The Coryell Award for Nuclear Chemistry:
Undergraduate Research and its Role in
Helping to Shape the Next Generation of
Nuclear and Radiochemists
Graham F. Peaslee
August 20, 2012
Outline
• Connections
• The Undergraduate (Nuclear Chemist)
• The Future of the Field
• The Coryell Award
Connections
• Charles D. Coryell Award
Connections
• Charles D. Coryell (1912 – 1971)
• Glenn T. Seaborg (1912 – 1999)
Connections
• Charles D. Coryell (1912 – 1971)
Biography:
- raised in So. Calif.
- Ph.D. Cal Tech @ 23
- Linus Pauling
- Manhattan Project
- MIT
Deep Springs College Teaching
& 1936 in Munich, Germany
Connections
• Charles D. Coryell (1912 – 1971)
Creative…
Extraordinary Researcher…
Inspiring Educator…
Multidisciplinary…
“renaissance man”
Connections
• Charles D. Coryell (1912 – 1971)
Creative…
Extraordinary Researcher…
Connections
• Charles D. Coryell (1912 – 1971)
Inspiring Educator…
Multidisciplinary…
“renaissance man”
Courtesy: Bill Walters
Connections
35 Ph.D’s between 1948 – 1963
Lawrence Glendenin
Jack Marinsky
William Harvey
Harold Richter
Donald Wiles
John M. Alexander
Art Poskanzer
Mort Kaplan
Henry Griffin
Demetrios Sarantities…
Courtesy: Bill Walters
Connections
35 Ph.D’s between 1948 – 1963
Lawrence Glendenin
Jack Marinsky
William Harvey
Harold Richter
Donald Wiles
John M. Alexander
Art Poskanzer
Mort Kaplan
Henry Griffin
Demetrios Sarantities…
My thesis advisor…
Courtesy: Bill Walters
Outline
• Connections
• The Undergraduate (Nuclear Chemist)
• The Future of the Field
• The Coryell Award
Undergraduates
Charles Coryell was a “people” person
Included undergraduates in his research…
As junior colleagues…
Unusual for an era when even graduate
students were slave labor!
Undergraduates
What is the impact of
undergraduate research?
On the student:
Increased self-confidence & independence
Increased intrinsic motivation to learn
Increased active participation in courses
Helps confirm career plans
(attracts students into science)
Lopatto (2007)
Undergraduates
What is the impact of
undergraduate research?
On the research?
Undergraduates
Undergraduates
DK Silletti, et al. (2012) J. Rad. Meas.
Undergraduates
Glenn T. Seaborg:
“Can’t predict applications of basic research
in general, but can predict that there will be…”
Coryell Corollary:
“Can’t predict potential/creativity of a student
in general, but can predict that there will be…”
Undergraduates
What are common traits among great
research scientists?
Intelligence, creativitity, diligent efforts…
Looking at the “big” picture…
Ability to see connections…
Rarely limited to just one field of study…
What is instilled in students by doing research
early in their careers…
especially with increasing interdisciplinarity?
Outline
• Connections
• The Undergraduate (Nuclear Chemist)
• The Future of the Field
• The Coryell Award
The U.S. Future for Nuclear Science
“If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to
impose on America the mediocre educational
performance that exists today, we might well have
viewed it as an act of war. As it
stands, we have allowed this to
happen to ourselves ... We have, in
effect, been committing an act of
unthinking, unilateral
educational disarmament.”
Glenn T. Seaborg - 1983
NAS report 2006
The U.S. Future for Nuclear Science
• Demand:
Nuclear medicine
Nuclear Power
Stockpile Stewardship
Environmental Management
Basic Research/Academia
The U.S. Future for Nuclear Science
• What does nuclear science education look
like in the US for undergraduates?
- Chapter 23 in gen chem text…
- Advanced courses < 20 schools
- Advanced courses with labs…?
The U.S. Future for Nuclear Science
• Undergraduate nuclear science education
that works?
- DOE Nuclear Summer Schools
(BNL and SJSU: 24 students)
- DHS Nuclear Forensics SS
(UNLV-MURR: 12 students)
The U.S. Future for Nuclear Science
• What prevents students from entering the
field?
- No exposure to the subject
The U.S. Future for Nuclear Science
• What prevents students from entering the
field?
- No exposure to the subject
- Not as exciting as X…
where X = space science (1960’s)
= health science (1980’s)
= nano science (2000’s)
= energy/green science…
The U.S. Future for Nuclear Science
• What prevents students from entering the
field?
- No exposure to the subject
- Not as exciting as X…
Nuclear astrochemistry
where X = space science (1960’s)
Nuclear medicine… = health science (1980’s)
Actinides, materials… = nano science (2000’s)
Nuclear power/
= energy/green science…
Environmental mgmt
The U.S. Future for Nuclear Science
• What prevents students from entering the
field?
- No exposure to the subject
- Uncertain job prospects…
Outline
• Connections
• The Undergraduate (Nuclear Chemist)
• The Future of the Field
• The Coryell Award
The Coryell Award
for Nuclear Chemistry
The Coryell Award
for Nuclear Chemistry
Don’t need 10,000 new nuclear chemists, but we
need bright young people to be exposed to, and
attracted into, the field at a steady-state
equilibrium level that is several-fold higher than
the production rate today.
Recognition of those best and brightest is one
way to insure a US future for nuclear and
radiochemistry…
The Coryell Award
for Nuclear Chemistry
Undergraduate research award instituted in 1970:
38 winners in past 42 years…
The Coryell Award
for Nuclear Chemistry
For example:
Ernest S. Gladney (1970) LANL
Michael D. Kluetz (1971): U. Idaho
Ralph E. Leber (1972): Heritage C.
Barbara Jacek (1979): Stony Brook U.
Steven M. Montner (1980): U. Chicago
Ken E. Gregorich (1981): LBNL
C. Greg Pippin (1983): NIH
Carolyn J. Anderson (1985): U. Pittsburgh
Sean Liddick (2002): Michigan State U.
Jill Pinter Berryman (2006): Michigan State U.
How many classes of 38 produce 10+ faculty….?
The Coryell Award
for Nuclear Chemistry
I think Charles would approve…
How many classes of 38 produce 10+ faculty….?
The Coryell Award
for Nuclear Chemistry
Encouraging/mentoring undergraduates in
undergraduate research is our biggest
source of potential graduate students…
Please continue to do so!
Nominating undergraduates for the Coryell
Award for undergraduate research is our
greatest reward…
Please continue to do so!
The Coryell Award
for Nuclear Chemistry
If you would like to assist… we would love
to have reviewers once/year
Please contact me!
Many thanks to past reviewers:
Darleane Hoffman, Walt Loveland, Roy
Lacey, Romauldo DeSouza, Todd Bredeweg,
Dave Robertson, and many others…