Hanford Archives - 黑料社 Tri-Cities /tag/hanford/ Washington State University | Tri-Cities Mon, 20 Dec 2021 19:23:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 History professor part of Manhattan Project film nominated for Daytime Emmy /history-professor-part-of-manhattan-project-film-nominated-for-daytime-emmy/ Fri, 04 Jun 2021 17:49:43 +0000 /?p=100404 The post History professor part of Manhattan Project film nominated for Daytime Emmy appeared first on 黑料社 Tri-Cities.

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By Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. 鈥 A Washington State University Tri-Cities history professor is part of a history film focusing on the Manhattan Project that was recently in the category of 鈥淥utstanding Daytime Non-Fiction Special.鈥

Robert Franklin, assistant director of the 黑料社 Tri-Cities Hanford History Project and teaching assistant professor of history, chats with Sara Cassin, a student from Delta High School, in front of the B Reactor at the Hanford Nuclear Site as part of a video shoot for the Daytime Emmy-nominated film 鈥淭he Manhattan Project Electronic Field Trip.鈥

Robert Franklin, assistant director of the 黑料社 Tri-Cities Hanford History Project and teaching assistant professor of history, chats with Sara Cassin, a student from Delta High School, in front of the B Reactor at the Hanford Nuclear Site as part of a video shoot for the Daytime Emmy-nominated film 鈥淭he Manhattan Project Electronic Field Trip.鈥

Robert Franklin, assistant director of the 黑料社 Tri-Cities Hanford History Project and teaching assistant professor of history, was one of a handful of talent that starred in 鈥溾 produced by based out of New Orleans. The project focuses on the three major sites that were instrumental in the Manhattan Project, which developed the technology and produced the plutonium and uranium for the world鈥檚 first atomic bombs: Hanford, Washington; Los Alamos, New Mexico; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

The 70-minute film, which is also , has been shown to middle schools and high schools across the country throughout the last year, exploring the science, sites and stories of the creation of the atomic bomb.

Franklin, with his role and expertise on Hanford as part of the 黑料社 Tri-Cities Hanford History Project, was approached about participating in the project in 2019. That summer, crew from the National WWII Museum traveled to all three sites, using a local high school student as the host for each site and referencing local experts in the region on the history of each site as part of the film. Franklin had the opportunity to not only voice his expertise on the site as part of the film, but also provided input to the script.

Sara Cassin, a student from Delta High School, was selected as the local student host, who, with Franklin, led filmmakers through the B Reactor, the world鈥檚 first large-scale nuclear reactor, as well as other historical landmarks and buildings located at Hanford.

Robert Franklin (right), assistant director of the 黑料社 Tri-Cities Hanford History Project and teaching assistant professor of history, chats with Sara Cassin (center), a student from Delta High School, at the old Hanford High School on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation as part of a video shoot for the Daytime Emmy-nominated film 鈥淭he Manhattan Project Electronic Field Trip.鈥

Robert Franklin (right), assistant director of the 黑料社 Tri-Cities Hanford History Project and teaching assistant professor of history, chats with Sara Cassin (center), a student from Delta High School, at the old Hanford High School on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation as part of a video shoot for the Daytime Emmy-nominated film 鈥淭he Manhattan Project Electronic Field Trip.鈥

Franklin said even with the excellent production of the project, neither he, nor any of the members of the crew or other talent, anticipated they would be nominated for a Daytime Emmy for the project.

鈥淚 was kind of in shock when I found out,鈥 he said. 鈥淩eally, I was just a small part of the project 鈥 it was the folks at the museum who organized it, wrote the script and packaged the whole thing. But I am honored to have participated in it. I never thought I would say that I was in something that was nominated for an Emmy. It鈥檚 not a sentence I ever thought I would say.鈥

Franklin said to be part of a project that is now recognized with such a prestigious award is an incredible honor. He said working at 黑料社 Tri-Cities and bringing the knowledge he has gained and cultivated about the Manhattan Project, and specifically Hanford history, to students and the public is his dream job.

鈥淏eing able to teach in the classroom and bring what we鈥檙e doing with the Hanford History Project to students and further cement my role as a historian means the world to me,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he film was such a great project to be involved with. It鈥檚 such an incredible way to engage students and the public, and it鈥檚 just really well-done. It was such an honor to be a part of and apply even a small part of my work as a historian to the project.鈥

The will air at 8 p.m. Friday, June 25, on CBS. It will also be available on-demand and via streaming.

