Kristen Pace, a doctoral candidate in inorganic chemistry, and Christian Juillerat, a doctoral candidate in chemistry, have each been awarded a first-place prize in the Innovations in Nuclear Technology R&D Awards sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Technology R&D.

Pace’s award is in the Material Recovery and Waste Form Development category of the open competition. Her research paper, “Na2(UO2)(BO3): An All-Uranium(V) Borate Synthesized under Mild Hydrothermal Conditions,” was published in the journal Inorganic Chemistry in April 2018.

 

 Juillerat’s award is in the Used Fuel Disposition category. Her award-winning research paper, “Overstepping Lӧwenstein’s Rule — a Route to Unique Aluminophosphate Frameworks with 3D Salt-Inclusion and Ion Exchange Properties,” was published in the journal Inorganic Chemistry in December 2018.

The Department of Energy has long recognized that university students are an important source of breakthrough solutions and a key component in meeting its long-term goals. The Innovations in Nuclear Technology R&D Awards Program was developed to recognize these students and their contributions to nuclear technology. The program awarded 25 prizes in 2019 for student publications relevant to innovative nuclear technology.