Faye Koenigsmark
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.
Faye Koenigsmark
Graduate student, Environmental Sciences Division
Ph.D. student, Environmental Engineering, Duke University
Hometown: Enfield, Connecticut
What are you working on at ORNL?
I use a combination of benchtop experiments and characterization techniques to understand the speciation of mercury in soils. This knowledge can be used to infer risk of mercury transport from contaminated sites to nearby waterbodies, where mercury may bioaccumulate in fish.
What would you like to do in your career?
Through my research on mercury fate and transport, I’ve become aware of the inequitable impact of environmental exposures on communities of color and low-income communities. As such, I ultimately want to use my skills in environmental risk assessment and engineering to assist impacted communities in their fight for environmental justice.
Why did you choose a career in science?
I was very concerned about endangered species as a kid. And I think that concern about living things needing a clean, healthy environment to thrive eventually translated into a passion for science.
