 INL News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS:
Abby Todd, 208-604-2229, abby.toddbloxham@inl.gov
Sarah Neumann, 208-520-1651, sarah.neumann@inl.gov
Editor’s note: Photos are available for download here. Captions are below.
GOLDEN, Colo. – Over 40 clean energy scientists and engineers from Idaho National Laboratory (INL) traveled to Golden, Colorado, on Sept. 3 for a two-day exploration of innovations in science and technology with students and faculty of the Colorado School of Mines (Mines).
Under an agreement signed last fall, the collaboration aims to bridge the gap between students and potential career opportunities at the laboratory. The kickoff event, held on the Mines campus, provided educational and networking opportunities for students looking to embark on a career with the Department of Energy (DOE).
INL, located in Idaho Falls, Idaho, is widely known for its role in advancing nuclear energy as a clean energy source and is extensively involved in DOE’s portfolio of work, including geosciences, power and energy systems, vehicle charging technologies, and other areas of renewable energy and decarbonization.
For this event, INL experts shared their vision on developing new technologies for the sustainable mining of critical materials. Traditional methods are often invasive, energy-intensive and generate substantial amounts of waste. INL is developing plans to research autonomous mining technologies developing advanced separations processes for mineral separation and enhancing source identification and processing through artificial intelligence.
Each year, the laboratory provides internships, post-doctoral research positions, fellowships and joint-faculty opportunities for all levels of academia. These opportunities enable students and faculty members to collaborate with experienced scientists and engineers to develop innovative solutions to challenging, real-world projects.
“Building a strong, collaborative relationship with the Colorado School of Mines highlights areas we have in common and increases productivity through the joint use of facilities and laboratories," said Todd Combs, INL’s deputy laboratory director for science and technology and chief research officer. "INL is rapidly growing, which means we will be expanding our opportunities for internships and post-doctoral work, underscoring the need for more workshops like this.”
Over 120 students and faculty members gathered to discuss new concepts and innovations from both INL and Mines on topics such as critical materials recovery, advanced materials manufacturing, energy storage and nuclear sciences. A career fair allowed students to meet seasoned scientists performing innovative research in their respective fields.
Richard Faulkner, a first-year Ph.D. student at Mines, said the event was a valuable chance to network with researchers in the field. “Getting the chance to speak with people already working in a laboratory was really helpful in gaining insight at the level of research they are conducting,” Faulkner said. “An event like this provides an opportunity for me to make connections I wouldn’t have otherwise made.”
Mines is working with INL leadership to enhance and retain opportunities for their students beyond the classroom. “We are thrilled to be taking the relationship between Mines and Idaho National Laboratory to productive new heights that build on our research strengths and shared vision to create synergy in the national interest,” said Walter Copan, Mines vice president for research and technology transfer.
Visit here for more information about INL internships.
About Idaho National Laboratory
Battelle Energy Alliance manages INL for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy. INL is the nation's center for nuclear energy research and development, celebrating 75 years of scientific innovations in 2024. The laboratory performs research in each of DOE’s strategic goal areas: energy, national security, science and the environment. For more information, visit www.inl.gov. Follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.
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