ORNL researchers shine in professional societies

More than 100 professional societies are represented at ORNL, and chances are good that in each there is an ORNL staff member stepping up to make a difference.

In just the past few years, ORNL scientists have received prestigious awards, served on committees or been elected fellows of professional societies; many of these scientists also hold leadership positions at the lab.

“Professional societies are, by their nature, people from different organizations each with their own unique perspective, looking for solutions to common sets of challenges and problems,” said Larry Satkowiak, director of ORNL’s Nonproliferation Program Office.

Satkowiak joined the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management early in his career as a way to interact with others in the nuclear community, develop collaborations and learn more about what was going on in the field.

“My first annual meeting was eye-opening and mind-expanding,” he said.

He initially took on a leadership role as a way to reinvigorate his local chapter and has since held positions within the INMM, including president of the institute and Technical Division chair. He is a senior fellow of the INMM and serves as chair of its Annual Meeting Committee.

“The lab develops you technically and allows you to shine as a scientific or technical professional,” Satkowiak said. “Professional societies give staff members the chance to interact directly with other researchers, practitioners and possible collaborators. There have been an incredible number of collaborative ideas and proposals developed in the session rooms and hallways of our annual meetings.”

Joining multiple professional societies allows researchers to engage with other domains working on the same issues and strengthen their scientific leadership in their field.

Gina Tourassi, director of the National Center for Computational Sciences and the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, is an elected fellow of three professional societies and a senior member of two others.

“As my scientific interests evolved over time, I joined several different societies, which helped broaden my knowledge and understanding of the various scientific communities with which my own work intersected,” she said.

Taking on a leadership role in a society taught Tourassi how to inspire, how to encourage and achieve cooperation and how to guide processes and complete tasks, while her experience at ORNL has helped her see the broader impact of the lab’s work in the world.

“Every professional society is part of a bigger ecosystem,” she said. “To be effective in its mission, a professional society needs to be able to communicate and coordinate effectively with many scientific communities.”

Society leaders learn how to take on new responsibilities, organize large events, hone their interpersonal skills and forge meaningful collaborations both inside and outside their field. Researchers who step up early can establish their bona fides and set themselves up for future acknowledgments, such as awards and named fellowships, said Karren More, director of the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences and fellow of the Microscopy Society of America and the American Ceramic Society.

“By getting involved, early career researchers can get their name out there and start to be recognized not only for their scientific contributions, but also their service to the society and community,” More said. “It is a great way to earn a reputation as a person who gets things done.”

Having ORNL leaders in professional societies promotes the lab’s reputation as an organization with staff who help professional societies thrive while also producing great science—both of which are vital to scientific advancement

“It is, after all, the staff who bring recognition to the lab as a world-leading research institution, one that supports its staff in their desire to broaden their engagement in their scientific field,” More said.

When ORNL researchers serve in leadership positions, they get the chance to influence scientific directions and programs. Some leaders, like Tourassi, take the opportunity to develop an environment of diversity and inclusion and act as mentors for other researchers.

“My goal is to lead by example and inspire the next generation of scientific leaders,” she said. “I appreciate how these memberships have enabled my career growth. I consider it as part of my social responsibility to give back.”