January 30, 2006 — Two new division directors have been named at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
They are Steve Zinkle of the Metals and Ceramics Division and Jim Rushton of the Nuclear Science and Technology Division.
Zinkle has been leader of the Metal and Ceramics Division's nuclear materials science and technology group and succeeds Everett Bloom as division director. He previously managed ORNL's fusion materials program.
"Steve is the right person to continue the division's success and to guide its future as one of the premier materials research organizations in the world," said Michelle Buchanan, ORNL's associate laboratory director for physical sciences. "M&C is one of this laboratory's premier research divisions and it is poised to become even stronger in years to come. The division has a unique base of science and technology that ranges from fundamental to high impact innovations for industry."
Zinkle joined ORNL in 1985 as a Wigner fellow. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees and a doctorate in nuclear engineering, as well as a master's degree in materials science, from the University of Wisconsin.
He and his wife, Teresa, reside in west Knoxville. They have two sons.
Rushton, who has been the Nuclear Science and Technology Division's acting director, joined ORNL in 1974 and has worked on a number of high-profile nuclear-related projects -- most notably the laboratory's Molten Salt Reactor remediation program and the U-233 program.
"The laboratory is truly fortunate to have a person of Jim's experience to lead our nuclear division," said Ted Fox, ORNL's interim associate laboratory director for energy and engineering sciences. "The next few years will be filled with great challenges and opportunities as ORNL helps the nation face its energy problems and build a new nuclear energy future. Jim is the right person to see that our considerable nuclear research assets are used effectively."
Rushton earned a bachelor's degree in physics from Wabash College of Crawfordsville, Ind., along with a master's degree and doctorate in nuclear engineering from the University of Wisconsin.
He and his wife, Rebecca, reside in Oak Ridge. They have two children.
ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle for the Department of Energy.