Curriculum Vitae, Environmental Sciences Department

Education - Polytechnic Institute of New York (M.S., Nuclear Engineering, Certificate in Energy Policy and Engineering, 1984); State University of New York at Binghamton (B.T., Mechanical Engineering, 1980).
Research Interests - Environmental sciences; Radioactive and hazardous waste management; Environmental restoration; Environmental characterization; Deactivation and decommissioning (D&D) of radiological facilities; Development, testing, demonstration and deployment of innovative treatment technologies.
Summary of Experience - 1980-Present: Brookhaven National Laboratory
- 2000: Division Head, Environment Research & Technology Division (ERTD), Environmental Sciences Dept. Responsible for developing and maintaining ERTD programs in all facets of environmental remediation, from basic research through technology development, demonstration, and deployment. Principal Investigator for several large D&D projects to deploy innovative techniques for cost-effective characterization and waste treatment of radioactive, hazardous and mixed waste.
- 1993-2000: Department of Advanced Technology, Environmental & Waste Technology Center, Associate Division Head. Environmental Assessment & Waste Management Group, Group Leader. Responsible for programs to develop, test, and demonstrate technologies in the areas of waste treatment, solidification/stabilization, disposal, and remediation. Member of several DOE expert working groups on Final Waste Forms.
- 1989-1993: Department of Nuclear Energy, Radiological Sciences Division, Waste Management R&D, Research Engineer, Polymer Solidification Program and Polyethylene Encapsulation of Low-Level Single Shell Tank Wastes, Principal Investigator. Development, testing, demonstration, and technology transfer of new and innovative treatment/encapsulation techniques for hazardous and mixed wastes at DOE facilities.
- 1985-1989: Department of Applied Science, Biomedical and Environmental Assessment Division, Staff Engineer. Environmental, health and safety research for the U.S. DOE and EPA in several broad areas including waste disposal, indoor air pollution, and photovoltaic cell manufacturing.
- 1980-1985: Department of Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Waste Research Group, Associate and Staff Engineer. Development and characterization of improved materials and processes for radioactive waste encapsulation.

TERRENCE M. SULLIVAN - Environmental Scientist
tsullivan@bnl.gov

Education - University of Illinois (Ph.D., Nuclear Engineering, 1983); University of Virginia (B.S., Nuclear Engineering, 1978).
Research Interests - Subsurface Fate and Transport Model Development and Application; Risk and Performance Assessment; Radioactive and Hazardous Waste Management; Environmental Sciences.
Summary of Experience - 1983-Present: Brookhaven National Laboratory. Research interests involve development and application of computer models to assess environmental contamination problems and conduct risk assessments. Work has been conducted in radioactive and hazardous waste management. In high-level waste management, I have provided technical assistance on the assessment of the potential work which involved analysis of waste package performance and included modeling and/or evaluation of models in the following areas: radionuclide transport, leaching of glass and spent fuel waste forms, container corrosion, heat transfer, radiation transport, and waste package reliability. In low-level waste management, work includes detailed review of waste disposal practices in terms of inventory, containers, and modeling releases. The product of these programs has been six computer models that predict contaminant release and transport from a low-level waste disposal facility. These models, BLT (Breach, Leach, and Transport), BLT-MS (Multi-species), BLT-EC (Equilibrium Chemistry), DUST (Disposal Unit Source Term), DUST-MS (Multi-species) and GETAR (Gas Evolution, Transport and Reaction) have seen widespread application throughout the world. Modeling involved prediction of groundwater flow in unsaturated porous media, waste container degradation, waste form leaching, radionuclide transport with decay chains, and the effects of geochemistry on contaminant release from waste forms and their subsequent transport. In hazardous waste management, work has involved prediction of the migration of organic contaminants and heavy metals. I have also been the principal investigator on a program to evaluate environmental decision support software for technical accuracy, ease of use, and range of applicability. Member of the National Council of Radiation Protection subcommittee on Low-Level Waste Performance Assessment and consultant to the International Atomic Energy Agency on this topic.
Professional Affiliations
- Member of the National Council of Radiation Protection subcommittee on Low-Level Waste Performance Assessment and consultant to the International Atomic Energy Agency on this topic. Reviewer of low-level waste source term modeling of the Canadian national program.
- Society for Risk Analysis, Sigma Xi

