ORNL is proud of its role in fostering the next generation of scientists and engineers. We bring in talented young researchers, team them with accomplished staff members, and put them to work at the lab’s one-of-a-kind facilities. The result is research that makes us proud and prepares them for distinguished careers.
We asked some of these young researchers why they chose a career in science, what they are working on at ORNL, and where they would like to go with their careers.
Allen Scheie
Postdoc, Neutron Scattering Division
Ph.D., Condensed Matter Physics, Johns Hopkins University
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
What are you working on at ORNL?
I am searching for new magnetic quasiparticles using neutron scattering. Quasiparticles like the electron hole are the foundation for modern electronics, and a long list of them has been theoretically predicted but not experimentally identified. My research seeks to identify these predicted quasiparticles in magnetic materials using neutron scattering.
What would you like to do in your career?
I would like to contribute to discoveries that change how we think about nature, especially concerning emergent properties of complex systems. I am also passionate about communicating science, and I hope to be able to explain both my results and the scientific process in a way that nonexperts can understand.
Why did you choose a career in science?
I chose a career in science because I was fascinated by nature following precise, mathematical laws. The fact that creation is so well-ordered and comprehensible fascinated me, and it continues to fascinate me.