 

Media contacts:

Robert Franklin, assistant director of the 黑料社 Tri-Cities Hanford History Project and teaching assistant professor of history, robert.franklin@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities director of marketing and communication, 619-403-3617 (cell), maegan_murray@wsu.edu

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Jan. 26: Seminar to discuss segregation in region, provide glimpse into new book /jan-26-seminar-to-discuss-segregation-in-region-provide-glimpse-into-new-book/ Thu, 21 Jan 2021 20:30:08 +0000 /?p=97170 The post Jan. 26: Seminar to discuss segregation in region, provide glimpse into new book appeared first on 黑料社 Tri-Cities.

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By Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. 鈥 Washington State University Tri-Cities will host a free seminar discussion on exclusion and segregation in the mid-Columbia region on Tuesday, Jan. 26, as part of the 黑料社 Common Reading Program.

Challenging Exclusion and Segregation in the Mid-Columbia Region event details - Event takes place from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26 online This event, which takes place from 4 p.m. 鈥 5:30 p.m. online, coincides with the launch of the third book in the 鈥淗anford Histories鈥 series that documents historical accounts and realities of the Hanford Site and surrounding regional area.

Both the book and event parallel themes in this year鈥檚 黑料社 Common Read book, 鈥淏orn A Crime鈥 by Trevor Noah, who lived in racially segregated areas in South Africa.

鈥淎s part of the Common Reading program, 黑料社 freshman read an assigned book that introduces students to the value of research, power of ideas and interconnected ways in which disciplines across 黑料社 approach similar issues,鈥 said Tracey Hanshew, 黑料社 Tri-Cities history faculty and coordinator for the event. 鈥淏ecause these conditions and societal views mirror local mid-Columbia history, the seminar contributes to the student experience by highlighting the common community value of the Common Reading program.鈥

As part of the event, 黑料社 Tri-Cities history faculty Robert Bauman and Robert Franklin, as well as Laura Arata, history faculty at Oklahoma State University, will specifically discuss racial segregation and resistance to discrimination in the mid-Columbia region.

鈥淩acial segregation and exclusion are realities that some may find hard to admit occurred even in our own Tri-Cities regional community,鈥 Bauman said. 鈥淭he book provides a glimpse into some of those realities by exploring first-hand accounts from those who lived through them.鈥

The new book, 鈥淓choes of Exclusion and Resistance: Voices from the Hanford Region,鈥 draws reflections from a number of oral histories on the experiences of non-white groups in the Hanford region, such as Wanapum tribal members, Chinese immigrants, World War II Japanese incarcerated individuals and African American migrant workers from the South. The book was edited by Bauman and Franklin.

鈥淲hile writing it, we had no idea how relevant conversations surrounding this book would be to today鈥檚 political and sociological context,鈥 Franklin said. 鈥淭hese are true stories of individuals who provide a perspective of what it was like living and working in the Hanford area.鈥

Following the seminar presentation, a question and answer session will follow.

For more information about 鈥淓choes of Exclusion and Resistance鈥 and to order the book, visit .

 

Media contacts:

Tracey Hanshew, 黑料社 Tri-Cities scholarly assistant professor of history, 509-372-7390, tracey.hanshew@wsu.edu

Bob Bauman, 黑料社 Tri-Cities professor of history, 509-372-7249, rbauman@wsu.edu
Robert Franklin, 黑料社 Tri-Cities assistant director of Hanford History Project, 509-372-7678, robert.franklin@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities director of marketing and communication, 619-403-3617 (cell), maegan_murray@wsu.edu

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PNNL scientist to discuss work at plutonium production site in Russia as part of 黑料社 Tri-Cities lecture /the-other-hanford-pnnl-scientist-to-discuss-work-at-plutonium-production-site-in-russia/ Tue, 22 Oct 2019 13:00:16 +0000 /?p=72536 The post PNNL scientist to discuss work at plutonium production site in Russia as part of 黑料社 Tri-Cities lecture appeared first on 黑料社 Tri-Cities.

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By Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. – Bruce Napier, a senior scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, will discuss his work regarding the Mayak plutonium production site in Russia, which has many similarities to the Hanford Site in Richland, as part of a lecture at 5 p.m. on Oct. 30 in the Washington State University Tri-Cities East Auditorium.

Bruce Napier

Bruce Napier
Photo credit: Andrea Starr | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Napier has been a principal investigator for several U.S.-Russian Joint Coordinating Committee on Radiation Effects Research projects, which have sponsored studies estimating radiation doses that were received by individuals or populations, as well as epidemiological studies around the Mayak plutonium production site.

