FIU-ARC is proud to announce the transition of our Department of Energy (DOE) Fellows into the workforce, completing the pipeline of minority scientists and engineers specifically trained and mentored to enter the environmental workforce in technical areas of need. Five (5) DOE Fellows have recently completed the DOE-FIU Science and Technology Workforce Development Program and accepted positions at federal and local governments as well as private industry.

DOE Fellow Alexis Smoot (Class of 2015) graduated from FIU with a bachelors’ degree in environmental engineering and has accepted an Engineer I position with Nexant in Chicago, IL

Alexis Smoot at DOE-HQ during her 2016 summer internship with Sarah Bird (left) and at ARC laboratory (right) Alexis Smoot at DOE-HQ during her 2016 summer internship with Sarah Bird (left) and at ARC laboratory (right)

DOE Fellow Mohammed Albassam (Class of 2016) has accepted a job offer from the City of Coconut Creek as an Engineer I. Mohammed will also continue his masters’ thesis based on the research being conducted to develop a hydrological model to predict contaminant transport at the Savannah River Site and will defend his thesis in the summer of 2018.

Mohammed Albassam at DOE-HQ during his 2017 summer internship with his mentor Skip Chamberlin and DOE Fellow Juan Morales (left) and presenting poster at WM2018 (right) Mohammed Albassam at DOE-HQ during his 2017 summer internship with his mentor Skip Chamberlin and DOE Fellow Juan Morales (left) and presenting poster at WM2018 (right)

DOE Fellow Maximiliano Edrei (Class of 2014) has accepted a position as an Engineer II from Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding Company in Newport News, Virginia. He will be aiding the design and construction of aircraft carriers and submarines. Max graduated with a masters’ degree in mechanical engineering, his thesis is titled CFD Evaluation of Mixing Processes Using Forced Air Sparging and based on DOE-EM research.

Maximiliano Edrei with his summer mentor during his 2016 summer internship (right) Maximiliano Edrei with his summer mentor during his 2016 summer internship (right)

Upon graduating with a bachelors’ degree in mechanical engineering, DOE Fellow Jesse Viera (Class of 2014) joined the federal government workforce with the U.S. Marine Corps as second Lieutenant within the Department of Defense.

Official commissioning of Second Lieutenant Jesse Viera into the U.S. Marine Corps on March 3, 2018 (left) and with Dr. Inés Triay (Executive Director, FIU ARC) and Mr. Joseph Sinicrope. Official commissioning of Second Lieutenant Jesse Viera into the U.S. Marine Corps on March 3, 2018 (left) and with Dr. Inés Triay (Executive Director, FIU ARC) and Mr. Joseph Sinicrope.

DOE Fellow Christine Wipfli (Class of 2014) joined the Department of Defense, working as an entry-level nuclear engineer at the Pearl Harbor naval shipyard in Hawaii. The position begins with 18 months of nuclear engineering and radiological controls training. Ms. Wipfli will oversee the operations and maintenance of the nuclear propulsion vessels such as aircraft carriers and submarines.

Christine Wipfli during her 1 year internship at IAEA (right) and during poster presentation at WM 2017 (left) Christine Wipfli during her 1 year internship at IAEA (right) and during poster presentation at WM 2017 (left)