People
DOE SUMMER FELLOW EXPLORES EM's COLD WAR
CLEANUP PROGRAM
Maine Maritime Academy senior learns about nuclear waste management issues
By Todd Lapointe '87
WASHINGTON,D.C.­JaredWoods
graduated from the Maine Maritime
Academy (MMA) in December 2013
with the experience and adventure as a summer
fellow in the US Department of Energy (DOE)
Scholars Program, an opportunity to explore the
agency's careers and learn about its mission and
operations.
Woods was assigned to DOE's Office of Envi-
ronmental Management (EM) Washington, D.C.
headquarters, where he learned about nuclear
safety, nuclear waste treatment and disposal un-
der the guidance of EM Office of Safety Manage-
ment Director Todd Lapointe '87.
Created in 1989, EM's mission is to address the
nation's Cold War environmental legacy resulting
from five decades of nuclear weapons produc-
tion and government-sponsored nuclear energy
research. This legacy includes some of the world's
most dangerous radioactive sites contaminated
with innumerable types of radioactive waste. EM
has the responsibility for completing the cleanup
and managing the remaining nuclear materials.
"It was a pleasure to mentor Jared as the first
DOE - EM summer fellow from MMA," Lapointe
said. "I was impressed with how wel the academy
had prepared him. He made a positive impact
on the DOE engineers he worked with. We look
forward to providing future fellowship opportu-
nities."
Jared Woods '14 shows his graduation award to Jerald Markley '69
Woods explored policy and oversight functions
at headquarters and gained hands-on experience
in project work at EM field sites. He visited the
Richland, Wash. There, he visited the Hanford
military troops, supplies and equipment overseas
Idaho Radioactive Waste Management Complex
tank farms as wel as the Department's single
for U.S. forces and allies operating as an auxiliary
outside of Idaho Fal s, Idaho, where he joined
largest new facility start-up, the Waste Treat-
unit to the Navy.
a team evaluating work at the Advanced Mixed
ment and Immobilization Plant, currently under
Targeting undergraduate, graduate or
Waste Treatment Project and assisted with an
construction.
post-graduate students of an accredited institute
integrated safety management system review.
Woods graduated a semester ahead of schedule
of higher education, the DOE Scholars Program
Woods traveled to Knol s Atomic Power
because he accelerated his education at the acade-
introduces students and post-graduates to DOE's
Laboratory near Niskayuna, N.Y., to observe
my. In January, he planned to set sail with the U.S.
mission and operations.
challenges in nuclear sludge processing at EM's
Merchant Marine as a U.S. Department of Trans-
Interested undergraduates should submit
Separations Process Research Unit project. He
portation, Coast Guard licensed marine engineer.
applications for the 2014 DOE Scholars Program
also participated in a quality assurance compli-
The Merchant Marine is a "fourth arm of defense"
in early 2014. Assignments are possible at DOE
ance review at the Office of River Protection in
in time of war or national emergency, delivering
locations across the complex. More information is
available at http://orise.orau.gov/doescholars/.
mainemaritime.edu
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