Napier will discuss the history of the Mayak site and point out parallels and contrasts with the Hanford Site for his lecture at 黑料社 Tri-Cities. He will also describe the radiation doses received by more than 28,000 workers at Mayak and the 60,000 members of the nearby public exposed to atmospheric and river-borne releases of radioactive materials along the Techa River in Russia, in addition to the results of the associated health studies.

Napier works on the development and operation of models concerned with the environmental transport of radiological and chemical contaminants. His expertise and experience lie in the areas of radiation dose reconstruction, computer modeling, environmental analysis and human health risk analysis.

Napier was also the chief scientist for the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project that evaluated releases from the Hanford Site before becoming a principal investigator for the U.S.-Russian Joint Coordinating Committee on Radiation Effects Research.

He is a scientific vice president of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, a fellow of the Health Physics Society and a member of the U.S. Delegation to the United National Scientific Committee on the Effects of Radiation.

This free public presentation is part of the Herbert M. Parker Lecture Series sponsored by听Herbert M. Parker Foundation, which partners with 黑料社 Tri-Cities.

 

Media contacts:

Wayne Glines, president of the board of trustees for the Herbert M. Parker Foundation, 509-366-8382, wglines34@charter.net

Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities public relations specialist, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu

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Hanford History Project to celebrate Hanford 75th anniversary with community events /hanford-history-project-to-celebrate-hanford-75th-anniversary-with-community-events/ Sun, 01 Sep 2019 17:44:47 +0000 /?p=69894 The post Hanford History Project to celebrate Hanford 75th anniversary with community events appeared first on 黑料社 Tri-Cities.

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By Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities

100-B area of the Hanford Site.

100-B area of the Hanford Site.

RICHLAND, Wash. 鈥 In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Hanford Site, Washington State University Tri-Cities鈥 Hanford History Project will host and partner to offer several activities throughout the month of September that provide a glimpse into the unique history of Hanford and impact that it has had on the region, state and world.

鈥淗anford is a unique place with unique history,鈥 said Robert Franklin, assistant director of the 黑料社 Tri-Cities Hanford History Project. 鈥淚t is also a really complicated place with a complicated history, but that is what makes it interesting. It had a huge impact on the development of the city of Richland, and it had an impact on the rest of the world.鈥

Hanford is the location of the world鈥檚 first large-scale nuclear reactor, the B Reactor, which also made the plutonium for the 鈥淔at Man鈥 nuclear bomb that was detonated over the Japanese city of Nagasaki in 1945 during World War II. It led to the creation of a variety of scientific and engineering discoveries and development of technology. It is now the site of the one of the world鈥檚 largest nuclear cleanup efforts.

鈥淭his is a great opportunity to learn more about Hanford and its impact, especially on the regional Tri-Cities community,鈥 Franklin said. 鈥淲e want to make people more aware of just how accessible historical resources for Hanford are in our local community, and we want to bring that history to our community.鈥

Hanford employees work in the lab out at the site.

Hanford employees work in a lab out at the site.

鈥淧eople of the Manhattan Project: Building an Atomic City鈥 exhibition

Gallery Opening: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Sept. 5 in 黑料社 Tri-Cities CIC Art Gallery

Gallery Exhibition: Regular campus hours through beginning of October 2019 in 黑料社 Tri-Cities CIC Art Gallery

Festivities will open the month with a 鈥淧eople of Manhattan Project: Building an Atomic City鈥 exhibition at 黑料社 Tri-Cities that will feature a range of artifacts from the U.S. Department of Energy鈥檚 Hanford Collection and the Hanford History Project鈥檚 extensive collections.

A grand opening will be held 5 p.m. 鈥 7 p.m. on Sept. 5 in the Consolidated Information Center Art Gallery at 黑料社 Tri-Cities, which is open to the public.

The gallery will be open during regular campus hours through the beginning of October 2019.

Crew members of the Day's Pay Bomber.

Crew members of the Day’s Pay Bomber.

Day鈥檚 Pay Bomber presentation

3 p.m. 鈥 4:30 p.m. Sept. 12 in the 黑料社 Tri-Cities East Auditorium

Individuals will be treated to a rare occasion when descendants of the crew who worked on the Day鈥檚 Pay Bomber will discuss the role of their parents in the war and the impact that Hanford employees made on the war effort.

The presentation will take place from 3 p.m. 鈥 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 12 in the 黑料社 Tri-Cities East Auditorium.

