Alumni Newsletter - February 2023 |
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Agile Career Mapping Aids Professional Development. In January, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) hosted a suite of career development activities to help fellows prepare for the next phase in their fellowship journey and for the NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program (NGFP) Career Fair. Activities included:
- One-on-one consultations with PNNL Human Resources consultants Emily Denslow and Timothy Babcock, who provided fellows feedback on their resumés, interview skills, and LinkedIn profiles.
- Career mapping with PNNL’s Leesa Duckworth and Matthew Taubman. Career mapping uses an agile process to guide fellows through experiential exploration of their career aspirations.
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Career Fair Connects Fellows with Enterprise. In February 2023, we hosted the annual Career Development Workshop and Career Fair in Washington DC. As the Class of 2022–2023 fellows prepare for their fellowships to conclude in June 2023, the events helped fellows connect with leaders from across the nuclear security enterprise and gain career advice for succeeding in the field of national security.
The Career Development Workshop featured a suite of presentations and panels about navigating, negotiating, and networking in national security, including:
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“Selecting Your Path in the Nuclear Security Enterprise” with alumni Jessica McNutt (Class of 2013–2014), Jere Freeh (Class of 2016–2017), and Zachary Diamond (Class of 2021–2022)
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Negotiation seminar with NGFP Program Manager and Class of 2015–2016 alum Tom Gray
- Networking with PNNL’s Matthew Taubman, physicist and staff development specialist
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"How to Make the Most out of a Career Fair” with Simón Arias (Class of 2019–2020)
The two-day event culminated in the NGFP Career Fair, which welcomed representatives from federal government, contractors, national laboratories, and nongovernmental organizations to connect with fellows about potential employment opportunities. Fellows participated in speed networking and individual interviews. The event connected over 40 fellows and nearly 30 employers from across the national security community.
Do you have a job opportunity to share with our fellows, or would you like to participate in future NGFP networking or career events? Let us know! We also invite you to share job opportunities on our NGFP Alumni LinkedIn page.
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Getting Ready for the Class of 2023–2024. We concluded interviews for the Class of 2023–2024, having conducted approximately 420 interviews with over 150 candidates, 10 NNSA program offices, four field offices, and the Department of State. As we finalize our hiring, this year’s class is shaping up to include more than 65 fellows who will be placed across the NNSA and the Department of State. We would like to thank the many alumni who joined us in the interview, hiring, and onboarding process. We can’t wait to see many of you at orientation in June!
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Coming to a University Near You! Outreach for our Class of 2024–2025 begins this spring. If you know a current or recent graduate student who might be interested, our application opens Wednesday, March 1 at pnnl.gov/apply-ngfp. If you would be interested in joining us for information sessions or have university contacts to suggest, let us know at ngfp@pnnl.gov.
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Fellows in the Field. The NGFP fellowship is not limited to work in NNSA’s Washington DC offices. Throughout the year, some fellows get the opportunity to visit laboratories and other technical facilities supporting the NNSA mission. Fellow Luis Vidana recently joined his mentor Shane Renteria on a tour to learn about different projects happening in Albuquerque, NM. Luis toured the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, formerly known as the Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility, which is one of the world's most powerful linear accelerators. The center is located in Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
“I learned about the Lujan Center, Proton Radiography, Isotope Production Facility, Ultracold Neutron source, and the Weapons Neutrons Research Facility. It has been beneficial learning about the roles each facility plays in the laboratory and in NNSA’s work,” Luis said.
Luis is a fellow in the NA-APM-20 Office of Enterprise Project Management. He has a MS in physics from The University of Texas at El Paso.
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Connecting in Person, Online, and Internationally. NGFP fellows often assist their offices with preparation for engagements connecting with stakeholders around the world. Fellow Jenna Gardner recently supported her office by assisting in the development of travel memos and meeting materials for NNSA senior leadership in preparation for the Emergency Preparedness and Response Working Group and Joint Steering Committee (JSC) meetings with the Israel Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC) hosted in Israel. She was then able to travel with the U.S. delegation to Israel to provide support during the meetings and participated in tours of IAEC facilities and historical sites throughout Israel.
“Supporting this engagement was a unique experience because I was able to see all of the preparation come to life in Israel while sitting in on these high-level meetings. I learned a lot about our relationship with the IAEC and the interesting and critical work being done under the JSC through the Emergency Preparedness and Response Working Group,” Jenna said.
Jenna is a fellow in the NA-81 Office of Nuclear Incident Policy and Cooperation. She has a MA in political science from Texas Tech University.
