Rich Harvey has spent the last three decades of his career serving his country. At the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, he currently supports nuclear nonproliferation efforts as a fuel cycle analyst and, in his non-work time, serves as a naval reserve officer. Lieutenant Commander Harvey’s efforts supporting the Office of Naval Research has earned him the 2023 Junior Scientist Officer of the Year award for coordination and computer modeling support for a project called TALISMAN, his leadership roles and other exemplary service markers.
“At ORNL, I've learned how to plan for research projects. You have to look into the future,” Harvey said. “I’ve been able to apply this idea of working piece by piece toward the final product to my work with the Office of Naval Research.”
Harvey’s role as a reserve officer supports the Navy’s mission to coordinate research portfolios and manage funding to different research groups such as academic institutions or national laboratories. The proposals often are written in military language and need someone with an understanding of both military and research activities to find the right course of action.
“Rich always provides outstanding support to ORNL, DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration, but now we see that he also provides excellent support as a reservist to the U.S. Navy,” said Dave Snider, Harvey’s group leader at ORNL.
Harvey enlisted in 1991 as a nuclear machinist’s mate. He was selected for an officer program shortly thereafter and, after receiving his degree in nuclear engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, he was commissioned as a naval officer in 1996. He went on to fly in F-14s and work on Tomahawk missions. Along the way, he attained a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Vanderbilt University and a doctorate from the University of Tennessee. When Harvey separated from active duty in 2007, he worked briefly at Y-12, followed by a move to ORNL in 2009. This July, he will celebrate 15 years at the lab.
As Harvey looked back on his career serving the defense of the United States, he remarked on his love of the mission. “We are conducting research to aid in the nation's ability to defend itself against those who want to do us harm. We’re able to do this at an Office of Science lab, bringing expertise to support these large national defense efforts. I enjoy being able to support the mission using my skills and experience.”
UT-Battelle manages ORNL for DOE’s Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. The Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.