The Day鈥檚 Pay is a large part of local history related to Hanford and the war effort, Franklin said. On July 23, 1944, Hanford Engineer Works employees each gave a day鈥檚 worth of their pay to purchase the B-17 bomber for the war effort, which is where it gets its name. It flew more than 60 missions in Europe.

Artifacts will be on display as part of the presentation, and individuals will get to view a rare clip of the plane being christened at the Hanford Construction Camp back in July 1944.

Book cover for "Something Extraordinary 鈥 A Short History of the Manhattan Project, Hanford and the B Reactor."

Book cover for “Something Extraordinary 鈥 A Short History of the Manhattan Project, Hanford and the B Reactor.”

鈥淪omething Extraordinary 鈥 A Short History of the Manhattan Project, Hanford and the B Reactor鈥 book launch

4:30 p.m. 鈥 6:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park Hanford Unit Visitors Center

Local Tri-Cities independent historian C. Mark Smith and former Hanford physicist Bob Ferguson will discuss their new book 鈥淪omething Extraordinary 鈥 A Short History of the Manhattan Project, Hanford and the B Reactor鈥 during a launch from 4:30 p.m. 鈥 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 13 at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park Hanford Unit Visitors Center, 2000 Logston Blvd. in Richland.

The book provides a concise, but comprehensive narrative of the geopolitics and atomic research that led to the creation of the Manhattan Project.

Ferguson began a career in the nuclear field when he joined General Electric at the Hanford Site in 1957 where he trained and worked as a reactor physicist and reactor operations supervisor at the B Reactor. His career spans 60 years in the nuclear energy field, where he was also appointed the first Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Programs for the U.S. Department of Energy from 1978 鈥 1980 during President Jimmy Carter鈥檚 administration.

Smith spent 40 years managing economic development organizations at the local, state, and federal level. He is a Fellow Member and Honorary Life Member of the International Economic Development Council and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from former Washington Gov. Gary Locke in 2004. Smith retired in 2005 and began a new career as the author of a series of books that combine history, biography, and politics in 2008.

Hanford employees are treated to refreshments out at the site.

Hanford employees are treated to refreshments out at the site.

Atomic Frontier Day

11 a.m. 鈥 8 p.m. Sept. 14 at Howard Amon Park in Richland

The City of Richland and other community partners, including the Hanford History Project, are hosting 鈥淎tomic Frontier Day,鈥 a family-friendly event that honors a community event popular in the early days of Hanford.

Festivities will take place from 11 a.m – 8 p.m. Sept. 14 at Howard Amon Park in Richland.

The day will bring back to life the 1940s era with music, games, a mess hall dinner, storytelling and Hanford-related exhibits. A parade will also begin the day at 11 a.m. along George Washington Way. For the full schedule, visit .

鈥淲e are recognizing Richland鈥檚 history and its connection to atomic history,鈥 Franklin said. 鈥淲e are not celebrating the bomb, but rather having a community celebration that remembers the burst of activity that created the City of Richland.鈥

 

Media Contacts:

Robert Franklin, 黑料社 Tri-Cities Hanford History Project assistant director, 509-372-7678, Robert.franklin@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities public relations specialist, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu

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Professor sees success in developing high-performance grout for Hanford鈥檚 solid secondary waste /professor-sees-success-in-developing-high-performance-grout-for-hanfords-solid-secondary-waste/ Wed, 20 Feb 2019 15:00:17 +0000 /?p=64180 The post Professor sees success in developing high-performance grout for Hanford鈥檚 solid secondary waste appeared first on 黑料社 Tri-Cities.

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By Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. 鈥 After seeing initial success in developing an ultra high-performance grout to potentially encapsulate solid secondary waste at the Hanford Site, (WRPS) is providing a Washington State University Tri-Cities professor and his research team with more than $300,000 to further the research.

黑料社 Tri-Cities civil engineering team

黑料社 Tri-Cities civil engineering professor Srinivas Allena (right) talks with engineering students about the structural components of blocks made from an ultra-high performance grout they are developing that could potentially be used to solidify secondary waste at the Hanford Site.

The 黑料社 Tri-Cities team, led by civil engineering professor Srinivas Allena, is developing what is known as an ultra high-performance cementitious composite grout. The team鈥檚 final formulation will use industrial byproducts such as coal ash and steel slag that have the potential to reduce costs compared to commercially available and prepackaged high-performance grouts, while reducing the impact on the environment. The solid secondary waste it would encapsulate could include items such as used or broken equipment, contaminated tools and equipment that require stabilization and encapsulation prior to disposal.