RUSSELL N. DIETZ - Chemical Engineer
dietz@bnl.gov

Education - Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, 1964; B.S., Chemical Engineering, cum laude, 1960); National Science Foundation Fellow, 1960-64.
Research Interests - Development of ultra-sensitive atmospheric tracer instrumentation; Detection of clandestine explosives; Tracer techniques for natural air infiltration, mechanical ventilation, and indoor air quality studies in homes and buildings; Tracers for subsurface exploration and transport in aquifers and oil and gas reservoir studies; Leak detection for the electric, gas, and nuclear utility industry.
Professional Affiliations - American Chemical Society; Air and Waste Management Association.
Summary of Experience - Early activities included correlation of unsaturate yields from light hydrocarbon pyrolysis; Gamma irradiation processes for fixation of nitrogen from air, synthesis of ozone at cryogenic temperatures, and dissociation of carbon dioxide; Kinetics of oxides of nitrogen formation in furnaces; Iodine hydrolysis reactions pertaining to nuclear reactor loss-of-coolant accidents; Development of novel permeation devices; Tertiary treatment of waste waters by irradiation and ozonation; Effect of combustion parameters on fossil-fueled utility boiler emissions; Detection of clandestine explosives at airports. Recent activities include: Instrumentation for sub-part-per-quadrillion detection of atmospheric tracers; Studies of building air ventilation and indoor air quality; Subsurface applications in oil and gas reservoir studies and leak pinpointing for utility underground piping; Verification testing of hospital isolation room ventilation integrity. Currently, Head of the Tracer Technology Center at Brookhaven.

JEFFREY P. FITTS – Assistant Geochemist
fitts@bnl.gov

Education - Duke University (B.A., History/Political Science, 1990); Stanford University (Ph.D., Geochemistry, 1999).
Research Interests - Biogeochemical transformations of radionuclides, toxic metals, and organic pollutants in wastes, stabilized waste-forms and subsurface environments; Sequestration, degradation and stabilization of contaminants using oxide and sulfide materials. Molecular-scale structure and properties of aqueous-oxide interfaces and corrosion surfaces.
Professional Affiliations - American Chemical Society; American Geophysical Union.
Summary of Experience - Developed and applied synchrotron methods to study metal ion speciation on model oxide single crystal surfaces, and in contaminated sediments and oxide particle suspensions. Used microscopy (STM and AFM) and optical probes (SHG) to study aqueous-oxide interfaces. Investigated chlorinated hydrocarbon degradation on iron oxide surfaces which linked atomic-scale mechanisms determined in idealized ultrahigh vacuum experiments with macro-scale degradation observed in colloidal suspensions. Examined lake sediment and pore water chemical indicators as proxies for regional historic climate change at Owens Lake, California.

AROKIASAMY J. FRANCIS - Microbiologist
francis1@bnl.gov

Education - Annamalai University (B.Sc., Agriculture, 1963); (M.Sc. Agriculture Soil Microbiology, 1965); Cornell University (Ph.D., Microbiology, 1971).
Research Interests - Microbial transformations of radionuclides, toxic metals, and organic compounds in wastes and in subsurface environments; Biodegradation of organic-metal/radionuclide complexes, pesticides and organic pollutants; Nitrogen transformation in soils; Microbial gas generation from radioactive wastes; Bioremediation of radionuclides and toxic metals contaminated soils and wastes; Decontamination of radionuclide contaminated steels and materials.
Professional Affiliations - Adjunct Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, State University of New York, at Stony Brook; American Society for Microbiology; American Chemical Society.
Summary of Experience - Organized a round table symposium on "Microbial Aspects of Transuranic and other Radioactive Wastes" (convener), American Society for Microbiology. Previous experience at Stanford Research Institute involved studies on the microbiological degradation of military standard pesticide formulations, and at Cornell University on symbiotic nitrogen fixation in legumes and life detection (exobiology) by GC-MS of microbial metabolites. Consultant to: FAO of U.N. in Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology; Directorate of Plant Protection, Ministry of Agriculture, India, under Indo-U.S. Aid Program; UNDP-TOKTEN Project; Advisory Panel member, WIPP Program-Sandia National Laboratory; Member of the Board of Examiners, Ph.D. degree, Napier College, Edinburgh, U.K.; Annamalai University, India; Bharathiar University, India; Team member, DOE Biotechnology Team, RDDT & E Five-Year Plan. Invited participant and contributor to U.S. DOE Office of Energy Research (DOE/ER-0482T, 1990; DOE/ER-0492T, 1991). Invited participant of the European group MIND (Microbiology in Nuclear Waste Disposal); Technical Committee Member, IAEA on "Advanced Technologies for Treatment of Low and Intermediate Low-level Radioactive Liquid Wastes." Invited participant at the Microbiology of Nuclear Waste Disposal Concept Tutorial, Scientific Review Group, Canada, 1993. Invited speaker at the Actinides '93 Conference, Santa Fe, NM, 1993; Invited key speaker NATO ARW on Biotechnologies for Radioactive and Toxic Waste Management and Site Restoration, Mol, Belgium, 1994; Invited speaker at the Actinides '97 International Conference, Baden-Baden, Germany, 1997; Foreign Distinguished Scientist Inviting Program, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, March 28-April 28, 1998 and September 1-30, 2000; Consultant to Nuclear Fuel Industries, Ltd., (NFI), Tokai, Japan (1999). Advisor: Actinide Migration Evaluation (AME) Group, The Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site, Rocky Flats, CO (2000-present). Scientific Advisor, Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, Tokai, Japan. Technical Publications: 155, Patents awarded 4.

