Reinke Appointed 2016 American Nuclear Society Congressional Fellow
Benjamin Reinke has been appointed as a 2016 American Nuclear Society (ANS) Congressional Fellow, part of a cohort of American Academy for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellows. Reinke will work as staff to a house member, senate or congressional committee in Washington, D.C. to further nuclear and science public policy at the national level and to contribute to the federal policymaking process. He is the second candidate from Ohio State to be appointed an ANS Congressional Fellow.
Following a rigorous application process, candidates were interviewed in person by a selection committee during the ANS annual meeting in June. Selection criteria includes competence in nuclear science and technology; demonstrated ability to participate in public policy discussions; demonstrated ability in written and oral communications; and making significant contributions to ANS.
Reinke, a fifth-year graduate student and PhD candidate in nuclear engineering, received his bachelor’s degree from Ohio State with a double major in physics and French. He is a NASA Space Technology Research Fellow studying radiation damage at cryogenic temperatures. Specifically, he is developing an experimental cryogenic irradiation facility at Ohio State’s Nuclear Reactor Laboratory to conduct in situ cryogenic radiation damage and low temperature annealing experiments in optical and electrical materials.
“I believe in the strategic goal of this fellowship,” Reinke said. “The word nuclear has become increasingly misunderstood in public policy and decisions are being made by congressional staffs without many trained scientists—which makes the ANS Congressional Fellowship so important.”
Reinke is one of nearly 30 scientists and engineers participating annually through the AAAS Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship Program. More than 2,000 individuals have served as fellows on Capitol Hill since the inception of the AAAS program in 1973. The ANS Congressional Fellowship Program began in 2000 and runs from January through December each year. ANS encourages members to apply to experience the inner workings of Congress and contribute to improving understanding about nuclear issues among congressional leaders.
About ANS
The American Nuclear Society is a not-for-profit, international, scientific, and educational organization established to unify professional activities within the nuclear science and technology fields. Based in Washington D.C., membership is comprised of 11,000 engineers, scientists, administrators, and educators representing 1,600 corporations, educational institutions, and government agencies. ANS acts as an advocate for advancing and promoting nuclear science and technology.
Reposted from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
