VIENNA - DOE Fellow Christine Wipfli recently returned from a one-year internship with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where she gained insight into the complexities of a global organization balancing science and engineering with policy and diplomacy.
“I feel honored and fortunate to have had this invaluable internship experience at the IAEA. Being able to work with individuals from all over the world who came together to combine their knowledge and expertise, regardless of their political views, to resolve international issues affecting millions of people, was inspiring," Wipfli said. “It reminded me that with enough people in the world ready to put aside their differences, roll up their sleeves, and work together towards a common goal, even the greatest of challenges can be overcome."
The intern helped scientific secretaries in IAEA’s Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology Section implement programs in the agency’s member states. Working closely with the decommissioning and environmental remediation team, Wipfli reviewed and edited technical guidance documents, participated in consultancy meetings with member state representatives, led working group discussions and created the foundation for an online global database.
“Knowing how fast this internship would fly by, I made it a point to absorb as much as I could in the time that I had. I was fortunate to be able to work with such an incredible group of people on both a personal and professional level. I used every opportunity to learn as much as possible from their experiences, and also on how their projects and technical areas of expertise fit into the larger picture of the goals of the agency," Wipfli said. “It was a wealth of knowledge from all over the world and having the opportunity to connect and learn from them was incredibly enriching."
Wipfli is an environmental engineering undergraduate student at Florida International University (FIU). Her research in the fellowship program at the school’s Applied Research Center (ARC) focused on a technique to remediate uranium contamination in the soil and groundwater at the Savannah River Site.
Horst Monken Fernandes, an environmental remediation specialist and chemical engineer at IAEA, served as Wipfli’s mentor. He said her hands-on research experience and previous internship at EM headquarters made her an ideal fit for the position.
Wipfli expressed appreciation for the opportunity.
“I would like to thank all of the professionals at the IAEA for inspiring me and for investing a great deal of time and effort in creating the next generation of scientists and leaders, and to DOE EM for their support and guidance during this experience," she said. “I would also like to thank FIU’s ARC for their encouragement and for fostering an environment where students are pushed to achieve high standards, and to Argonne National Laboratory for making these life-changing experiences for myself and for others possible."
Argonne manages the U.S. Internship Program on behalf of IAEA. Read more about it here.
ARC supports EM’s cleanup through research in environmental remediation, radioactive waste processing and facility decontamination and decommissioning. The program offers students 10-week summer internships at EM sites. The EM-ARC five-year cooperative agreement aims to develop the next generation of scientists and engineers, equipping them with skills and knowledge to contribute to the workforce after graduation.
The IAEA is the world's center for cooperation in the nuclear field and seeks to promote the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technologies.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
