May 2016 - Oak Ridge Associated Universities

STEM CAREERS ACCELERATOR QUARTERLY
News from and about the ORAU HBCU/MEI Council
Volume 2, Issue 2—May 2016
Partner Up: ORAU Hosts Fayetteville State University
Left photo: Dr. Brian Kent (second left) was guided around ORAU’s REAC/TS site by ORAU employees, Cathy Fore
(center right), Desmond Stubbs (second right), and Ron Edmond (far right), who are involved in HBCU/MEI
initiatives. Dr. Kent was briefed by REAC/TS staff, Wayne Baxter (far left) and Steve Sugarman (third left), on the
importance of radiation emergency medicine.
Right photo: During the visit, Dr. Kent got some hands-on experience with the technology associated with
radiation emergency medicine, including Geiger counters.
On March 11, Dr. Brian Kent of Fayetteville State
University visited Oak Ridge, Tennessee by invite from the
Oak Ridge Associated Universities’ HBCU/MEI Council.
Though multifaceted, one of the purposes of this visit was
to tour ORAU’s Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/
Training Site (REAC/TS) at the Oak Ridge Institute for
Science and Education. REACT/TS, which is managed by
ORAU through ORISE, provides accredited courses in
radiation emergency medicine for physicians and other
medical personnel.
Dr. Kent toured the site, which is available 24/7 to deploy
emergency response personnel, and received briefings
on the technology and practices used there. Wayne
Baxter and Steve Sugarman acted as REAC/TS
representatives for the duration of the visit while Cathy
Fore, Desmond Stubbs, and Ron Edmond were present
on behalf of ORAU’s HBCU/MEI initiatives.
While in Oak Ridge, Dr. Kent also had the chance to visit
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) where he heard
talks given by experts in Geographic Information Science
and Graduate Education and University Partnerships. Joe
Trien, the lead researcher at ORNL’s Cyber & Information
Security Research Group also presented to Dr. Kent before
leaving ORNL.
For more information on REAC/TS visit the ORISE REAC/TS
webpage.
Table of Contents
Center Stage: Tennessee State University ........................ 2
ORAU Alumni feature: Dr. Joaquin Aparicio-Bolaño ........ 3
ORAU Program Opportunities and Upcoming Events………4
2016 Annual Meeting News…………………………………………....5
Partner Up: ORAU Hosts FSU (cont.)………....…………..……....6
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ORAU HBCU/MEI Council
Volume 2, Issue 2—May 2016
Center Stage:
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University, the only historically black university in
Tennessee, is one of the 28 ORAU HBCU/MEI Council member institutions
committed to promoting diversity and excellence in STEM driven research.
Located in urban Nashville, TSU operates on two campuses within the city.
As a STEM driven research center, Tennessee State University encourages
students and faculty to pursue challenging topics that lead to impactful
scientific developments. TSU conducts much of its research through
Centers of Excellence (COE). These centers encompass disciplines in STEM
and facilitates a wide array of research.
STEM CAREERS ACCELERATOR QUARTERLY
Center of Excellence in Information Systems and Engineering Management– increasing research in computer science,
astronomy, advanced control systems, and systems identification.
Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences—conducting research that
promotes educational, social, physical, and psychological well-being in children
and families.
Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Research—conducting research in
an effort to provide students with training opportunities in world changing
agricultural and environmental fields.
Center of Excellence for Battlefield Sensor Fusion—developing information
fusion technologies that can be applied to multiple sensors in a battlefield
setting.
Massie Chair of Excellence Program—continuing the legacy of Dr. Samuel P.
Massie by educating and training the next generation of environmental
engineers.
Office of Business and Economic Research—focusing on urban business and
economic development issues.
Nanoscience and Biotechnology Core Facility—striving to provide faculty and
