On June 25, 2025, Dr. Sherry Faye, Technical Director of the Wadsworth Center’s Nuclear Chemistry Laboratory (NCL), served as an invited guest speaker at the U.S. Department of Energy and American Chemical Society-sponsored Nuclear Chemistry Summer School (NCSS) at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
This highly selective six-week program is designed to introduce undergraduate students to careers in nuclear science. Dr. Faye presented an overview of the NCL’s mission and capabilities, including:
- Environmental radiation surveillance programs supporting public health and homeland security
- Emergency response functions for radiological incidents, including work with the CDC and FEMA
- Applied and collaborative research in nuclear chemistry and radioanalytical methods
- Educational and training opportunities, including internships and fellowships at the Wadsworth Center
The visit included a networking lunch with students and fellow speakers, providing direct engagement with the next generation of scientists. Other speakers included leaders in nuclear forensics and environmental fate of radionuclides from institutions such as Idaho National Laboratory, the University of Central Florida, and the National Nuclear Data Center.
This engagement strengthened Wadsworth’s visibility in the national nuclear science community and supported ongoing efforts to recruit highly motivated students into state public health laboratory careers.