RICHLAND – Alexandre Tartakovsky, a computational mathematician at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and a WSU Tri-Cities adjunct professor in civil and environmental engineering, received the U.S. government’s highest honor for scientists and engineers who are near the start of their careers.
Tartakovsky, who researches the complex ways that contaminants move through the ground, received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. He is one of 100 recipients nationwide, including 12 at Department of Energy national laboratories.
“These extraordinarily gifted young scientists and engineers represent the best in our country,” said President Obama, in a statement. He expects the winners to lead their fields in scientific breakthroughs and discoveries, he said.
The main focus of Tartakovsky’s research is to increase knowledge for environmental cleanup of the Hanford nuclear reservation and other contaminated sites. But it also has other environmental applications, such as better understanding how to store carbon dioxide from fossil fuels underground.
Tartakovsky is helping to develop a fundamental computer model that shows the complex interaction of the carbon dioxide or contaminants being studied with air, water, bacteria, minerals and other substances on a very small scale in the subterranean environment. He uses data collected from a network of sampling wells at Hanford to validate the model and see how closely it matches the way contaminants are actually moving through the ground.
With the help of the model, ways to trap substances or convert them to harmless minerals can be developed or improved.
Tartakovsky’s award emphasizes the importance of computation science in solving complex energy and environmental challenges, said Mike Kluse, the PNNL director.
As part of the award, Tartakovsky will receive a commitment to continue receiving funding for five years.
In addition to research, Tartakovsky teaches the Structural Analysis civil engineering course CE303 at WSU Tri-Cities.
He’s been conducting research at PNNL since 2004 as a Russian citizen and permanent resident of the United States. He came to the United States to earn a doctorate in hydrology from the University of Arizona in Tucson after earning a master’s degree in hydromechanics and applied mathematics from Kazan State University in Russia in 1994
