Idaho Home To Outstanding Nuclear Research

I had the opportunity recently to join with fellow Idaho Senator Jim Risch in honoring Idaho National Laboratory (INL) researchers Dr.Terry Todd and Dr. Mark DeHart, who were recently recognized as Fellows by the American Nuclear Society.  Senator Risch and I submitted a Congressional Record Statement acknowledging this achievement in the official record of the U.S. Senate.  Their accomplishments are a reminder of the excellent work conducted at the lab, and the exemplary Idahoans working daily, in a broad range of occupations, to make important advancements.

The following is the text of the Congressional Record Statement honoring Dr. Todd and Dr. DeHart:

"Mr. President, my colleague Senator Jim Risch joins me today in honoring Dr. Terry Todd and Dr. Mark DeHart, researchers at the Idaho National Laboratory.  The American Nuclear Society (ANS) recently recognized both as Fellows, which is the highest honor ANS bestows on an individual.  These two world-class researchers are being recognized for their outstanding leadership, professional accomplishments and service to the profession.

Dr. Terry Todd is the INL Fuel Cycle Science & Technology Director and an INL Laboratory Fellow.  Terry's primary focus is directing research and development of advanced technologies for spent nuclear fuel recycling and other chemical separation applications.  Dr. Todd holds bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering from Montana State University, and a Ph.D. in radiochemical engineering from Khlopin Radium Institute in St. Petersburg Russia.  Terry has 33 years of experience in chemical separation technologies involving spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste, holds 23 U.S. and six Russian patents, and has published more than 180 journal articles, reports and conference proceedings.

Dr. Mark DeHart is a distinguished R&D nuclear engineer in the INL's Reactor Physics Analysis and Design Department, and he also serves as deputy director for Reactor Physics Modeling and Simulation.  Mark is the principal investigator and research director for development and validation of a modeling and simulation capability for the Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) under the U.S. Department of Energy Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation program (NEAMS).  Dr. DeHart came to the INL in 2010 from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and he has extensive experience in reactor physics, criticality safety, depletion and spent fuel characterization, cross-section processing, and computer code verification and validation.  Mark holds bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. degrees in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University, and is the current chair of the Idaho Section of the ANS.  Dr. DeHart has more than 100 publications in journals, conference proceedings and national laboratory reports related to computational methods and other fields.

Congratulating Dr. Terry Todd and Dr. Mark DeHart for receiving this prestigious recognition is a great honor and a reminder of the many talented Idahoans working at the INL.   The men and women who do exceptional research, development and testing at the Idaho National Laboratory are greatly deserving of recognition.  Thank you, Terry and Mark, for your hard work, and congratulations on your many accomplishments."

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