August 25, 2020
Feature

Fellowship Virtually Onboards Nuclear Security Cohort

National Nuclear Security Administration welcomes largest class to date

NNSA Graduate Fellowship Class of 2020 fellows

NNSA Graduate Fellowship Class of 2020 fellows

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Graduate Fellowship Program (NGFP) has welcomed aboard the Class of 2020—53 graduate students placed (virtually for now) with offices across the nuclear security enterprise.

“This is an interesting time to start a new job, but our fellows are ready for the task,” said Melanie Godinez, PNNL’s NGFP program manager.

This is the largest class in the program’s 25-year history. The fellows hail from more than 30 universities nationwide, as well as from London, England. Their backgrounds are equally diverse and span the technical and policy realms, from nuclear engineering and physics to security and intelligence studies.

NNSA Graduate Fellow Class of 2020 Universities
The NGFP Class of 2020 hails from universities across the nation and as far away as London, England.

When fellows deploy to their on-site offices later this year, they are based primarily in the Washington D.C., area with a few in Los Alamos, NM; Livermore, CA; Las Vegas, NV; Oak Ridge, TN; and Amarillo, TX. Two fellows also will be placed at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the Department of State. While each fellowship will vary, the fellows will participate in hands-on assignments, specialized training, and the NNSA Aspiring Leadership Certificate Program as they grow as future leaders in the field of nuclear security.

“Starting remotely has not hindered our ability to provide productive experiences—the need to develop future leaders in national security endures,” Godinez said.

While the Class of 2020 embarks on its new assignments, NGFP is accepting applications for the Class of 2021-2022. The program is open to current and recent graduate students, and the application closes on October 2nd, 2020.

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About PNNL

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory draws on its distinguishing strengths in chemistry, Earth sciences, biology and data science to advance scientific knowledge and address challenges in sustainable energy and national security. Founded in 1965, PNNL is operated by Battelle for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, which is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. DOE’s Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://www.energy.gov/science/. For more information on PNNL, visit PNNL's News Center. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Published: August 25, 2020