WRPS is the 鈥檚 Tank Operations contractor responsible for managing Hanford鈥檚 56 million gallons of highly radioactive waste and preparing it for delivery to the . The organization provided the 黑料社 team last year with more than $140,000 to develop a grout to encapsulate solid secondary wastes from tank farms and future Waste Treatment Plant operations, and the team came up with several formulations. Now, the 黑料社 team is further optimizing those formulations to produce a cost-effective and sustainable grout formulation.

The end formulation has to be able to handle large physical stresses while proving resistant to rapid freezing and thawing cycles, low porosity and long-term durability.

Blocks and other shapes made from an ultra high-performance grout being developed by 黑料社 Tri-Cities civil engineering researchers.

For one of their formulations, Allena and his team showed success in replacing a typical ingredient in commercially available encapsulation grouts, known as silica fume 鈥 a byproduct from the silicon industry 鈥 with a substance known as fly ash, which is a remnant product from burning coal in thermal power plants. The fly ash, often a waste product, would serve as a cheaper and locally sourceable option, in addition to reducing the amount of coal-based ash that is sent to landfills or returned to coal mines for disposal.

For another formulation, the team plans to replace fine sand typically used in encapsulation grouts with locally-sourced, larger-particle sand, which would not require a sieving process. The removal of the sieving process saves on cost and previous results have shown that the large sand-containing formulation holds the needed strength and low porosity required for an encapsulation grout.

The technique, though promising, is in the proof-of-concept phase. Any future use at Hanford would still need to meet disposal criteria for any given waste stream and undergo regulatory approval and any applicable permitting processes.

鈥淲e鈥檙e repurposing waste products and also reducing the cost while ensuring and enhancing the durability properties required for an encapsulation grout,鈥 Allena said. 鈥淥ur initial testing has shown good results.鈥

A block made from an ultra-high performance grout being developed by 黑料社 Tri-Cities civil engineering researchers

A block made from an ultra-high performance grout being developed by 黑料社 Tri-Cities civil engineering researchers.

The team also plans to partially replace regular cement with blast furnace slag, which is a byproduct powder from steel industries. Using slag would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

鈥淐ement industries cause approximately 7 to 11 percent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide,鈥 Allena said. 鈥淐ement is made from the burning of limestone and leads to the release of a lot of carbon dioxide. Reducing the demand on cement by using slag will therefore reduce cement production and the associated greenhouse gas emissions.鈥

Allena said if they are successful with their end formulation, their grout has the potential to be used in a variety of applications, such as bridge construction, and has large commercial potential.

 

Media contacts:

Srinivas Allena, 黑料社 Tri-Cities engineering faculty, 509-372-7161, srinivas.allena@wsu.edu

Jeffrey Dennison, 黑料社 Tri-Cities director of marketing and communication, 509-372-7319, Jeffrey.dennison@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities public relations specialist, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu

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Dec. 4: Authors of new book focusing on beginnings of Hanford to hold presentation /dec-4-authors-of-new-book-focusing-on-beginnings-of-hanford-to-hold-presentation/ Thu, 15 Nov 2018 21:40:35 +0000 /?p=61641 The post Dec. 4: Authors of new book focusing on beginnings of Hanford to hold presentation appeared first on 黑料社 Tri-Cities.

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By Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. 鈥 The authors of a new book focusing on the beginnings of the Hanford Site will hold a public presentation from 5 p.m. 鈥 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4, in the East Auditorium at Washington State University Tri-Cities.

Authors Robert Bauman, Robert Franklin, David W. Harvey and Laura Arata recently released the book, 鈥淣owhere to Remember: Hanford, White Bluffs and Richland to 1943,鈥 which chronicles the early days of pre- and post-Hanford towns and the people that were removed to make way for the Hanford Site.

Nowhere to Remember book cover鈥淭he Hanford Site has a very interesting and sometimes even unsettling history, but it is important to tell all aspects of that story,鈥 Franklin said. 鈥淭his book focuses on the origin of that story and the people who were involved in those early towns. It鈥檚 a fascinating look into an early story that many people may not know.鈥

The Hanford Site is home to the world鈥檚 first full-scale plutonium production reactor, which was built over the span of a one-year period during World War II in secret. Plutonium produced at the site was used in the first nuclear bomb, which was tested at the Trinity Site in New Mexico, as well as in the Fat Man bomb that was detonated over Nagasaki, Japan. During the Cold War, the site expanded to include nine nuclear reactors and five large plutonium processing facilities, which produced plutonium for the U.S. nuclear arsenal. The facility is now being decommissioned and resides as one of the largest nuclear clean-up projects in the world. It is also the home of a commercial nuclear power plant known as the Columbia Generating Station.