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While many in-person activities have resumed, virtual opportunities give fellows a convenient way to connect with events and stakeholders around the world. For example, NGFP fellow Natasha Barqawi recently participated virtually in the 7th International CBRN Safety and Security Conference that was held in Iraq December 4–6, 2022.
The event convened chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) professionals from around the world to exchange ideas regarding current and emerging national, regional, and global CBRN safety and security priorities. Natasha led the development of the presentation her office delivered at the event.
“It was great to see collaboration from a variety of different participants that all had the same objective: safety and security in the CBRN space. Coordinating the development of the presentation for the event was a useful experience and the skills I learned will be helpful for future engagements throughout my career,” said Natasha.
Natasha completed her MA in international security from the University of Denver, Josef Korbel School of International Studies in June 2022 and is currently a fellow in the NA-212 Office of Radiological Security.
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NEWS You Can Use. Sam Potier recently attended the Nuclear, Energy, Weapons, and Security (NEWS) course. Held virtually over 10 days, the course offers a Department of Energy (DOE) and NNSA historical and strategic-level overview of technical and political challenges that nuclear energy, nuclear proliferation, nuclear weapons, and energy security present. This course was intended for new hires or tenured DOE/NNSA staff seeking to further understand energy and nuclear challenges the NNSA and DOE face.
“Through the NEWS course, I broadened my understanding of the DOE and NNSA enterprises—a vital advantage as I take on cost-estimating duties for a wide range of NNSA projects,” Sam said.
Sam is a fellow in the NA-MB-92 Office of Analysis and Evaluation. He is pursuing a PhD in physics from the University of Notre Dame.
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Pursuing Professional Credentials. Fellows are allotted $10,000 for travel and training aligned to their individual assignments and professional development. Recently fellow Chet Haner used his resources to complete his Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute. PMP is the globally recognized project management certification.
“The training helped me gain the understanding and skills needed to better manage federal programs,” Chet said. This permanent addition to his resumé helps to highlight his abilities to future employers and the credential bolsters his potential in the post-fellowship job market.
Chet is a fellow in the NA-183 Office of Systems Engineering and Integration, where he has accepted a federal offer as a program analyst. He will continue to be the lead Defense Program analyst for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States as well as contribute to the annual Stockpile Stewardship Management Plan. He has a MPA in international and global affairs from the Harvard Kennedy School.
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Lunch and Learn with Alumni. In December, fellows were invited to a Lunch and learn session with NGFP alum Angelina Loverde. Angelina was a fellow in the Class of 2017–2018 when she served in the Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation. Today she is a management analyst in the Office of Management and Budget. During the information session, she shared her experience and career journey with the NNSA. If you would be interested in participating in a Lunch and Learn with the fellows, contact ngfp@pnnl.gov.
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Happy New Year! The 2021–2022 annual report is now available online with a spotlight on some stellar alumni who have gone on to serve the national security mission in interesting ways. Highlights include:
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Scott Roecker (Class of 2003–2004), Bonnie Canion (Class of 2015–2016), Jessica Bufford (Class of 2013–2014), Erin Connolly (Class of 2021–2022), Alicia Swift (Class of 2012–2013), Victoria Sanchez (Class of 2018–2019), and Marissa Moore (Class of 2016–2017) at the International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification JUNEX tabletop disarmament verification exercise.
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Taylor Hart-McGonigle (Class of 2019– 2020) and Lindsey Gehrig (Class of 2009–2010) and the NNSA's Women in Nonproliferation Series.
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Angely Martinez (Class of 2020–2021) and the Eurasia Foundation Young Professionals Network
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Samuel Perry (Class of 2021–2022), Alexander Godinez-Robinson (Class of 2019–2020), Tom Gray (Class of 2015–2016), and David Etim (Class of 2016–2017) and the 2022 Stewardship Science Academic Programs Symposium.
Do you have an alumni highlight for our next report or newsletter? Please send to ngfp@pnnl.gov.
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Save the Date. We will be celebrating the completion of the Class of 2022–2023 on May 17, 2023, in Washington DC. All alumni are welcome to join us in the Forrestal cafeteria for the closing ceremony reception. Please save the date and we’ll follow up with more details soon.
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Got Jobs? If you have an opportunity that might be of interest to other alumni, we invite you to share on our LinkedIn alumni page! You can also send suggestions to ngfp@pnnl.gov. |
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NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
1100 Dexter Ave N, Suite 400
Seattle, WA 98109 USA
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