students with cutting edge nanoscience and biotechnology equipment in order
to facilitate a greater understanding of these fields.
In addition to the various research oriented centers at Tennessee State
University, TSU facilitates the Cooperative Extension Program. This program is tasked with providing information to
urban and rural families by using research based information and technology to improve quality of life. The
Cooperative Extension also partners with the 4-H Youth Development program and helps address common problems
facing underserved youth.
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STEM CAREERS ACCELERATOR QUARTERLY
ORAU HBCU/MEI Council
Volume 2, Issue 2—May 2016
ORAU Alumni Feature: Dr. Joaquin Aparicio-Bolaño
Dr. Aparicio-Bolaño, an adjunct physics professor at the
University of Puerto Rico at Ponce, and Siberón Guzmán,
a junior working on a bachelor’s degree in Biology,
investigated the detection of explosives in 62 common
complex matrices during the program. This research
bolsters the current databases and helps improve the
QCL’s accuracy and scope.
“My participation was based on detecting the presence of
highly explosive material deposited on 11 different types
of fabrics in order to develop an efficient sensor that will
facilitate early detection and prevention of explosive
attacks,” explained Siberón Guzmán.
In this photo, Dr. Joaquín Aparicio-Bolaño (front) and
Michael Siberón Guzmán (back) measured the diameter
of a dried explosive solution that they placed on an
aluminum surface as part of their research in the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Summer
Research Team program for Minority Serving Institutions.
In addition to the technical skills and experience gained
from the program, both participants noted that they
benefited from the collaborative spirit of the program. Dr.
Aparicio-Bolaño said that his favorite part of the program
was working together with his director and students to
solve technical difficulties.
Early detection of explosives is crucial for maintaining
public safety, especially in crowded locations, such as
airports, public transportation sites, and sport venues. Dr.
Joaquín Aparicio-Bolaño and Michael Siberón Guzmán
collaborated in the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) Summer Research Team program for Minority
Serving Institutions to improve a method to detect
explosives from a distance.
Siberón Guzmán echoed the sentiment saying,
“Collaborating with Dr. Aparicio-Bolaño and the group
made this a very comfortable experience since
communication and extracurricular activities created a
bond that extended beyond the laboratory work.”
Quantum cascade laser (QCL) spectroscopy provides a
way to detect high-energy materials or explosives from a
distance. The ability to detect explosives in complex
matrices, such as textiles, soil, plastics, and building
materials, is important for applying QCL spectroscopy in
the field. The QCL is suited for fieldwork, because it is
portable and operates at room temperature while still
possessing a high power output which enables long
distance application.
Siberón Guzmán plans to attend graduate school and
pursue a doctoral degree after completing his
undergraduate studies. Dr. Aparicio-Bolaño is working
towards establishing a research lab, fostering
collaboration efforts, and obtaining a tenure-track
position at the University of Puerto Rico at Ponce.
For more information about this program, check out the
Department of Homeland Security Summer Research
Team Program for Minority Serving Institutions
homepage.
The STEM CAN Team
The method QCL uses to detect explosives from a
COUNCIL COORDINATOR
distance is relatively straightforward. A laser interacts
Desmond Stubbs
with a chemical substance, which produces an optical
signature that can be detected and analyzed by an optical
Desmond.Stubbs@orau.org
receiver and computational analysis for the spectroscopy.
WRITER
Greyson Dickey
Greyson.Dickey@orau.org
PAGE 3
ORAU HBCU/MEI Council
Volume 2, Issue 2—May 2016
ORAU Program Opportunities and Upcoming Events
The Lindau Meeting of
Nobel Laureates gives
students and young
researchers the chance
to hear from and meet
some of the foremost
minds in STEM fields.

