Savannah River National Laboratory, Clemson Establish New Joint Appointments

Savannah River National Laboratory and Clemson University recently established two new joint appointments, including SRNL's first outgoing joint appointment.

Jake Amoroso, a glass and ceramic scientist at SRNL, will soon be on the Clemson University campus as SRNL's first outgoing joint appointment. Until this arrangement, SRNL's Joint Appointment Program paired university faculty with SRNL resources at the laboratory to provide research and collaboration opportunities.

In the second joint appointment, Fatemeh Afghah, an unmanned aerial systems and communications expert at Clemson University, will collaborate with SRNL researchers and the U.S. Forest Service to develop new forest fire detection and suppression methods using overhead systems. The partnership also aims to develop command, control, communications, cyber and computer capabilities for application to unmanned systems.

Elizabeth Hoffman, director of Innovation and University Engagement and coordinator of joint appointments at SRNL said, "It is an exciting time, as Jake's joint appointment with Clemson University is the first time an SRNL researcher has been named a joint appointee at a university. This appointment will strengthen relationships with faculty and students through increased research interactions. I look forward to watching the collaboration address the unique scientific and technical mission challenges of the Department of Energy."

Amoroso will use existing programs to support collaboration with the university and develop joint proposals with faculty to pursue new opportunities. "I look forward to this role and am excited about the possibilities for Clemson and SRNL," said Amoroso. "Areas of collaboration will focus on materials, glass and ceramic sciences for waste form and energy applications; actinide chemistry and separation sciences; and advanced manufacturing processes. One of the goals of this appointment will be to support both research initiatives and workforce development at SRNL. The appointment will facilitate collaboration through co-located activities."

"We have taken our longstanding collaboration with SRNL to the next step by welcoming Jake Amoroso as the first SRNL scientist to hold a joint faculty appointment at Clemson or at any other university," said Tanju Karanfil, senior vice president for research, scholarship and creative endeavors at Clemson. "Jake is an accomplished researcher who will bring unique perspectives and expertise for both faculty and students at Clemson, as we advance research and workforce development around advanced materials, waste management, energy and advanced manufacturing."

Afghah is an associate professor with the Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Clemson. Her research interests include wireless communication networks, decision-making in multi-agent systems, radio spectrum management, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) networks, security and artificial intelligence in healthcare.

Ethan Farquhar, division director of Advanced Technology and Analysis Division at SRNL said, "Dr. Afghah's expertise in both UAS and Wireless comms will be an invaluable asset as SRNL seeks to build capability and expertise at the Advanced Technology Proving Ground and serve the nation by addressing emerging national security concerns."

SRNL's Joint Appointment Program has traditionally offered university faculty opportunities to engage in research and development addressing the nation's challenges in energy, science, national security, and environmental stewardship. Joint appointees serve as a bridge between their university, SRNL researchers and students to deliver the future workforce for the Department of Energy. For more information about the SRNL Joint Appointment Program, click here or contact [email protected].