Oak Ridge National Laboratory Environmental Sciences Division Director Eric Pierce presented the division’s 2023 Distinguished Achievement Awards at the organization’s December all-hands meeting. The ESD awards have been conferred annually for more than 40 years, recognizing staff who have significantly advanced the division’s mission and culture.
The Stanley I. Auerbach Award for Excellence in Environmental Sciences was presented to Rocio Uria-Martinez in recognition of her novel analytic approaches advancing the integration of energy and economic systems, which help inform policies for a more sustainable future. Her focus areas include hydropower, bioenergy, energy security and sustainable transportation.
The Auerbach Award, named after ESD’s first division director, recognizes high-quality, creative scientific contributions in support of basic research, technology development or analysis, as demonstrated by publication in refereed journals of high reputation or by significant impact through application of science to solve complex environmental problems.
The Science Serving Society Award went to ESD’s Energy Economics Analysis Team—Gbadebo Oladosu, Rocio Uria-Martinez, Megan Johnson and Paul Leiby. The team was recognized for their ingenuity, resourcefulness and expertise, demonstrated by successfully delivering on numerous analytics requests from the Department of Energy, supporting energy security decisions and policies for U.S. and international energy agencies.
The Science Serving Society Award recognizes projects, initiatives and staff in ESD making demonstrable impacts on policy development, environmental management or decision-making within public or private organizations and institutions.
The Post-Graduate Research Award was presented to Rachel Pilla for developing and applying cutting-edge empirical and modeling techniques to advance the understanding of greenhouse gas emissions from hydropower reservoirs.
The Post-Grad Award recognizes a researcher who has made unique and important contributions to ESD research, technology development or analysis. This can include significant contributions as exemplified by publications, decision documents, databases, simulation tools or other forms of communication, innovation of thought and scientific impact.
ESD’s Research Support Award was conferred on Michael Jones for excellence in supporting field research operations across the division with a constant focus on the safety and well-being of team members.
This Research Support Award recognizes an exemplary attitude, teamwork and accomplishments, including sustained contributions for the past year, efforts exceeding normal job expectations, high-quality work, such as accuracy, timeliness and creativity, professional skills, innovativeness, productivity, teamwork and cooperation, professional growth, contributions to the development of others and the difficulty of contributions.
ESD presented its Administrative Support Person of the Year Award to Marla Colberg for creating a positive and cheerful workplace, while also providing exemplary guidance and support to colleagues for the successful advancement of collective research projects and programs.
The Administrative Support Award honors staff who provide critical contributions to ESD science. The award focuses on outstanding performance over the past year or sustained contributions over several years.
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 https://energy.gov/science. —Stephanie Seay
