, left to right, Harry Williams, president of TMCF; Joyce Payne, founder; Andy Page, ORAU president and CEO; Desmond Stubbs, ORAU director of diversity initiatives; and Michael Stubblefield, vice chancellor for research and strategic initiatives at Southern University and A&M College, an ORAU consortium member institution. (Photo by ORAU)

ORAU and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund have joined forces to expand STEM research opportunities for students and faculty at historically black colleges and universities. On hand to sign a memorandum of understanding on March 29, 2019, were, left to right, Harry Williams, president of TMCF; Joyce Payne, founder; Andy Page, ORAU president and CEO; Desmond Stubbs, ORAU director of diversity initiatives; and Michael Stubblefield, vice chancellor for research and strategic initiatives at Southern University and A&M College, an ORAU consortium member institution. (Photo by ORAU)

 

The nation’s historically black colleges and universities and minority-serving educational institutions are often untapped resources abounding in talent, ingenuity, and expertise, but lacking in the material resources necessary for scientific research, a press release said.

Tapping into those resources is a big part of the reason ORAU and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund officially began a working relationship with the signing of a memorandum of understanding in Oak Ridge on Friday, March 29, the press release said.

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund is the nation’s largest organization exclusively supporting all 47 public historically black colleges and universities.

ORAU is a national leader in connecting the best and most diverse students, recent graduates, faculty members, and professionals with meaningful mentored research experiences at national labs and other federal research facilities around the country, the press release said. [Read more…]

ORAU promotes Lokitz to VP, general counsel

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Rachel Lokitz

Rachel Lokitz

Rachel Lokitz, interim general counsel and corporate secretary for ORAU, has been promoted to vice president and general counsel.

In her new role, Lokitz provides ORAU’s programs and internal business clients with counsel concerning legal rights, contractual obligations, compliance, and risk.

“We are excited for Rachel to take on this new role at ORAU. Her accomplished legal expertise combined with her extensive business management and teamwork skills has made Rachel a critical asset for our organization. We all congratulate her and will look forward to continue working with her in this new position,” said Andy Page, president and chief executive officer. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge High School wins Department of Energy Tennessee Science Bowl

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Winning first place in the 2019 Tennessee Science Bowl is Oak Ridge High School, pictured left to right with their trophy, David Joy, Henry Shen, George Wang, Steven Qu, and Melody Guo. Their coach is Sharon Thomas. (Submitted photo)

Winning first place in the 2019 Tennessee Science Bowl is Oak Ridge High School, pictured left to right with their trophy, David Joy, Henry Shen, George Wang, Steven Qu, and Melody Guo. Their coach is Sharon Thomas. (Submitted photo)

 

Team heads to National Science Bowl after third straight state win

After months of training, studying, and improving their competition skills, 55 high school teams from across the state of Tennessee gathered recently to test their knowledge in broad science disciplines including chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, 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 25-29, as well as a $1,000 cash prize and a first-place trophy.

The Tennessee Science Bowl is the nation’s third-largest regional competition, a press release said. 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. [Read more…]

Virtual career fair for ORNL on Feb. 20

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Submitted

Discover the variety of internships and research participation programs at Oak Ridge National Laboratory by participating in the Laboratory Internship Virtual Event, or LIVE, career fair on Wednesday, February 20, from noon to 3 p.m.

During the LIVE virtual career fair, participants will connect with ORNL recruiters and staff, talk to ORNL’s staff scientists about their research and how they are solving some of the world’s most compelling challenges, and learn more about the different directorates that make up ORNL, the largest U.S. Department of Energy open science laboratory, a press release said.

Register now or learn more about this LIVE virtual career fair: https://orau.6connex.com/event/LIVE/ORNL19Q1/login. [Read more…]

ORAU reports minimal impact from government shutdown

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Part of the ORAU campus in central Oak Ridge is pictured above on May 29, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Part of the ORAU campus in central Oak Ridge is pictured above on May 29, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

ORAU on Friday reported that the partial shutdown of the federal government has had, for the most part, a minimal impact on its operations.

The partial government shutdown is now in its 35th day. It’s the longest shutdown ever, and it includes about 25 percent of the federal government.

ORAU has a customer base that includes more than 20 federal agencies.