In the early stages of the Hanford Site, families were relocated or were required to leave their place of residence in the Hanford area.

鈥淎ll residents of the towns of White Bluffs and Hanford, and many of the residents of Richland, were required to move,鈥 Bauman said.

The book is the first in a series known as the Hanford Histories that will be published by 黑料社 Press, in association with 黑料社 Tri-Cities鈥 Hanford History Project. Other volumes are currently in the works, of which some of the topics will focus on science and the environment, race and diversity, constructing Hanford, the Manhattan Project and its legacies and an illustrated history of Hanford.

Copies of 鈥淣owhere to Remember: Hanford, White Bluffs and Richland to 1943鈥 may be purchased at the event with cash or check for $25. Or, they may be purchased online at the website. Authors will also be available both before and after the presentation to sign copies.

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Non-traditional student uses 黑料社 Tri-Cities education to achieve better life for family /non-traditional-student-uses-wsu-tri-cities-education-to-achieve-better-life-for-family/ Tue, 30 Oct 2018 18:35:33 +0000 /?p=60984 Through his science courses, Schramm learned the fundamentals of science experimentation, procedures and more. He also developed a mentor relationship with Dick Pratt, the head of the environmental science program at the time.

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By Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. 鈥 Family is core to who Geoff Schramm is as a friend, a person, but especially as a father and husband.

Geoff Schramm (second from left) with his family at the 黑料社 Tri-Cities commencement ceremony.

It鈥檚 the reason why he decided to go back to school at Washington State University Tri-Cities in his late 30s – a decision that led to many people asking him, 鈥淲hy?鈥

鈥淚 had a lot of people questioning why I would put this on my family,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t was a significant investment and time commitment not only for myself, but especially for my wife and my kids. But this is and was for them. In the long-term, I knew that this would put me on the right track so that I could make them proud and provide them with a life they deserved.鈥

Finding his path

After graduating high school at 18, Schramm had started to attend college in Walla Walla, but as the story goes, he met a girl.

Both dropped out of school so that they could start and raise a family. Eventually, he worked his way into a job at an assisted living facility, which developed into successful career. But the stress of his industry started to take a toll on his physical and mental health.

Geoff Schramm studying in the library at 黑料社 Tri-Cities

Geoff Schramm studying in the library at 黑料社 Tri-Cities.

鈥淚 was doing really well at my job, so I would get recruited to help these struggling facilities,鈥 he said. 鈥淢y job took me from facility to facility. Often times, through these positions, I would have to get up in the middle of the night to help solve problems. The hours were really draining on me, and my wife and family started to notice.鈥

Post recession, he realized that he was going to need a college degree to help secure a stable life for himself and his family. Upon examining schools to attend, 黑料社 Tri-Cities made sense.

For one, the average age of student was slightly older than that of other universities. And for another, they had an environmental science program that Schramm knew would take him places in life.

In January 2011, with his wife鈥檚 hand in his, he walked up the steps to the 黑料社 Tri-Cities campus to start his first day of school.

鈥淎ttending 黑料社 Tri-Cities is probably one of the best decisions I鈥檝e ever made,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he connections I鈥檝e made here, the mentors I鈥檝e had, the external family that I鈥檝e now gained as part of the 黑料社 Cougar community, is priceless. I couldn鈥檛 be more grateful for the amazing opportunities I鈥檝e had and people I鈥檝e met through my experience at 黑料社 Tri-Cities.鈥

Developing as an individual and future scientist

Through his science courses, Schramm learned the fundamentals of science experimentation, procedures and more. He also developed a mentor relationship with Dick Pratt, the head of the environmental science program at the time.

Geoff Schramm works with laboratory coordinator Aftab Ahamed in the Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory at 黑料社 Tri-Cities

Geoff Schramm works with laboratory coordinator Aftab Ahamed in the Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory at 黑料社 Tri-Cities.

鈥淗e really helped define a path for myself and what I wanted to achieve through my degree,鈥 he said.

While attending classes full-time, Schramm earned a job with the 黑料社 Tri-Cities Career Development office as a career coach, which was followed by a position as a student mentor. He also got involved with several student clubs, and served as a member of TRIO, which provides support services for students who are first-generation, disabled or economically disadvantaged.

