Engineers Week Spotlight: EM Experts Help Transform Liabilities Into Opportunities

EM highlights the contributions of five engineers we’ve interviewed across the cleanup complex for National Engineers Week.

Editor's Note: Founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951, National Engineers Week is dedicated to ensuring a well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers. Engineers Week is from Feb. 16-22.

When did you begin working at the site and what got you interested in the cleanup mission?

I began my career at the DOE Savannah River Operations Office in 2021, working as a facility engineer at the Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF). DOE offered great opportunities to build onto my previous commercial nuclear industry experience and allowed me to add value to the cleanup mission. Additionally, DOE offered new and exciting opportunities to work with very technical individuals in technology development and environmental remediation.

Can you tell us a little about a project you have worked on?

The SWPF is a newer facility that processes about 90% of the legacy radioactive liquid waste, generated in the 1950s from the Savannah River Site nuclear material production operations. As a facility engineer, I was able to work in collaboration with the contractor on numerous optimization projects, review and approve safety basis updates, and provide oversight to help increase facility throughput and aid in the overall cleanup mission, scheduled to be completed by 2037. 

How is your expertise making an impact on an EM project, or the mission in general?

Having a diverse background in chemical and mechanical engineering, along with years of commercial nuclear experience, has allowed me to provide technical expertise and oversight to help accelerate the cleanup mission. I have since taken on additional oversight roles, overseeing work at the Saltstone Production & Disposal Facility and Effluent Treatment Facility, all of which play an intricate role in the overall cleanup mission. 

How do you measure team success?

Team success is measured by the accomplishments the team has made over a given period of time, having worked together to achieve milestones or resolve complex issues to help improve the overall process. A great example would be the complex work performed by the SWPF Optimization Team, improving facility processes, to get closer to the target cleanup rates needed to meet the cleanup mission target completion date. The SWPF Optimization Team’s hard work was recognized by being awarded with the 2024 Secretary’s Honor Award. 

When did you begin working at the site and what got you interested in the cleanup mission?

I started my work at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site in March 2023, joining a team of geologists tasked with mapping the excavation of the new utility shaft. I've had a connection to the WIPP for nearly 15 years; my senior design project during my undergraduate studies at Ole Miss was related to WIPP. Additionally, my graduate advisor, Dr. Holt, has been involved with the WIPP project since 1983, which means much of my undergraduate and graduate work has been centered around WIPP.

Can you tell us a little about a project you have worked on?

Before my time at the Carlsbad Field Office, I was involved in mapping the new utility shaft. Our team was comprised of two geologists and a technical leader, on a rotating 24 hour-a-day basis, to oversee the progress as the shaft was being excavated. We maintained close coordination with the contractor to map and sample the freshly blasted rock throughout the shaft's development. Once we achieved the full depth of the shaft, we compiled all our findings into a detailed report.

How is your expertise making an impact on an EM project, or the mission in general?

I have a diverse background and have taken on various professional roles, enabling me to draw on the knowledge and experience I've gained to develop practical and effective solutions for the challenges of each project. My knowledge in project management and business development, combined with my education and hands-on experience in environmental, geotechnical, geological, and hydrological fields, allows me to provide a diverse perspective to the WIPP project.

How do you measure team success?

I believe success can be defined in various ways. Identifying personal, project, and team goals is crucial for accurately evaluating what achievement and success entail. I feel fortunate to be surrounded by motivated individuals and a team dedicated to shared goals and accomplishments.

When did you begin working at the site and what got you interested in the cleanup mission?

I started working as a nuclear safety analyst at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) area of the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site in 2018. After six years, I was promoted to a technical lead position over at the Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) projects, while also supporting Balance of Plant and Integrated Waste Treatment Unit operations.

