The Environmental Journal of Southern Appalachia

Displaying items by tag: susan hubbard

Thursday, 05 October 2023 22:25

ORNL, TSU to partner on research education programs

The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Tennessee State University have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen research cooperation and provide diverse undergraduate students enriching educational research opportunities at the lab. This collaboration will further cement relationships between the lab and minority serving institutions, encouraging students from underrepresented backgrounds to achieve their professional goals.

ORNL is devoted to accelerating the pipeline of future workforce by offering educationally oriented, mission-aligned STEM student experiences with world-class researchers and staff.

“It is important to foster students’ natural curiosity in STEM education and research,” said Susan Hubbard, ORNL’s deputy for science and technology. “Through ORNL’s partnership with Tennessee State University, we will offer hands-on learning experiences, helping students to develop critical skills and a passion to impact their communities through research opportunities.

“The programs also provide an opportunity for diverse students to learn about how national laboratories work to address complex, pressing challenges. Helping to develop the STEM workforce of tomorrow’s problem-solvers is important to ORNL and the nation,” Hubbard said.

While adhering to Tennessee State University’s curricular requirements, students will gain access to educational programs at ORNL as interns during their undergraduate studies.

“This collaboration will strengthen and support our students’ overall preparation and contributions particularly as it relates to the mission of ORNL and the Department of Energy. Furthermore, this opportunity will broaden TSU’s research capacity and capabilities via access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources at ORNL,” said Quincy Quick, TSU’s associate vice president for Research and Sponsored Programs.

Students will engage in research activities through internship programs in DOE mission areas including renewable energy and materials, neutron scattering, fusion and fission energy technologies, national security research, manufacturing, environmental sciences and computer sciences.

Additionally, interns may have the opportunity to work with ORNL’s premier research facilities such as the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (home of the world’s fastest supercomputer Frontier), the High Flux Isotope Reactor, the Spallation Neutron Source and the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences — all DOE Office of Science user facilities — plus the DOE Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at ORNL.

ORNL and TSU will commit to increasing the number of students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fortifying the talent reservoir for workforce development and fostering collaborative mentoring opportunities for students.

For more information, please visit energy.gov/science— Natori Mason

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