July 24, 2017
News Release

PNNL's Jesse Lang in it for the Long Run

Technician balances nuclear waste research with ultra-long runs

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Jesse Lang runs the Gorge Waterfalls 100K race on April 8, 2017, in Oregon.
 

Scientists sometimes undergo marathon lab sessions late at night as they race to explain the world's unsolved mysteries.

Research technician Jesse Lang takes such endurance to new levels when he spends his free time running 100-mile races.

Lang's day job at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory involves exploring how nuclear waste can be turned into glass for safe, long-term storage.

But his extracurricular habit recently led him to finish 20th in the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, which was held June 24-25 in California. He completed the grueling trail run in 20 hours, 9 minutes and 50 seconds despite the temperature peaking at 100 degrees.

The two tasks are related, Lang says.

"Both research and running help me to think I can accomplish or finish things I set my mind to, and that I can clear hurdles through determination."

The Tri-City Herald recently published a feature story that detailed Lang's passion for running.

"You run a lot of miles, and then you run some more miles," Lang told the Herald. "This year, it was the most miles I've ever ran. By May, I was averaging over 100 miles a week."

Lang started running exceptionally long races in 2011, has placed first 11 times, and finished in all but two of the 38 races he's started, the Herald reported.

Lang joined PNNL in 2009. He holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Central Washington University and is pursuing a master's degree in environmental science at Washington State University's Tri-Cities campus.

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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 energy resiliency and national security. Founded in 1965, PNNL is operated by Battelle and supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit the DOE Office of Science website. For more information on PNNL, visit PNNL's News Center. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Published: July 24, 2017