JOHN H. HEISER - Environmental Research Engineer
heiser@bnl.gov

Education - C. W. Post College (B.S. Chemistry, 1977); Adelphi University (M.S. Physical Chemistry, 1981).
Research Interests - Hazardous, Radioactive and Mixed Waste Management; In Situ Treatment Technologies; Containment and Solidification/Stabilization; Materials Applications for Waste Storage.
Summary of Experience - Brookhaven National Laboratory - 1978-Present: Develop and demonstrate at a field-scale, emplacement of a close-coupled barrier technology capable of containing waste forms within their existing subsurface transport, disposal, or storage structures. Provide technical support to In Situ Stabilization projects in determining which (in particular polymer) grouts will be viable candidates for in situ stabilization. Developed and characterized advanced polymer composite barrier materials for use throughout the DOE defense complex. Investigated potential improved barrier materials for interim subsurface confinement of underground storages tanks. Joint research project with the Russian Research Center, "Kurchatov Institute" in Moscow, Russia, to gain a better understanding of the performance of waste packages in the Kara Sea. Research and development of improved and innovative solutions to waste treatment and encapsulation. Multilevel ground water sampling at the DOEs Non-Arid VOC Integrated Demonstration. Teamed to develop the Accelerated Leach Test (ASTM C-1308). Developed and authored the computer code for analyzing data from the Accelerated Leach Test.

KEITH W. JONES - Senior Physicist
kwj@bnl.gov

Education - Princeton University (A.B., Physics, 1950); University of Wisconsin (M.S., Physics, 1951; Ph.D., Physics, 1955).
Research Interests - Development of materials characterization methods based on use of x-ray and ion beams; the analytical techniques are then used as basis for experiments in many fields including biomedical, materials, chemicals, environmental sciences. This work led to a major program on sediment decontamination technologies for the Port of New York/New Jersey with the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The program is an extremely complex multi- disciplinary project with elements ranging from basic science to applied engineering; availability and use of the BNL analytical techniques and other scientific capabilities is a great asset to the overall program.
Professional Affiliations - American Physical Society; American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Summary of Experience - Teaching and research at University of North Carolina, Columbia University, Ohio State University, and Brookhaven National Laboratory.

KEITH F. LEWIN - Research Engineer I
lewin@bnl.gov

Education - Cornell University (B.S., 1974).
Research Interests - Effects of environmental pollutants on natural and managed terrestrial ecosystems. Development of micro-computer aided control and data collection systems. Management of field research sites. Use of wired and wireless networking at field research sites to improve data collection, storage, and distribution.
Summary of Experience - Design, fabrication, and operation of unique research facilities used at BNL and elsewhere to study the ecological effects of acid rain and global climate change. Design, implementation, and analysis of growth chamber, greenhouse, and field-scale experiments examining the effects of environmental pollutants on plant growth and ecosystem function. Supervision of the installation and operation of experimental field sites in the United States, Europe, and Central America. Interfacing measurement and control instrumentation with personal computers. Use of networking equipment and software to improve collection and distribution of research data within and from remote research facilities. 1999 recipient of Brookhaven National Laboratory’s “Brookhaven Award” .