“The impact to date has been varied, but for the most part minimal,” ORAU spokesperson Pam Bonee said in an emailed response to questions on Friday. “The majority of our work is funded or had sufficient funds to carry the work into the first quarter of 2019.” [Read more…]

ORAU promotes Greg Moore to group manager of facilities management services

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Greg Moore

Greg Moore

 

Submitted

Former Scripps Networks Interactive director brings long-range project management and infrastructure-improvement experience to ORAU

Greg Moore, ORAU senior facilities engineer, has been promoted to group manager of facilities management and engineering.

In his new role, Moore will oversee ORAU facilities engineering, maintenance, custodial services, and building and improvement projects while ensuring regulatory compliance and sustainability goals are met through efficient operating procedures.

“We are excited for Greg to take on this new role as he brings extensive long-range project management and infrastructure-improvement experience with him, said ORAU Director of Facilities and Transportation Department Chad Becker. “We look forward to Greg adding many new ORAU projects to his comprehensive list of successful projects he previously has managed.” [Read more…]

NOAA building in Oak Ridge closed due to government shutdown

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The NOAA building on South Illinois Avenue, shown above on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019, has a sign posted on the front door announcing that it is closed due to the partial shutdown of the federal government. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The NOAA building on South Illinois Avenue, shown above on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019, has a sign posted on the front door announcing that it is closed due to the partial shutdown of the federal government. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration building in Oak Ridge is closed due to the partial shutdown of the federal government, which is now three weeks old and approaching a record length.

NOAA is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, which is one of nine cabinet-level departments affected by the partial government shutdown. The shutdown, which mostly hinges on a dispute between President Donald Trump and Democrats in Congress over whether to allocate $5.7 billion in funding for a wall on the border with Mexico, also affects the Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the federal judiciary, and other related government programs.

About 380,000 workers were to be sent home and not be paid for their time off during the shutdown, the New York Times reported. Another 420,000 deemed too essential to be furloughed are being forced to work without pay, the newspaper said. After past shutdowns, such workers have been reimbursed later.

It wasn’t immediately clear Friday afternoon how many NOAA workers in Oak Ridge, part of an air research laboratory that has a division here, have been furloughed and how many, if any, are being forced to work without pay. A sign posted on the front door announced that the building is closed due to the shutdown. [Read more…]

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…]

Free West African drum, dance performance at ORAU on Thursday

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The public is invited to see the Austin-East High School Drum and Dance Ensemble in recognition of Black History Month at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, at Pollard Auditorium at ORAU. The free West African drum and dance performance is presented by the ORAU Diversity Council. (Submitted photo)

The public is invited to see the Austin-East High School Drum and Dance Ensemble in recognition of Black History Month at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, at Pollard Auditorium at ORAU. The free West African drum and dance performance is presented by the ORAU Diversity Council. (Submitted photo)

 

There is a free West African drum and dance performance at ORAU in Oak Ridge on Thursday in recognition of Black History Month. The performance will feature the Austin-East High School Drum and Dance Ensemble, and the public is invited.

The performance is presented by the ORAU Diversity Council, and it’s scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, February 15, in Pollard Auditorium at 210 Badger Avenue in Oak Ridge.

“Focusing on the culture of traditional West African drum and dance, Austin-East students in grades 9-12 have the opportunity to learn not only West African dance but also ballet and modern as part of their performing arts program,” a press release said. “Austin-East students have performed at many venues, including University of Tennessee sports halftime shows, Knox County Schools and other schools in surrounding counties, and the Tennessee Valley Fair, to name a few. The ensemble has been in existence since 1999.”

This press release was submitted by Amy Schwinge.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority has 30th MLK Program on Monday

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Archie Smart

Archie Smart

In celebration of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated (AKA), Oak Ridge Chapter, will present its 30th annual Community Speaks Program on Monday, January 15, at 9:45 a.m. at Consolidated Nuclear Security’s New Hope Center on Scarboro Road. This year’s theme is “Together We Win with Love for Humanity,” a press release said.

Archie Smart, the keynote speaker, is a native of South Carolina, a press release said. He received a bachelor’s degree in history from South Carolina State University. Smart is a veteran of the U.S. Army, where he served as a commissioned officer in the Adjutant General Corps.

He is a project manager at Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), where he manages the third consecutive National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) project, 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…]

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