I was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, where the INL site is located approximately 50 miles away. Throughout high school, I was intrigued by the speakers from the site who would come and discuss the importance of protecting the Snake River Plain Aquifer. I learned that, for over 30 years at the INL Site, protection of the aquifer has been a primary objective. DOE’s Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP) has made vast strides to clean up the environment from the early activities that took place at the INL. That’s what started my long-term interest in nuclear engineering and helping my local community.   

Can you tell us a little about a project you have worked on?

I support several different projects across the INL Site. Currently, I’m working on the Idaho (ID) Spent Nuclear Fuel Staging Facility (SNF-SF), which will have the capability to store packaged SNF in a road-ready dry storage configuration in preparation for shipment to a final disposal location. The ID SNF-SF will stage 200 storage overpacks containing SNF currently in inventory at the INTEC. The design includes a storage pad, cask transfer station, security infrastructure, casks and transport equipment needed for movement of the packaged SNF to the pad for interim storage.  

Another project I am supporting is the Core Cartridge project which involves receipt of a reactor core at INTEC from Naval Reactors Facility (NRF). Additional activities include placing the removal and shipping container (R&SC) in a pool, removing the core from the R&SC, cutting the core into segments, packaging the segments in the Large Cell Cask (LCC), and shipping the LCC back to NRF. I feel grateful to be a part of multiple projects that support the mission of the Idaho Cleanup Project. 

How is your expertise making an impact on an EM project, or the mission in general?

My background is in nuclear engineering/safety where I’ve worked on multiple teams that have supported a variety of projects at the INL site. The main aspect of my job is writing/preserving the safety basis of the nuclear facilities where projects take place. A big portion of writing/preserving the safety basis is submitting the safety basis documents for approval from DOE. 

Maintaining good professional relationships with members of DOE ensures compliance with the laws/regulations and ultimately results in a smooth approval process. I consistently elicit support and cooperation from others when presenting ideas and concepts in addition to facilitating group processes to accomplish our goals. I am grateful for the opportunity to have applied my experience and strengths to support the various ICP projects.

How do you measure team success?

I have had the pleasure of working with team members who communicate well, are insightful, and approach the most challenging projects with enthusiasm and care. The success of the projects I am a part of would not be possible without the input of all team members in tracking progress of the project, efficiently managing time spent on analysis, and performing daily tasks at the highest level. One of the most important aspects of a successful project is a strong safety culture coupled with meeting important milestones. 

When did you begin working at the site and what got you interested in the cleanup mission?

I began working at the Portsmouth Site in 2013 at the American Centrifuge Plant as a process engineer. I transferred to the Gaseous Diffusion Plant cleanup operations in 2015 as a contractor. Within the last 11 years, I have worked for five different employers here at the Portsmouth Site in varying technical roles: from a non-destructive assay spec II, regulatory document developer, and technical DOE support lead to my current role with the DOE as the Portsmouth Site D&D Federal Project Director (FPD) for the Portsmouth Paducah Project Office (PPPO) since the spring of 2023.

I was born and raised here in Pike County, Ohio, on a 200-acre farm located less than 20 miles from the Portsmouth Site. My grandfather worked on the original construction of the plant and several of my aunts and uncles have worked here over the years in varying capacities. Many of my family members still live close by, including myself. The safe and complaint cleanup of the Portsmouth Site is not only vital for my community and the surrounding environment, but also personal. The opportunity to be part of the amazing team here at PPPO is an honor. 

Can you tell us a little about a project you have worked on?

Currently, I serve as the demolition deputy FPD and as the deactivation FPD. Recently, I served as the deputy FPD on the X-326 Process Building Demolition Project. This was the first of three process buildings to be deactivated and demolished as part of the cleanup here at the Portsmouth Site. The project was completed under budget and ahead of schedule with a total of 161,000 cubic yards of debris disposed of in the On-Site Waste Disposal Facility. As each facility is deactivated, demolished and disposed of, the environmental risk is reduced and the goal of reindustrialization of the land closes in.

How is your expertise making an impact on an EM project, or the mission in general?

