Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

UT-Battelle LLC, which manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for the Department of Energy, recognized outstanding individuals and teams at the annual Awards Night event held Saturday at The Venue at Lenoir City. The prestigious awards celebrate exceptional contributions in research, operations, and community engagement.

The evening concluded with ORNL Director Stephen Streiffer presenting three Director’s Awards to those selected from among the honorees.

1. Ayana Ghosh received the “Director’s Award for Outstanding Individual Accomplishment in Science and Technology” for her pioneering work in integrating atomistic simulations with causal machine learning. Her innovative methods for real-time, autonomous experimental workflows are advancing the design and characterization of novel chemicals and materials, positioning her as a leader in computational sciences and materials research.
2. Benjamin Rothrock was honored with the “Director’s Award for Outstanding Individual Accomplishment in Operations” for his leadership in radioactive waste management at ORNL. Rothrock has driven significant improvements in waste reduction and processing, while mentoring staff and preparing ORNL for self-sufficiency in waste management. His leadership has saved the lab millions of dollars and set a new benchmark for safety and environmental stewardship, strengthening ORNL’s position as a leader in sustainable waste management practices.
3. The LandScan HD Novel Improvements Team received the “Director’s Award for Research Accomplishment in Science and Technology” for their development of AI-driven building-damage indicators and rapid population updates. Over the last year, the LandScan HD Team has developed novel, innovative methods to rapidly assess infrastructure damage in armed conflict zones and areas affected by natural disasters. The team members include Jacob Arndt, Philipe Ambrozio Dias, Justin Epting, Dalton Lunga, Jessica Moehl, Joe Pyle, Andrew Reith, Darrell Roddy, Benjamin Swan, Marie Urban, Sarah Walters, and Carson Woody.

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