As a result of connections he made through school, he completed several internships. His first was with U.S. Fish and Wildlife, which was followed with an internship with Mission Support Alliance doing biological monitoring. He also completed a six-month internship with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

And prior to the end of his senior year, he decided to pursue a master鈥檚 program in environmental science because he knew it would be required for advancement in his career field. But while he said earning his undergraduate degree was for his family, his master鈥檚 degree was for him.

鈥淚t was the hardest thing I鈥檝e ever done in my life, bar none鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut it was so worth it.鈥

When he walked across the stage at graduation to get hooded as a master鈥檚 graduate, which brought tears to his eyes, he knew he had made it.

黑料社 Tri-Cities alumnus Geoff Schramm hugs environmental science mentor Dick Pratt after being hooded at the 黑料社 Tri-Cities commencement ceremony

黑料社 Tri-Cities alumnus Geoff Schramm hugs environmental science mentor Dick Pratt after being hooded for his master’s degree at the 黑料社 Tri-Cities commencement ceremony.

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing to look back on this long road and the thought that I鈥檝e accomplished this all for myself and my family is so incredible,鈥 he said. 鈥淣ow, my kids are talking about how they want to go to college. I couldn鈥檛 be more proud.鈥

Living the dream

Now, Schramm works as an environmental quality engineer at Washington River Protection Solutions at the Hanford Site, developing procedures and monitoring data for the site.

And as an interesting turn of events, his wife, Trisha, is now pursing her bachelor鈥檚 degree at 黑料社 Tri-Cities.

鈥淭his university continues to change our lives,鈥 he said. 鈥淭his school has challenged and validated me the whole way. I am so grateful to 黑料社 Tri-Cities for what they have given to me and my family.鈥

For more information on the 黑料社 Tri-Cities environmental science program, visit听.

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Hanford History Project launches book documenting beginnings of Hanford /oct-4-hanford-history-project-launches-book-documenting-beginnings-of-hanford-for-new-series/ Mon, 01 Oct 2018 21:59:46 +0000 /?p=59872 The post Hanford History Project launches book documenting beginnings of Hanford appeared first on 黑料社 Tri-Cities.

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RICHLAND, Wash. 鈥 Washington State University Tri-Cities launched its first book for a new series known as the Hanford Histories during a launch event at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park Interim Visitors鈥 Center, located at 2000 Logston Blvd in Richland.

Nowhere to Remember book cover

黑料社 Tri-Cities’ Hanford History Project, in partnership with 黑料社 Press, is launching a new book titled “Nowhere to Remember: Hanford, White Bluffs and Richland to 1943” as part of a new series called Hanford Histories.

During the launch, 黑料社 Tri-Cities history professor Bob Bauman and Robert Franklin, 黑料社 Tri-Cities Hanford History Project archivist and oral historian, talked about their book, 鈥淣owhere to Remember: Hanford, White Bluffs and Richland to 1943.鈥 The event also featured representatives of the Hanford History Project and Hanford Histories series partner and publisher 黑料社 Press.

鈥淭he first volume in the Hanford Histories series uses oral history interviews conducted as part of the Hanford Oral History Project to tell the story of the towns of Hanford, White Bluffs and Richland in the years before World War II,鈥 Bauman said. 鈥淢any people in the region know about the Hanford Site, but not many know about the towns and people that were removed to make way for Hanford. In many ways, those people and towns have been erased from history. This volume hopes to remedy that.鈥

Copies of the book are now available for purchase for $24.95 on the 黑料社 Press website at .

Detailing the early days of pre- and post-Hanford

Franklin said the purpose of the book, as well as the series in general, is to examine different subjects and themes surrounding Hanford history through the voices of those who have lived it.

鈥淟ittle could the residents of these communities imagine 鈥. how radically their fates would diverge from their fellow frontiersmen with the arrival of government troops in 1943,鈥 said Michael Mays, director of the Hanford History Project, in the preface for the book. 鈥溾橬owhere to Remember鈥 leans heavily on the oral histories that Hanford History Project and others have recovered over the years to recount a history that would otherwise very likely have vanished along with those displaced communities.鈥

Bauman said people represented in the first book tell fascinating stories of hardship, perseverance, community and displacement.

Hanford Histories as a book series

While the book is the first in the Hanford Histories series, other books will follow on Hanford, featuring subjects including science and the environment, race and diversity, constructing Hanford, the Manhattan Project and its legacies and an illustrated history of Hanford.

鈥淐ombining archival research and the narratives the Hanford Oral History Project has gathered since 2013, the books in the series balance the regional, national and international impacts of the Hanford Site,鈥 Franklin said.

