Fisk University is Member of ROSES Consortium and Awarded Grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Agency

Nashville, Tenn., May 23, 2015 – Fisk University is one of the ten Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) - Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Alcorn University, Delaware State University, Fisk University, Florida A&M University (lead) , Morehouse College, Prairie View A&M University, Southern University, Baton Rouge, and Southern University, New Orleans, -  who together with three national labs,Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) have been funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)  to establish a Consortium for Research on the Science and Engineering of Signatures (ROSES). 

The initial period of funding is for three years, during which Fisk’s award will total $420,000.  Fisk Professor of Physics, Dr. Arnold Burger, will serve as principal investigator for the Fisk project. The objective of this research project is to couple the work of Fisk’s scientists and train undergraduate and graduate students in areas related to the development of novel radiation sensors that have applications in the detection of nuclear material for national security applications.  Two Fisk graduate students, who are also participants in the Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-Ph.D. Bridge program, will participate this summer in internships at PNNL and Y-12, as part of the ROSES consortium activities.  In addition, Fisk will train up to six undergraduates during its summer research program involving collaborative projects with national labs.

Fisk President H. James Williams stated, “This grant is supporting Fisk’s mission, by integrating our applied research with our educational activities, and by training our students in cutting-edge, interdisciplinary projects.  It also recognizes Fisk’s longstanding contributions to the delivery of immediate scientific solutions in support of our nation’s security programs.  We congratulate our team for forging an important partnership to facilitate the career advancement of our graduates, by placing them in positions of leadership in important areas of science and technology.”