Prof appointed to U. S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board

 
 
PULLMAN, Wash. – Regents Professor Sue Clark has been appointed by President Barack Obama to serve on the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board (NWTRB), an independent government agency that provides objective scientific and engineering advice on nuclear waste management to Congress, the secretary of energy and other officials.
 
“I am very honored by this opportunity to serve the state of Washington and the country,” said Clark, a nationally recognized expert in environmental radiochemistry, nuclear forensics and radioanalytical chemistry.
 
Her appointment to the NWTRB follows many years of service on the National Research Council and other committees within the National Academies, as well as the U.S. Council for Chemical Research and the Department of Energy (DOE) Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee.
 
Members of the NWTRB examine the technical basis of DOE activities related to spent nuclear fuel and high level radioactive waste. In the coming year, their duties will include reviewing reports from the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future.
 
Clark is hopeful that the advice and recommendations from the NWTRB will provide a strong scientific and engineering foundation for resolving the complex national challenge of radioactive disposal.
 
“Being able to engage in these kinds of activities and to see the impact of your work—and the impact of science in general—on public policy and issues of importance is a terrific benefit of being a faculty member at Washington State University,” she said.
 
In addition to her teaching and research activities in the Department of Chemistry, Clark has served as department chair, interim dean of the College of Sciences and interim vice-chancellor for academic affairs at WSU Tri-Cities. 
 
The majority of the 11 NWTRB members have strong ties to higher education and academic research. Clark is one of only two women serving on the board.
 
About the College of Sciences
From the molecular interactions of solids and liquids to the extreme physics of space, and from global biodiversity to energy policy simulations, the College of Sciences is at the core of WSU’s research initiatives. Over the past five years, faculty and research staff have been awarded more than $120 million in research grants.
 
Students at all levels have exceptional access to research faculty and opportunities to work on real-world issues in modern laboratories. Undergraduates can choose from 11 distinct majors and more than 30 specializations to match their strengths and interests.
 
About the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board:
The NWTRB is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government. Its sole purpose is to provide independent scientific and technical oversight of the Department of Energy’s program for managing and disposing of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.
 
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