High Performance Computing Grant Program:

2017 awards tentatively scheduled to be announced
in late summer of 2016

ORAU Events Sponsorship Program:
Call for nominations begins: September 6, 2016
Deadline for nominations: October 7, 2016

FY 17 Cycle 1 deadline: September 1, 2016
FY 17 Cycle 2 deadline: March 1, 2017
STEM CAREERS ACCELERATOR QUARTERLY
Lindau Meeting of Nobel Laureates:
Heidelberg Laureate Forum:
Call for nominations begins: October 31, 2016
Deadline for nominations: December 2, 2016
Evie Malaia, Ph.D., a
University of TexasArlington researcher,
received a 2014 Powe
Award for her research
analyzing brainwaves
in children with Autism
Spectrum Disorders.

ORAU Grad Fair: August 11, 2016

ORAU Travel Grants Ongoing (may submit two

requests per fiscal year)
Powe Junior Faculty Awards:
2017 deadline TBA
For more information on the 2016 Program Deadlines and Upcoming Events, please visit our Faculty and
Student Program page at: https://www.orau.org/university-partnerships/faculty-student-programs/
default.aspx.
Meet the HBCU/MEI Council Leadership
Michael A. Stubblefield, Ph.D.
Andres Gil, Ph.D.
Chair
Co-Chair
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STEM CAREERS ACCELERATOR QUARTERLY
ORAU HBCU/MEI Council
Volume 2, Issue 2—May 2016
News from the 2016 Annual Meeting of the ORAU
Council of Sponsoring Institutions
ORAU recently hosted its member universities at the 2016
Annual Meeting of the ORAU Council of Sponsoring
Institutions. The event took place on March 9-10 at the
ORNL Visitor Center in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. 70 member
institutions were represented by 102 attendees at the
event. In addition to facilitators, ORAU staff, and guest
speakers, the attendance at the annual meeting totaled at
163 people.
Representing
Fayetteville
State University
(FSU), Dr.
Daryush Ila also
attended the
annual meeting.
Ila, who was
educated at
universities
from Tehran to
M.I.T., later was a speaker at the March 11th East
Tennessee Economic Council (ETEC) event hosted at
Fayetteville State University.
This year’s theme was “Applications of Big Data
Analytics,” and incorporated speakers from the National
Institutes of Health, Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
National Science Foundation, and John Hopkins
University.
The panels emphasized the incredible utility of big data
analytics but also encouraged attendees to be mindful of
the dangers associated with breaches in cyber security
and unprotected data. The Annual Meeting included tours
of various ORNL facilities and labs. The attendees were
encouraged to participate in panel sessions through the
question & answers portions of the meeting.
Pictured above: (back row) Daryush Ila (FSU),
Desmond Stubbs (ORAU), John Bellamy (FSU),
and (front row) Christin Lane (ORAU), Rebecca
Crowe (ORAU), Cathy Fore (ORAU), and Carla
Padilla (FSU).
The event also afforded the opportunity for ORAU staff to
get acquainted with the staff at various sponsoring
institutions.
As a representative of one of ORAU’s HBCU/MEI Council,
Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young attended the annual meeting
on behalf of Tennessee State University.
Following the 2016 Annual Meeting, the theme and date
for the 2017 meeting were confirmed. On March 8-9,
2017, ORAU will host the annual meeting titled
“Compliance Complexity in Higher Education” in Pollard
Auditorium.
PAGE 5
ORAU HBCU/MEI Council
Volume 2, Issue 2—May 2016
Partner Up: ORAU Hosts Fayetteville State University
(Cont.)
Back row: Carla Padilla (FSU), Greg
Nichols (ORAU), Desmond Stubbs
(ORAU), Chibu Umerah (FSU), Ron
Edmond (ORAU)
STEM CAREERS ACCELERATOR QUARTERLY
Front row: Cathy Fore (ORAU), Shardai
Johnson (FSU), Christina Young (FSU)
In addition to the March 11th visit, Fayetteville State
University (FSU) sent Dr. Carla Padilla along with three
students, Chibu Umerah, Christina Young, and Shardai
Johnson, to ORAU’s main campus in Oak Ridge,
Tennessee.
At the meeting, visitors met with HBCU/MEI partnership
experts from ORAU to discuss the role of short-term
ORAU offered courses at FSU. The proposed program
would operate as a tool for enrolled students to pursue
training in Health Physics and Emergency Management
fields. Without the constraints of time or funding,
students can be trained in high demand fields quickly.
While still in the planning stages, this program would
operate similarly to an ORAU partnership with Lincoln
Memorial University (LMU). This partnership allows
students at LMU to take short online classes at a lower
cost than LMU traditionally offers. At LMU, these classes
are offered through the school of Osteopathic Medicine,
but the system could apply to a wide range of disciplines.
For example, the group also discussed offering exercises in
nanomaterials and the relevant emergency management
responses related to nanomaterial emergencies.
For more information on ORAU’s online Health Physics
Training visit the ORAU training website.
The meeting covered topics
ranging from affordable, online
courses in Radiation Emergency
Medicine to offering courses in
Nanomaterial Emergency
Management in the future .
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