Aiken, SC – Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Director Dr. Vahid Majidi and the Fellow Committee have bestowed the honor of laboratory fellow to Dr. James (Jim) Klein and Dr. Eliel Villa-Aleman.
Dr. Klein and Dr. Villa-Aleman have been given the distinction of laboratory fellow for their outstanding scientific achievements in their field, recognition by their peers, and exceptional accomplishments for SRNL.
“We proudly recognize these two distinguished individuals for their professional achievements and contributions to SRNL and the nation,” said Dr. Majidi. “This is our second year conducting our fellow’s program and we believe we identified two of the best to recognize with this honor.”
SRNL established the Laboratory Fellow Program in February 2020. To receive the accolade, employees must first be nominated and then recommended by the Fellow Committee and Review Panel to the laboratory director, who ultimately bestows the title.
“The laboratory fellow achievement is the highest recognition SRNL gives to its top researchers and engineers,” said Paul Cloessner, SRNL fellow and SRNL Fellow Committee chair. “This recognition is a true reflection of the talent SRNL holds.”
Dr. Jim Klein has served the nation through his work at SRNL for 34 years. He began his FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT Elizabeth Harm 803-646-0398 Elizabeth.Harm@srnl.doe.gov Dr. James (Jim) Klein has been given the distinction of SRNL Laboratory Fellow for his outstanding scientific achievement in his field, recognition by his peers, and exceptional accomplishments for SRNL. Dr. Eliel Villa-Aleman has been recognized as a 2021 SRNL Laboratory Fellow for his outstanding scientific achievement in his field, recognition by his peers, and exceptional accomplishments for SRNL. srnl.doe.gov career at SRNL developing process technologies for NNSA tritium missions. He is recognized across the Department of Energy (DOE) and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) as an expert in tritium process technology and has been instrumental in leading research and development activities and life-cycle support for tritium system and facility design, start-up, operations, and decommissioning. He led the implementation of the tritium In-Bed Accountability (Calorimetry) technique for large metal hydride beds, which is now the internationally accepted measurement method for this technology.
Dr. Eliel Villa-Aleman leads the Laser Spectroscopy Laboratory for the characterization of materials and processes. During his tenure at SRNL, now spanning more than 30 years, he conducted or led research in spectroscopy, remote sensing, thermal signatures, high-speed imaging, and particle collection systems based on electrostatic precipitation technologies. These techniques and tools have been used to enhance spectroscopic characterization of actinides, particle collections of high explosives tests, and vicarious calibration of the Multispectral Thermal Imager (MTI) satellite.
Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is a Department of Energy multi-program research and development center that puts science to work to protect the nation by providing practical, cost-effective solutions to the nation’s environmental, nuclear security, nuclear materials management, and energy manufacturing challenges
Dr. James (Jim) Klein and Dr. Eliel Villa-Aleman
Media contact: SRNL Media Relations