CLEMSON — Clemson University and the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Tuesday signed an agreement to shape future scientific endeavors of the National Lab, a Department of Energy facility in Aiken that focuses on detecting, processing and disposing of nuclear waste; and remediating and reducing the risk of environmental exposure.
SRNLClemson will create, manage and provide administrative support for an external review committee, comprising scientists from Clemson, the University of South Carolina and other organizations, charged with creating a strategy for SRNL’s research and its “development and deployment of technologies to clean up the environmental legacy of the nation’s nuclear programs,” according to the committee charter.
“As a land-grant university, Clemson is working toward a lot of the same goals as the Savannah River National Laboratory — to make South Carolina and our nation stronger, and to protect the environment for future generations,” said Clemson University President James P. Clements.
Clemson and the University of South Carolina are identified in the contract as “university charter members” — both universities will approve members of the review committee. Clemson’s responsibilities go further and include recruiting committee members, managing and providing administrative support for the committee, facilitating meetings and producing an annual report.
“This agreement will further build the relationship between Clemson University and SRNL, opening a new channel for scientific exchange and collaboration,” said Savannah River National Laboratory Director Terry Michaslke. “Peer review is the backbone of technical excellence. This new institutional partnership with Clemson will help integrate and elevate the scientific and engineering resources in South Carolina.”
Clemson and SRNL have a history of collaboration on projects ranging from nuclear environmental engineering to developing alternative fuels. Many SRNL members are also Clemson adjunct faculty and scientists from each institution have served on the other’s scientific committees. This will be the first administrative collaboration between the two.
“One of our most important initial objectives is to begin recruiting some of the best scientists in the area of nuclear engineering and environmental management. With the right team in place, we will start working to create a strategy that brings the best of the SRNL to bear on critical scientific issues facing the country,” said Larry Dooley, interim vice president for research at Clemson.
