The SRNL Joint Appointment Program – Expanding Research and Developing Tomorrow’s Workforce
Guido Verbeck (left) and Dale Hitchcock (second from right) participate in SRNL’s 2025 Joint Appointment Workshop. (Photo: LJ Gay, SRNS)
Savannah River National Laboratory has long been at the forefront of addressing national challenges in energy, environmental stewardship, and national security. A pivotal component of SRNL’s strategy to enhance its research capabilities and foster innovation is its Joint Appointment Program. This program, which partners university faculty with SRNL researchers, offers benefits to both the laboratory and participating academic institutions.
The program serves as a conduit for developing a skilled workforce adept in addressing national laboratory missions. Joint appointees often involve students in their research projects, providing them with hands-on experience and fostering the next generation of scientists and engineers. This collaborative environment ensures a continuous influx of talent into SRNL and the Department of Energy.
University faculty engaged in joint appointments benefit from strengthened ties with a leading national laboratory. These partnerships facilitate collaborative research opportunities, joint research publications, and access to SRNL’s state-of-the-art facilities. Such affiliations enhance the university’s research profile and enable new opportunities through access to national laboratory resources.
“One of the great outcomes of our Joint Appointment Program is the publication of research, which furthers scientific understanding,” said SRNL Director of Innovation and University Engagement Liz Hoffman. “This program gives the lab an opportunity to increase our ability to put science to work.”
Faculty members involved in the program can integrate their SRNL-based research experiences into their teaching, providing students with exposure to real-world applications of theoretical knowledge. This integration enriches the educational experience, preparing students for careers in research and development.
SRNL gains access to the latest academic research and methodologies by collaborating with faculty members from leading universities. This infusion of new ideas and perspectives is crucial for tackling complex scientific and engineering challenges. For example, the appointment of Dr. Guido Verbeck from Augusta University, an expert in mass spectrometry instrument design and development, demonstrates how such collaborations can bolster SRNL’s research, particularly in advanced chemical analysis and detection techniques.
“Academia spends time on fundamentals while SRNL can focus on specific problems to solve,” said Verbeck. “As a result of this collaboration, things can move quickly, allowing academic research to be translated to real world solutions. SRNL has an award-winning drone program, and I am currently working on a fire detection program to assess individuals and fires through the use of drones by integrating mass spectrometry readings from the field. This technology will also eventually allow us to address emerging threats to protect first responders, the environment and our borders.”
Joint appointments often lead to collaborative research projects, increasing the number of novel research solutions to complex national and energy security challenges.
In addition to collegiate faculty, SRNL employees can also be jointly appointed at universities. Integrating SRNL researchers into universities can lead to opportunities for increased collaboration, student engagement, and ultimately, increased solutions for the DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration.
Dale Hitchcock, a staff scientist with SRNL whose work has primarily focused on material interactions with tritium, is jointly appointed to Clemson University and focusing his research on the synthesis and characterization of advanced materials for both energy and nuclear applications.
The SRNL Joint Appointment Program advances scientific discovery while also contributing to the development of a skilled workforce equipped to tackle the nation’s most pressing challenges by fostering partnerships bridging the gap between theoretical research and practical application. These valuable collaborations promise to drive innovation and ensure a sustainable future for both SRNL and its university partners.
For more information on SRNL’s joint appointment program or to learn more about our joint appointees, please visit the Joint Appointments page.