|
|
|
Roger Stoller, Ph.D.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
“Understanding how standards are developed and used can help provide almost anyone a stronger basis for career choices and subsequent career development.” |
|
|
|
|
|
Q. |
|
Who is your current employer and what is your current position? |
|
|
|
|
|
A. |
|
I am a distinguished research staff member in the Metals and Ceramics Division of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in Oak Ridge, Tenn., one of the U.S. Department of Energy's research and development laboratories. |
|
|
|
|
|
Q. |
|
Where did you obtain your undergraduate/ graduate degree(s) and in what fields? |
|
|
|
|
|
A. |
|
My undergraduate degree is in nuclear engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), followed by a master's degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. I subsequently worked for General Electric before returning to UCSB where I earned my Ph.D. in chemical engineering. |
|
|
|
|
|
Q. |
|
When and why did you become involved in ASTM International? |
|
|
|
|
|
A. |
|
My first contact with ASTM was attending the 11th International Symposium on the Effects of Radiation on Materials in 1982. I became involved in ASTM Committee E10 on Nuclear Technology and Applications around 1986 when a colleague at ORNL asked me to participate in Subcommittee E10.08 on Procedures for Neutron Radiation Damage Simulation. |
|
|
|
|
|
Q. |
|
In which committees are you active? Are you a committee officer; if so, what group or groups? |
|
|
|
|
|
A. |
|
My primary committee affiliation is with E10, although I also participate in Committee C26 on Nuclear Fuel Cycle. Since about 1990 I have been the chairman of Subcommittee E10.08. My other primary technical involvement has been in Subcommittee E10.02 on Behavior and Use of Nuclear Structural Materials. I am currently serving as the chairman of Committee E10, and along the way I have also served as E10 secretary and vice-chairman. On the administrative side, I was a member and officer of the ASTM Committee on Publications for about nine years, and was elected to the ASTM Board of Directors for a three-year term in 2004. |
|
|
|
|
|
Q. |
|
How do you apply ASTM standards in your work? |
|
|
|
|
|
A. |
|
Because my current research involves primarily computational modeling and simulation, it does not involve direct application of any ASTM standards per se. However, the mechanical property data we are trying to simulate or predict is typically generated in compliance with ASTM standards such as test methods E 8 and E 23 from Committee E28 on Mechanical Testing, and E 384 from Committee E4 on Metallography. A broad range of E10-developed standards applies to the irradiation-specific aspects of mechanical testing and characterization of the irradiation environments the materials are exposed to. |
|
|
|
|
|
Q. |
|
Apart from using standards, are there advantages to participating in standards development? |
|
|
|
|
|
A. |
|
Participating in the standards development process provides a good opportunity to broaden one's professional knowledge base while learning how to work effectively as the member of a team. We all tend to be highly specialized in our jobs, but working on a standard often involves close interaction with folks from somewhat different disciplines and whose approach to a particular problem may be quite different from our own. Working through the ASTM consensus process with a diverse group of people can be an education in itself. The Biblical metaphor "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17) is often apropos. |
|
|
|
|
|
Q. |
|
What are some of your favorite aspects of your job? |
|
|
|
|
|
A. |
|
The most satisfying things fall into two categories. The first is technical. I have the opportunity to work in a very challenging environment, with access to some of the best test equipment, irradiation facilities, and computers available today. As a result, I can be involved in science at the growing edge as well as in the development of relevant energy technology. The second is more social. Because the development of science has become more and more an international affair, I have been able to enjoy developing working relationships and friendships with colleagues from countries around the world. Many of these relationships have been established in the context of E10 committee work and symposia. |
|
|
|
|
|
Q. |
|
Are there advantages that you can identify that result from having an understanding of standards? |
|
|
|
|
|
A. |
|
Standards play a vital role in the development of raw data that supports the evolution of both fundamental and engineering science. In the commercial world, they facilitate domestic business-to-business transactions, and international commerce. As a result, understanding how standards are developed and used can help provide almost anyone a stronger basis for career choices and subsequent career development. |
|
|
|
|
|
Q. |
|
Are there any words of wisdom that you can offer to professionals starting out in your field? |
|
|
|
|
|
A. |
|
I am not sure I have many words of wisdom. However, I would advise any young scientist or engineer to look for opportunities for professional involvement outside their employment and beyond the immediate needs of their employer. ASTM provides a good venue for this involvement, and perusing the ASTM website provides a good idea of the range of interests represented within the technical committees.
2005
|
