Please give a brief professional biography, describing a little about your current work:
After developing an inertial confinement fusion experiment to study fundamental nuclear physics in the Houghton College Undergraduate Research Program, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the nuclear energy field. Following graduation, working at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory performing film analysis of nuclear blast videos to extract data for analysis and comparison further grew my passion to study nuclear physics. As a graduate student at RPI, I am currently working with Dr. Yaron Danon to measure neutron induced capture yields and gamma-emission spectra. The goal of this research is to improve nuclear data to increase the accuracy of transport codes used to model reactor performance. I work at the RPI Gaerttner Linear Accelerator Center (LINAC) with the Gamma-Multiplicity Detector System.
What have been some of the benefits of your fellowship experience; what have you enjoyed the most?
Through the Rickover Fellowship, I gain an additional advisor from Naval Nuclear Laboratory, Dr. Amanda Lewis. Her contribution to the project has made an enormous impact. Learning from two highly qualified members of the nuclear data field has been an honor.
What is your vision for the future? What do you expect to be doing after the fellowship?
After the fellowship, I will be working for Naval Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) continuing reactor physics research similar to my current work. NNL develops science and engineering technology for the purpose of advancing naval nuclear propulsion. I am excited to work for a lab that has a large impact in fission energy research.
What advice do you have for students considering applying to programs?
Go for it! Many students (including me) do not think of themselves as potential candidates for fellowships but that couldn't be further from the truth. Even writing technical research and personal statements can help you think about what you want to do after RPI and narrow down your focus to what research you are interested in. Contacting students who have previously been awarded the fellowships you're interested in is also very helpful. They can give you any tips, answer questions and possibly review your application materials. They will also be honest about how the fellowship was for them personally which can assist you in deciding if you want to spend your time applying and interviewing. Good luck, you got this!!
The National Nuclear Security Administration Division of Naval Reactors Rickover Fellowship is designed to meet the needs of the Naval Reactors Division of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for doctoral level employees for the development of science and engineering technology as it pertains to naval nuclear propulsion. The program will assist in preparing students for roles in naval nuclear propulsion and will support the broader objective of advancing fission energy development through the research efforts of the Fellows.
