In an effort to strengthen academic and industry partnerships, representatives from the Savannah River Site (SRS) recently visited Florida International University (FIU), a leading public research university in Miami, Florida. The visit aimed to bolster the growing collaboration between FIU’s Applied Research Center (ARC) and the Department of Energy (DOE). 

Since 2007, the DOE-FIU Science & Technology Workforce Development Initiative, also known as the DOE Fellows Program, has played a pivotal role in advancing the missions of DOE’s Environmental Management (DOE-EM) and the Office of Legacy Management (DOE-LM).

In fiscal year 2024, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) began to establish a partnership with FIU to increase the number of interns transitioning into full-service roles, strengthen technical capabilities, and elevate industry reputation and visibility with academic institutions.

"This partnership brings fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to the complex challenges we face
at DOE facilities," said Bryan Ortner, SRNS Acting Senior Vice President of Workforce Services and
Talent Management. "By collaborating with FIU, we hope to harness the capabilities of their students
and faculty, yielding valuable research outcomes and providing students with hands-on experience in
addressing real-world problems."

The program includes a two- to four-year mentoring component, offering paid research experiences to address technical problems that benefit DOE missions. Research areas include deactivation and decommissioning of contaminated facilities, soil and groundwater remediation, workforce development, robotics, intelligence applications, radioactive waste management, IT, and environmental protection.

“SRS plans to hire 9,000 full-services resources over the next five years, so it is imperative to leverage this agreement to build a robust talent pipeline,” said Leonel “Leo” Lagos, DOE Fellows
Program Director. “By integrating coursework, DOE fieldwork, and applied research at FIU, we create a well-structured program that brings highly skilled individuals into the workforce to fill those critical gaps.”
During the visit, representatives from SRNS’ Workforce Services and Talent Management and Engineering departments toured FIU’s research facilities, reviewed student projects, and revisited past research findings.

“The initiative marked a significant step towards rekindling and strengthening our ties with FIU,” said Ken Burrows, SRNS Director of Engineering Technical Services. “The innovative work being conducted is directly applicable to solving the challenges we face in our aging nuclear facilities and supporting new projects for DOE-EM and NNSA missions. Interacting with the faculty and students has given me confidence that there is a bright, capable group ready to tackle our challenges at SRNS.”

SRNS Engineering Staffing & Development and Training Manager, Carla Wheeler, remarked, "I was very impressed with the drones and robotic applications that the FIU students were working on. I can see how these innovations could significantly benefit our future missions."

SRS plans to implement a high-level memorandum of understanding with FIU to ensure a steady
stream of skilled specialists are available to tackle technical challenges through grant-funded research
or the SRNS Internship Program. This summer, DOE Fellows Program intern Kevin Yulkowsky will joinSRS to gain hands-on experience in H Canyon— the only operating, production-scale, radiologically
shielded chemical separations facility in the United States.

Additionally, FIU students and faculty are scheduled to visit the Site in May 2025 for a comprehensive tour, expanding their scope to include National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) missions. “With our recent landlord transition from EM to NNSA, we hope to further enhance students’ understanding and identify potential opportunities for involvement in NNSA-related projects,” concluded Ortner.