PULLMAN, Wash. – Kenneth L. Nash has been selected to give the 2013 Distinguished Faculty Address on Thursday, March 28, as part of the annual Showcase celebration of Washington State University research, scholarship and creative work.The free address will be 2-3 p.m. in Todd Hall 276 with a reception following. Reservations are requested; Showcase reservations are being accepted at http://showcase.wsu.edu through Wednesday, March 20.
Nash will compare the pluses and minuses of energy generation options to combat global warming while at the same time elevating the living standard of the 7 billion-plus population of the planet. He will emphasize the central role of nuclear energy in addressing climate change, since that is his area of expertise and research focus, but the talk will address energy issues broadly, starting with a history and projecting into the future.
His WSU research relates mainly to developing new options for dealing with radioactive wastes from power production and weapons, while also educating the next generation of “isotope specialists.”
Because there is so much misunderstanding (and disinformation) about nuclear energy and radiation, he said, it is also part of his mission to make certain people understand these subjects. Toward that end, he will conclude his talk with some discussion of relative risk.
The annual award from WSU recognizes a faculty member whose achievements in research, scholarship and teaching place him or her in the front ranks of his or her discipline.
Nash, a professor in the Department of Chemistry who has been on the WSU faculty since 2003, embodies the best of both research and teaching roles. He is a leading voice in educating WSU students and the public about nuclear issues.
He is internationally known for his fundamental and applied research in actinide separations focusing on clean and efficient nuclear fuel cycles. He is exceptional in teaching undergraduate chemistry, in training graduate students and in championing national support for training scientists in nuclear chemistry. He has provided outstanding service through his collaborative work with nuclear energy specialists around the world.
Nash is a fellow of the American Chemical Society. He was a visiting scholar at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute at Tokai-mura in 2000. He is the 2003 recipient of the national Glenn T. Seaborg Actinide Separations Award.
He is co-editor-in-chief of the journal Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange, was associate editor of Radiochimica Acta, is on the editorial board of Separation Science and Technology and is co-editor of four books on separations and nuclear technology.
In addition to the address, WSU Showcase includes the Academic Showcase display of faculty, staff and student work; the Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (SURCA); and the Celebrating Excellence Recognition Banquet – all on March 29.