DOE Fellows from the DOE Science and Technology Workforce Development Program at the Applied Research Center (ARC) at Florida International University (FIU) are making preparation to participate in the upcoming Waste Management 2014 Conference (WM14) in Phoenix, AZ, from March 2-6, 2014. A total of twenty (20) DOE Fellows and other FIU students will attend WM14 and will present nineteen (19) technical posters during Session 31 (Student Poster Competition: The Next Generation – Industry Leaders of Tomorrow) scheduled for Monday, March 3, 2014. The Fellows will be presenting their DOE-EM research that they have performed at FIU’s ARC and during their summer internships at DOE sites, national laboratories, and site contractors. In addition, 1 Ph.D. level DOE Fellow will present her research during the professional oral session 64 (Deep Vadose Zone Characterization and Remediation Technologies) on Tuesday, March 4, 2014:

  • The Effect of Ca Ions on the Removal of U(VI) via In Situ Ammonia Gas Injection at the Hanford Site 200 Area (14434), Yelena Katsenovich, Claudia Cardona (DOE Fellow), Leo Lagos. Presenter: Claudia Cardona (DOE Fellow)

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The student posters include:

In preparation for the conference, the DOE Fellows are preparing written biographies and video introductions (see preview below) as well as developing their technical posters and presentation materials.

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Duriem Calderin (Biomedical Engineering) – Class of 2008 – ALUMNI

Also during the conference, one (1) DOE Fellow (Gabriela Vasquez) will participate in a panel session, Session 44 on “Graduating Students and New Engineers – Wants and Needs.” During this panel session, students and industry and government representatives will share their perspectives of the newer generation entering a workforce primarily occupied by workers nearing retirement age. In addition, a former DOE Fellow (Duriem Calderin – Class of 2008) is returning to WM14 and participating in Session 45 “Young Professional in Nuclear Science & Engineering.” Duriem is working as an engineer at AREVA NP Inc’s Thermal Hydraulic Group in Richland, WA. Duriem will discuss his first step as a young engineer in the nuclear industry and his experience as a DOE Fellow.

The DOE Fellows will also have the opportunity to participate as Student Assistants at the conference and help conference organizers and presenters during the technical sessions.

The DOE-FIU Science and Technology Workforce Development Initiative is an innovative program between the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management and Florida International University’s Applied Research Center designed to create a “pipeline” of minority engineers specifically trained and mentored to enter the Department of Energy workforce in technical areas of need. This innovative program was designed to help address DOE’s future workforce needs by partnering with academic, government and DOE contractor organizations to mentor future minority scientists and engineers in the research, development, and deployment of new technologies addressing DOE’s environmental cleanup challenges.  Students selected as DOE Fellows perform research at FIU and at a DOE site.  Upon graduation and completion of this fellowship, the students seek employment with DOE as well as other government agencies, DOE contractors, and private industry.

Additional information about the DOE-FIU Science and Technology Workforce Development Initiative can be obtained by contacting Dr. Leonel Lagos (ARC Director of Research) at (305) 348-1810 or lagosl@fiu.edu.