BNL Hosts Office of Science Graduate Fellows

On August 2 and 3, BNL hosted the Graduate Fellowship Annual Meeting for the DOE Office of Science (SC). Every year, a different SC lab hosts the event. Attendees included DOE SC Director Bill Brinkman, DOE SC Deputy Director for Science Programs Pat Dehmer, and 186 of the brightest minds in America.

graduate students enlarge

Participants at the DOE Office of Science Graduate Fellowship Annual Meeting hosted at BNL, including (front, center) BNL Director Sam Aronson, Office of Science Deputy Director for Science Programs Pat Dehmer and DOE Brookhaven Site Office Acting Manager Frank Crescenzo; and (front, fourth from left) Office of Science Graduate Fellowship Program Manager Ping Ge; and (front, third from left) Office of Educational Programs Manager Ken White.

The SC established the DOE Office of Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE SCGF) program in 2009 to support outstanding students in pursuit of graduate training in fundamental research in areas of physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, computer and computational sciences, and environmental sciences relevant to the SC; as well as to encourage the development of the next generation of scientific and technical talent in the U.S., who will pursue careers in research critical to the SC mission at DOE laboratories and in academia.

Bill Brinkman

Bill Brinkman

Pat Dehmer

Pat Dehmer

At BNL, the graduate fellows were welcomed by Lab Director Sam Aronson, who gave them an overview of the Lab and its mission. They heard scientific talks about SC’s program areas, and toured many Lab research facilities. SC Deputy Director Dehmer’s address highlighted energy as one of the country’s greatest challenges, while SC Director Brinkman’s keynote speech urged the fellows to follow their passion for science and work to solve problems including climate change and creating electric automobiles that run longer on a single charge. Brinkman also noted the importance of a scientifically literate public and charged these future scientists to contribute in this area. Scientific research and literacy are vital to society, and the DOE SCGF is a significant part of extending them into the future.

During their visit, Brinkman and Dehmer met with Lab leadership and toured several facilities, including taking a look at construction progress at the National Synchrotron Light Source II.

Noel Blackburn of the BNL’s Office of Educational Programs (OEP) and other OEP members coordinated the effort in partnership with SC Workforce Development and Oak Ridge Institute for Science & Education staff. 

Said Ken White, OEP manager, “Watching the Olympics this summer, I was reminded of what it takes to be the best at what you do. The Office of Science Graduate Fellowship Program supports what it takes to keep America at its best in the physical sciences. Extraordinarily talented young people have been identified through a rigorous selection process and are now being supported to practice and pursue careers in scientific research of importance to our nation. Investing in these Fellows is an important part of keeping our nation at the peak of its capability.”

2012-3267  |  INT/EXT  |  Newsroom