LAURENCE W. MILIAN - Chemistry Associate I
milian@bnl.gov

Education - State University of New York at Stony Brook (Graduate Courses: Biological and Chemical Oceanography, 1982); State University College at Buffalo (B.A., Geoscience, 1974); Suffolk County Community College (A.A.S., Liberal Arts/Science, 1972).
Research Interests - Environmental sciences; Radioactive waste management; Waste management; Chemical sciences and engineering; Radiation chemistry; Analytical chemistry; Materials science; Research and testing, properties.
Summary of Experience - 1976-Present: Brookhaven National Laboratory. Provide the technical support for the evaluation of both treated (solidification) and untreated properties of a wide variety of radioactive (e.g., reactor, decontamination and incinerator ash) and/or chemical hazarouds (e.g., mixed-salts and municipal solid waste incinerator ash) waste streams. Radio-chemical/analytical techniques are performed and if required, proficiency using alpha, beta and gamma (GeLi and NaI detectors) spectroscopy systems and standard chemical analyses using visible-UV and aa/ae, HPLC and inductive coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy. Contribute to the performance and durability testing (short [TCLP] and long [ALT] term leachability, clexural, compressive, splitting tensile, hydraulic conductivity, and thermal testing on solidified waste streams and polymer materials (e.g., Portland cement, vinylester styrene, bitumen, furfuryl alcohol, acrylate, polyester styrene and sulfur polymer cement). Evaluate HDPE container materials for the extended storage of radioactive ion-exchange resins by creep, impact and tensile testing. Written and graphic results are published and presented at technical conferences. Presently involved in the solidification of radioactive hearth ash from the Republic of Belarus.

SUDEEP MITRA – Associate Nuclear Physicist
smitra@bnl.gov

Education - University of Poona (B.Sc., Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, 1976; M.Sc., Nuclear, Radio and Radiation Chemistry, 1978; Ph.D., Nuclear and Radiochemistry, 1983).
Research Interests - Development on in vivo and in situ multi-element analysis procedures using neutron activation; Gamma spectrometry.
Professional Affiliations - American Physical Society; American Chemical Society.
Summary of Experience - Radiotracer techniques as applied to Hot Atom Chemistry, gamma radiation effects on solids. Developed an original technique for measuring total body chlorine to determine extra-cellular water, in vivo, using prompt gamma neutron activation analysis. Designed and calibrated a very low radiation dose facility for measuring in vivo, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen and hence protein, fat and water simultaneously in young experimental animals such as sheep or pigs. Neutron inelastic scattering reactions on C, N and O were employed and nano-second timing techniques were applied using a compact sealed tube 14 MeV neutron generator and the associated particle technique. Inelastic neutron scattering using pulsed 14 meV neutrons for in situ analysis of C in soil.

JOHN NAGY - Physicist
nagy@bnl.gov

Education - Massachusetts Institute of Technology (B.S., Physics, 1965); University of Pennsylvania (Ph.D., Physics, 1973); John Hopkins University (Postdoctoral Fellow, 1973-1977).
Research Interests - Monitoring and control in real-time experimental science systems; Environmental effects of the nuclear fuel cycle; Environmental effects of radionuclides; Rare and endangered species, habitats, and ecosystems; Ecological effects of renewable energy sources.
Professional Affiliations - American Physical Society.
Summary of Experience - Completed experimental studies of the hadronic decays of the lambda particle, the electron semileptonic decay of the long-lived neutral K particle, and the production of gamma rays and pi-zero particles in very high energy pN collisions. Surveyed the environmental effects of the nuclear fuel cycles and radionuclides in other energy systems. Organized information on endangered species of federal or regional concern and information on unique, rare, or threatened ecosystem remnants. Participated in large-scale field experiments to study botanical and ecological effects of elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide; Visiting Research Scientist, Duke University.

WILLIAM ROBERT NETTLES – Environmental Sciences Associate II
nettles@bnl.gov

Education - Mississippi State University (MSU) (B.S. in Forestry (1999), M.S. in Forestry (2001)
Research Interests: -Improving the utilization of forest biomass through the development of new industrial methods, technologies, and/or products. Use of forest harvesting residuals to aid energy production. Improving the sustainability of industrial forest operations. Effects of global climate change on forest ecosystems. Management of field research site operations.
Summary of Experience - Management of the MSU Forest Operations and Harvesting Laboratory analyzing wood chip quality. Private Forestland Consultant. Management of Duke University field research experiment for Long Distance Dispersal of Tree Seeds (Ran Nathan, PI). FACE Facility Operator since 2001.

ALISTAIR ROGERS - Associate Biologist
arogers@bnl.gov

Education - University of Wales, Bangor (BSc. Joint Hons. Biochemistry and Botany, 1994); University of Essex (Ph.D. Biology 1998).
Research Interests - Molecular, biochemical, and physiological mechanisms underlying the responses of plants to global change.
Professional Affiliations - American Society of Plant Biologists; Ecological Society of America; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.
Summary of Experience - Alistair Rogers has over ten year’s research experience in the physiological, biochemical and molecular adaptations of plants to global change. His research has focused on the long-term effect of elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide on plants grown in the field using Free Air CO2 Enrichment technology.