Project management and technical communication have been a primary focus of my career with process improvement as a common thread. The DOE has procured the best of the best to complete the cleanup of the Portsmouth Site. It is my job as a federal project director to ensure I understand the challenges of the work to be performed and to engage the right entities to ensure a successful project in all aspects — safe, secure, compliant and cost effective. This is done by incorporating quality from the beginning, communicating often, and maintaining high expectations of myself and the team throughout the span of the project, which can span five-plus years in most cases.   

How do you measure team success?

The number one priority at the Portsmouth Site is safety. We expect all individuals to leave just as they came into work. This is the foundation of a successful team. When individuals feel valued and know their health and safety are truly important, they can do their best work, which will support a successful project. 

Our key performance indicators (KPPs) are driven by EM’s priorities, defined in our project execution plans and flowed down to our work packages that manage the work on the ground. These KPPs are monitored closely with team objectives developed to support the accomplishment of the KPPs. Safe and compliant completion of the project KPPs ahead of schedule and under budget are a recipe for success here at the Portsmouth Site. 

When did you begin working at the site, and what got you interested in the cleanup mission?

I began working in Oak Ridge in 2007 as a reindustrialization project manager. Previously, I worked at other sites in project and program management roles for the Office of Environmental Management and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Reindustrialization occupies a unique place at the end of the cleanup mission. It involves transferring property, facilities and infrastructure from DOE ownership to the community for beneficial reuse. This is an in-depth process that involves a systematic approach based on cleanup progress; infrastructure right sizing and repurposing; demonstrating to the regulators that property meets cleanup criteria, and all necessary controls are in place to ensure safety and environmental protection; and developing a business case to headquarters that it is in DOE’s interest to transfer the property.   

As an engineer, and one who appreciates history, and hates waste, it has been rewarding to be part of a program that has restored and transferred an important Manhattan Project site back to the community that can benefit the region for future generations. 

Can you tell us a little about a project you have worked on?

I have been the K-25 historic preservation coordinator since 2014. In this role, I’m responsible for implementing the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for Decommissioning and Demolition of the K-25 Site and Interpretation of the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP). The MOA was developed in compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act to mitigate the loss of historically significant structures at ETTP, primarily the K-25 building. 

The MOA includes stipulations for the construction of the K-25 History Center and the K-25 Interpretive Center, and I serve as the federal project director for both. The K-25 History Center, which opened in 2020, includes 7,500 square feet of exhibits showcasing more than 250 historic artifacts that share the story of the men and women who built and operated the site. The K-25 Interpretive Center, which opens later this year, will provide a sweeping, panoramic view of the building’s footprint. It will also include exhibits to help visualize the size, scale, and proportions of the former building, which was the largest building in the world when it was built in 1943. 

I am an armchair history buff, so being the K-25 historic preservation coordinator and federal project director for the construction of these interpretive facilities has been a good fit. 

Additionally, in my mind, historic preservation and interpretation complement the reindustrialization strategy of salvaging legacy assets and reimagining the future of the site.

How is your expertise making an impact on an EM project, or the mission in general?

By nature, and relating to my education in mechanical engineering, I tend to be systematic in how I execute work. For example, when supporting EM’s reindustrialization program, I consider the relationship between land transfers and infrastructure transfers. It is also important to consider the relationship between the interests of the development community and the city’s public works department, who will own and maintain the infrastructure. These relationships impact how successful EM is in executing reindustrialization and achieving its desired end state for ETTP. Certain assets, such as land and utility distribution systems, can be monetized, which makes them easier to transfer from DOE ownership. However, other assets, such as roads and stormwater systems, are not easily monetized, and they can be more challenging to transfer.  A systematic approach to these transfers involves strategically leveraging the monetizable assets to achieve EM’s end state goal for ETTP, which is the transfer of all assets.

How do you measure team success? 

First, by getting the job done, and second, by everyone on the team having a sense of ownership in the success of the team.