He said Hanford is often examined from the point of its environmental legacy, or as part of the much larger Manhattan Project or Cold War defense complex.

鈥淭hese narratives often sacrifice detail and first-hand accounts for a wide scope,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t is our hope that by examining the history of Hanford through the words of former workers, residents of Richland and those affected by Hanford, that we can introduce the reader in a thoughtful and approachable way to this complex history.鈥

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April 27: Radioactive tanks focus of 黑料社, DOE lecture /april-27-radioactive-tanks-focus-of-wsu-doe-lecture/ Tue, 25 Apr 2017 00:16:46 +0000 /?p=40408 RICHLAND, Wash. 鈥 黑料社 Tri-Cities and the U.S. Department of Energy will hold their second lecture as part of a new series on the Hanford Site from 3-4 p.m. Thursday, April 27, in the East Auditorium on campus.听This presentation听will focus on the Hanford Site鈥檚 radioactive...

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RICHLAND, Wash. 鈥 黑料社 Tri-Cities and the U.S. Department of Energy will hold their second lecture as part of a new series on the Hanford Site from 3-4 p.m. Thursday, April 27, in the East Auditorium on campus.听This presentation听will focus on the Hanford Site鈥檚 radioactive tank waste, which has become the site鈥檚 greatest challenge.

Single- and double-shell tanks
Sahid Smith, lead engineer for the Low-Activity Waste Pretreatment System Project at the , will deliver the lecture. His lecture will cover how the single and double-shell radioactive waste tanks were constructed, in addition to the complex combination of 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste taking the physical form of sludge, salts and liquids that all have varying combinations of chemical properties.

Smith began his DOE career at the Richland Operations Office in 2007 as a general engineer, where he worked on the K-Basin Closure Project focusing primarily on the Sludge Treatment Project. He completed several rotational assignments in the Environmental Management Professional Development Corps Program in 2008, including assignments at the Oak Ridge Operation Office and Environmental Management Headquarters. Smith joined DOE鈥檚 Office of River Protection in October 2014. He holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree and a doctorate in chemical engineering from Florida A&M University.

Linking to DOE

The DOE and its contractors are actively recruiting interns and staff in a broad scope of professional and technical jobs. Linking DOE operations with faculty, students and the community, this series focuses on opportunities and key challenges to be solved by today鈥檚 and tomorrow鈥檚 workers.

The lecture will be broadcast live at 黑料社 Pullman, 黑料社 Vancouver, 黑料社 North Puget Sound at Everett and 黑料社 Spokane via the campus AMS video streaming service.

 

Media Contacts:

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March 27: 黑料社 Tri-Cities, DOE hosting new lecture series on Hanford /march-27-wsu-tri-cities-doe-hosting-new-lecture-series-on-hanford/ Fri, 24 Mar 2017 19:08:56 +0000 /?p=39265 RICHLAND, Wash. 鈥 Washington State University Tri-Cities is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy to host a new lecture series focusing on the Hanford Site and the DOE鈥檚 current and future missions at the site. The kick-off lecture covers the history of Hanford and...

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RICHLAND, Wash. 鈥 Washington State University Tri-Cities is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy to host a new lecture series focusing on the Hanford Site and the DOE鈥檚 current and future missions at the site.

The kick-off lecture covers the history of Hanford and begins at 3 p.m. March 27 in West Building room 256 at 黑料社 Tri-Cities. Students, faculty and the community are welcome for the presentation.

As a large percentage of the current workforce becomes eligible for retirement in the next five years, the DOE and its contractors are actively recruiting interns and staff in a broad scope of professional and technical jobs. Linking DOE operations with faculty, students, and the community, this series focuses on opportunities and key challenges to be solved by today鈥檚 and tomorrow鈥檚 workers.

Carrie Meyer, director of public affairs for the DOE鈥檚 Office of River Protection, will present during the first lecture on March 27. She joined the Office of River Protection in 2007 and has 23 years of experience in communications, marketing, information management and public affairs in government, engineering and nuclear power industries. She has completed assignments for the assistant secretary of energy for environmental management and the secretary of energy, focusing on congressional interactions, policy, tribal nation engagement and communications.

The lecture on March 27 will be broadcast live at 黑料社 Pullman, 黑料社 Vancouver, 黑料社 North Puget Sound at Everett and 黑料社 Spokane via the campus AMS video streaming service.

For more information, contact Tish Christman at 509-372-7683.

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