SCOTT SMITH - Environmental Associate III
ssmith@bnl.gov

Education - Suffolk County Community College (A.S. Science Technology, 1994), Dowling College (B.S. Natural Sciences and Mathematics with honors, 2000).
Research Interests - Ocean meteorology, island effects on cloud formations, changing levels of surface solar radiation, remote sensing equipment.
Summary of Experience - OMP (Ocean Margin Program) 14-day cruises in March 94 and July 94. Around the clock sampling and testing of sea water. CSP (Combined Sensor Program) was a 4.5 week cruise in the tropical western Pacific where I was the sole BNL representative operating the PRP (Portable Radiation Package) prototype, in addition to spending 9 days doing side-by-side comparison with similar instruments on Manus Island (PNG). This took place during the summer of 96. June 97- July 97 I was on the Kaiyo, a Japanese research vessel, which sailed from Majuro to Palau operating the next generation PRP and a portable MET station. June 99 through August 99 I was on the RON Brown during the NAURU99 experiment and was again BNL's sole representative operating a PRP. After which I was in Hilo, HI post calibrating the three PRP's that were deployed during NAURU99.

GABRIEL J. VIGNATO - Technician Aide
vignato@bnl.gov

Education - Suffolk County Community College (Liberal Arts, AA, 2000).
Interests - Electronics; Robotics; Carpentry.
Summary of Experience - Tracer Technology Center, 1999 to present: Review designs; Evaluate materials and equipment; Obtain materials, fabricate, assemble/install, and test components; Construct, calibrate, test, and inspect systems; Operate, repair and maintain equipment; Troubleshoot systems and equipment; Monitor operation parameters; Maintain records; Perform housekeeping; Implement tasks in such a way as to make it as easy as possible to perform, and therefore as safe as possible.

THOMAS B. WATSON - Research Chemist
twatson@bnl.gov

Education - University of Colorado (Ph.D., Chemistry, 1990); University of Delaware (B.A., Mathematics, 1976).
Research Interests - Atmospheric Tracer Technology and Applications; Atmospheric Transport, Diffusion and Dispersion; Atmospheric Chemistry
Professional Affiliations - American Geophysical Union
Summary of Experience - Chemist, Brookhaven National Laboratory/Environmental Sciences Department/Atmospheric Sciences Division, February, 2005 to present; Deputy Director/Research Chemist, NOAA/Air Resources Laboratory/Field Research Division (FRD), 1993 to February, 2005; Program Specialist, Office of Scientific Support, Detailed to NOAA Headquarters/Office of Policy and Strategic Planning, April 2001-May 2002; Research Chemist NOAA/Air Resources Laboratory/Field Research Division (FRD), 1992 to 1993; Research Associate, NOAA Aeronomy Laboratory, 1990 to 1992; Research Assistant, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of Colorado 1987 to 1990.

LUCIAN WIELOPOLSKI - Physicist
lwielo@bnl.gov

Education - Technion Institute of Technology (B.Sc. Electrical Engineering, 1972, M.Sc. Nuclear Sciences, 1974); North Carolina State University (Ph.D. Nuclear Engineering, 1979).
Research Interests - Applied nuclear spectroscopy; Monte Carlo simulation; Non-destructive monitoring and elemental analysis; Numerical analysis; Effects of CO2 enrichment on soil content.
Professional Affiliations - American Physical Society; American Association of Physicists in Medicine; Environmental and Engineering; Geophysical Society.
Summary of Experience - Monte Carlo modeling, nuclear electronics and system design. Nuclear spectroscopy of charged particles, neutrons, gamma radiation and x-rays. Elemental analysis using: charged particles Rutherford backscattering, prompt and delayed neutron gamma activation, neutron inelastic scattering, gamma nuclear resonance scattering, gamma activation and x-rays. Developed systems for elemental (Pb, Fe, K, Ca, Cl, Na, N, C) analysis in human body in vivo. Recipient of IR-100 award for developing a system to measure Pb in children in vivo. Organized and chaired international workshop on XRF. Medical physics in radiation oncology. In situ analysis of tree root systems using ground penetrating radar and soil carbon analysis.

RICHARD J. WILKE - Chemical Associate II
wilke@bnl.gov

Education - State University of New York at Stony Brook (M.S., Marine Environmental Sciences, 1979); Florida Institute of Technology (B.S., Chemical Oceanography, 1976).
Research Interests - Perflourocarbon tracers, Anthropogenic tracers, Estuarine geochemistry.
Summary of Experience - Over 400 days at sea involved in various oceanographic research programs. Responsible for all aspects of field oceanographic studies - sampling scheme, sampling, sample analysis, post-analysis data processing, instrument design and operation, computer maintenance and operation. Experience with gas chromatography, coulometry, HPLC, spectrophotometry. Building manager, Work control coordinator, 90-day site manager for over 5 years.

Last Modified: November 16, 2009
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