APSU College of STEM alumni find success in prestigious roles at Oak Ridge
By: Zoe Huffman August 11, 2023
Upon graduating from Austin Peay State University’s College of STEM, many students
have chosen to pursue their careers with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) – a
research institution that focuses on various specific scientific fields.
These alumni credit the rigorous coursework, hands-on training and dedicated mentoring
they received at Austin Peay for preparing them to take on innovative projects at
facilities like ORNL. Their success stories showcase how a strong foundation in the
STEM field opens doors to work on influential research with real-world applications.
College of STEM graduates are already making waves in their fields, from advancing nuclear reactor efficiency to using AI for cancer treatment insights. Their journey from Clarksville to Oak Ridge exemplifies how Austin Peay develops talent and prepares students for success at some of the nation’s most prestigious labs.
Building a foundation
Dr. Thomas Ruland, who studied physics at Austin Peay, is one of many alumni who has taken advantage of ORNL’s opportunities.
Ruland is a postdoctoral researcher in the Physics Division at ORNL, where he primarily studies beta-decaying isotopes produced in a nuclear reactor. He also works to improve the understanding of how the levels in the child nucleus are populated.
The isotopes Ruland works with are unstable, decaying into different isotopes by converting a neutron into a proton. This process emits an electron and antineutrino.
“The goal of this research is to better understand the energy released by the decaying isotopes as it can be a large fraction (5-10%) of the total power output by the reactor,” Ruland said.
Rutland said the education he received while studying physics at APSU was essential to his success at ORNL.
“The hands-on work I was able to participate in through the Department of Physics at Austin Peay helped build a very solid foundation that I have carried with me through my graduate work and into my current work as a postdoc,” Ruland said.
In addition, the knowledge and experience he gained in the College of STEM helped better prepare him for the challenges he faces throughout his research, even those not necessarily physics-related.
“Computer science has been extremely helpful in being able to efficiently process and analyze the data we collect during our experiments,” he said. “Specifically, graph theory has been helpful in constructing new decay paths available to these isotopes that have not been observed previously.”
Personal investments by STEM professors
Since September 2022, former College of STEM student Dr. Jordan Tschida has worked with Oak Ridge National Laboratory as a postdoctoral research scientist in the Advanced Computing for Health Sciences section.
Tschida earned her undergraduate degree from Austin Peay in computer science, minoring in math and physics. Her undergraduate work prepared her to earn her Ph.D. in computer science from Arizona State University.
At ORNL, Tschida works on two significant projects. In both, she helps ORNL collaborate with other research institutes where she works closely with data processing and patient outcomes.
ORNL partnered with The National Cancer Institute for one of the projects Tschida works on Modeling Outcomes Using Surveillance Data and Scalable AI for Cancer (MOSAIC).
“We do this by applying natural language processing and deep learning to population-based cancer data collected by the NCI Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program,” Tschida said.
ORNL collaborates with the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center for the second project.
“Here we have an end goal of developing algorithms to track and monitor mental health trajectories,” Tschida said. “We currently are working on pediatric anxiety.”
Tschida credits much of her success to the College of STEM, naming two professors specifically.
“The College of STEM, specifically Dr. John Nicholson and Dr. Karen Meisch, helped prepare me for graduate school, which helped prepare me for my current role,” she said.
These professors provided Tschida with essential guidance and opportunities that bolstered her assurance and knowledge in her field of study.
“A few notable things [Dr. Nicholson] did: He sent me to the Grace Hopper Conference my senior year, which exposed me to larger research questions and helped me find my area of interest; exposed me to grant writing opportunities; and brought me to conferences to present my research,” Tschida said. “Dr. Meisch helped provide me with resources and guidance as a woman in STEM.”
Through her positive experiences at Austin Peay and with her professors in the College of STEM, Tschida said she could confidently pursue her current career.
“My time at APSU was what excelled me towards graduate school,” Tschida said. “Without the personal investment from Dr. Nicolson and Dr. Meisch, it would have changed my career trajectory.”
From APSU to national security chemistry
Beginning in August, former College of STEM student Dr. Virginia White will continue her career as a theoretical chemist at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. White said she is excited to embark on her new journey at Oak Ridge and mainly looks forward to the challenges her work will present.
“I have selected this position as a theoretical chemist due to the complexity, gravity and fast-paced nature of the work involved,” White said.
Because of her success while earning her undergraduate degree at Austin Peay, White was able to pursue her Ph.D. in quantum chemistry at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
At Y-12, White will primarily focus on applying and developing computational electronic structure methodologies, which focus on understanding and predicting electron behavior in atoms, molecules and solids to gain a deeper understanding of molecular problems.
“The work conducted at Y-12 is of importance, ensuring a safe and reliable U.S. nuclear deterrent, and thereby playing a crucial role in national security,” White said.
College of STEM professors introduced White to physics, a field she had not previously explored. While studying physics, White felt at home learning about new subjects and solving challenging problems.
“The physics professors at APSU introduced me to a previously unfamiliar subject, which began to address many of the questions that chemistry alone couldn’t answer,” White said.
While at Austin Peay, White worked with her undergraduate research adviser to train in physics at a material science laboratory that provided her with constant research opportunities.
“This experience taught me the importance of time, precision and proper training in conducting research while emphasizing the significance of passion,” White said.
The rigorous and challenging courses she took during her undergraduate studies prepared her for graduate-level work, helping her succeed in her studies and career at Oak Ridge.
“As a result of this background, I excelled in all my graduate-level studies and always felt that I possessed an advantage over my colleagues in graduate school,” White said.
To learn more
For more information on Tschida’s projects, see the links below:
NCI: https://datascience.cancer.gov/collaborations/nci-department-energy-collaborations/ai-ml-resources
News Feed
View All News
APSU has earned a 10-year reaffirmation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) with zero recommendations for improvement across all 73 standards measured, demonstrating excellence across campus.
Read More
Sophomore nursing major Alexis Bisbee has found a welcoming second home at Austin Peay State University, where friends drove through winter storms to help her return to campus and where she's thriving in academics, Greek life and campus involvement.
Read More
APSU has awarded Faculty Research and Scholarly Support Grants to five CoSTEM faculty members for innovative projects ranging from cancer research to virtual reality studies.
Read More