Laboratory Director's Award
2011 Fitzner-Eberhardt Award Winner(s)
Darrell Fisher
Senior Scientist, Isotope Sciences Program, Energy and Environment Directorate
Darrell has been a champion for excellence in science education in a wide variety of arenas over the years. His technical focus is in medical physics—or preparing students for graduate training in the radiological sciences, radiology, and nuclear medicine. Many of Darrell's interns have gone on to medical school, or to pursue graduate studies in medical physics. Darrell is a dedicated mentor, and in 2010 alone mentored three students from different Washington universities and colleges on subjects ranging from medical internal radiation, to nuclear medicine, to pharmaceutical sciences.
He takes a particular interest in helping students broaden their technical writing skills, helping them become better prepared for penning proposals or journal articles. Darrell developed and teaches classes on technical writing at Washington State University-Tri-Cities and also developed and taught a class in persuasive technical writing designed for Hanford managers, scientists, and engineers.
Dr. Fisher has partnered with many universities, both as an invited lecturer—with Columbia Basin College, Bellevue Community College, and WSU-TC—and in professional education outreach activities. He teamed with the faculty of the University of Minnesota Cancer Center to train physicians and others in the principles and practices of medical imaging for internal radiation dose assessment. He has also partnered with Idaho State University and the University of Missouri on projects that support student opportunities and learning, and joint research opportunities for PNNL staff. And he is in his 26th year as a co-investigator with the University of Washington School of Medicine and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center on a series of multi-faceted research projects.
In support of curriculum enhancement, Darrell participated in development workshops with Delta High School, reviewing teaching programs and providing meaningful feedback. He also volunteered to guest teach technical writing at Delta.
David McKinnon
Senior Research Scientist, Secure Cyber Systems Group, National Security Directorate
David is very active and highly regarded within Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He was selected as the 2010 Richland Section Engineer of the Year, and was recently elected as the Richland Section Chair. Through his involvement in the organization, David has had the opportunity to influence education policy. He was invited by IEEE-USA to Washington, D.C. in support of the Engineering Education for Innovation Act (E2), and was integral to securing Senator Murray's and Senator Cantwell's support of the bill. He was a driving force in the effort to rename one of IEEE's scholarships in honor of Jim Thomas. Donations in excess of $16,000 have already been received in support of the scholarship.
Over the years, David has been a dedicated mentor, collaborating with students in cyber security research, and championing their acceptance into programs to better further their careers. David was an important contributor in the organization of the first LEGO League (FLL) Regional Tournament in Eastern Washington. He helped recruit teams, train coaches, and put together the tournament's infrastructure. Each year, well over 100 area youth are introduced to the engineering process through this event.
Through his desire to make a difference in the careers of younger students, David assisted two local middle schools in their successful grant for the purchase of LEGO robotics, allowing them to participate in FLL tournaments at local and state levels. David has been an invited speaker at numerous universities, showcasing PNNL-led cyber security research. He also collaborated with these universities to provide researchers with improved experiences and greater access to resources at the Laboratory.