- ORISE has provided me with so many great opportunities. And it has allowed me to gain a lot of skills and better my skills. So I feel like I've become better in my leadership role, communication and presenting skills, just learning new things. And this all couldn't have been possible without my opportunity to be a part of ORISE. So I would highly recommend it to others and hopefully they can enjoy their experience as much as I have so far. - This is the "ORISE Featurecast." Join host Michael Holtz for conversations with ORISE experts on STEM workforce development, scientific and technical reviews, and the evaluation of radiation exposure and environmental contamination. You'll also hear from ORISE research program participants and their mentors as they talk about their experiences and how they are helping shape the future of science. Welcome to the "ORISE Featurecast." - Well, welcome to another episode of the "ORISE Featurecast." I'm your host, as always, Michael Holtz from the Communications Department at ORISE. And I am excited today to talk to another one of the amazing ORISE Future of Science Award winners. Today I'm talking with Brooke Vollmer. Brooke, welcome to the "ORISE Futurecast." - Oh, thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited to speak with you all today. - I'm glad to have you here. So Brooke, first of all, how excited are you to have been named one of the inaugural ORISE Future of Science Award winners? - Oh, I am still so excited and it's been a little while since the ceremony and everything. I was so excited to even be nominated by my mentor. - Yeah. - And so that was already, I felt so honored. And so to actually be selected and to win it was just a whole other level. Yeah, it was just really exciting and it feels like I've been doing the right thing so far throughout my career. And yeah, just really achieving personally. - That's awesome. And, of course, for folks who don't know the Future of Science Award comes with a lovely cash prize as well as a plaque. But cash is always a good thing, right? - Oh yeah. It took care of my rent for a month, which is awesome. - There you go. - So . - There you go. So Brooke, tell us a little bit about what you're doing. Basically the work that you did that got you nominated and ultimately resulted in your winning the award. - Yeah, so I work for the research branch at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. So we are specifically in the personal protective technology laboratory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And we kind of all do research on a very similar goal, which is to perform projects that address respiratory protection for workers and the general population. Especially after the pandemic that we have kind of gone through for the last couple of years now. So a lot of the research I do involves testing the filter media. So the filtration efficiency of respirators and the fit. So the fit capability of masks on both people and on these mannequin head forms that we have. So yeah, it's just a lot of PPE that we work with and to test their performance and to give feedback to others. And help with recommendations and best practices. So. - Well, given everything that we've been through as a country and as a world with the pandemic and, you know, it sounds like really important and valuable work. Especially for the workers who need to use that PPE on a daily basis. - Yes, absolutely. And it feels very rewarding to be doing that kind of work too, because I knew kinda from the start, even in grade school and college, I wanted to do work that was helping others. And so, yeah. - Well so, let's talk about that. So you're doing work that's helping others. You're in a STEM field. Was science sort of always something you imagined yourself doing? Was science always an interest of yours? - Yes. I think I found myself in grade school even, like I was really interested in the science classes. I loved the biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology was just one of my favorite classes ever. And I found that even after classes ended, I just continued to want to learn more about these topics. And that's what made me kind of go into college with wanting to get a biology degree and continue that education. And yeah, I just knew I wanted to stay in the STEM world. And becoming an ORISE Fellow really helped me jumpstart that career for me, so. - That's awesome. So how did you, speaking of someone who has not been an ORISE Fellow, how did you find out about the opportunity that you are now working in? - Yeah, so I guess I can talk about how I first started working for NPPTL. - Absolutely. - So I was a summer intern in summer of 2019 for a couple of months and that was my first experience with the research team and this kind of branch of research that we do. And so after that internship, I went back to college and finished my senior year. Graduated in 2020 where Covid was full speed ahead. But I was very thankful to be able to come back to the laboratory as a regular Fellow at that time in August of 2020, I believe. And from then I knew ORISE was in the future for me. Just from my colleagues past experiences, they kinda did that same step up to ORISE Fellow eventually. And so I was really looking forward to that chance for me. And in August of 2021 is when it was presented to me and I just knew I needed to take it. And it would help me both personally and as a team member to grow if I were to take that position. So that is how I came about to ORISE. - That's amazing. You talked about early on that you were honored to be nominated by your mentor. Talk about your relationship with your mentor and how that has been beneficial to you. - Yes. So I have worked alongside my mentor since I was a summer intern. - Okay. - So we have grown a wonderful relationship. We work very well together. And I just am always excited to learn something new from him. I feel like he shares his experiences that he's gone through and all of his knowledge with me every day. And so, I just have always really enjoyed working underneath him and having him teach me all that he knows. And he's truly helped me get to where I am today and given me the confidence to do the research that I do. And yeah, we just have a great relationship and couldn't have asked for a better mentor. - Awesome. Well let's give a shout out. What's the name of your mentor? - Yes, my mentor is Michael Bergman. He has been with NPPTL for a little while now and he's gained a ton of experience with this research lab. So, yes, thank you, Mike. You are awesome. - Shout out to Mike. Woo. - Yes. - I know you're a young researcher. Have you had the opportunity, at this point, to mentor other up and coming scientists? - Yeah, there's been glimpses of mentorship roles- - Okay. - For me. A lot of my research involves working with a bunch of different equipment. So I will have the chance to help, well first, I have to learn how to use the equipment myself. And then, of course, as I become more comfortable with it, I can help summer interns who are coming in and out of the laboratory learn how to use the different kinds of equipment. People who are coming in for tours of our laboratories. I always like to tell them kind of what we use, how it works, what it does. And along with that, just sharing my own experiences with other colleagues, new interns that are coming in and out of the lab. Yeah, I just like to share my experiences as much as I can. And to me, that's my own little way of mentoring other people. So. - Awesome. I assume you see that as part of sort of your future being a Mike to other- - yeah. - Scientists down the road, right? - Yeah, and I would be honored to be in that kind of position down the road. So, yeah. - Awesome. Talk a little bit about, I know you're part of a team, and science, you know, doesn't happen in a vacuum. You know, you're not just doing your one little thing over here, you're collaborating with other researchers, other scientists. Talk about that process for you and what that's like to work with, you know, folks that, you know, maybe come from different disciplines or come from different aspects of science. - Yeah, I feel like collaboration is constantly happening at the laboratory I'm at. So we are always working together to help make decisions on current projects, as well as future projects. And that could mean developing a test plan or deciding on a test setup or modifying a test setup that would better fit the study that we are focusing on. But although collaboration is always happening within the research branch, it expands from that too. So we collaborate with outside organizations all the time to work on different projects together. And, yeah, it's been a really big tool to use within the research world for sure. Collaboration is key, I often say. - Awesome, that's great. So what does the future look like for Brooke Vollmer? - Oh, I would honestly love to continue exactly what I'm doing. - Okay. - I love the research that I do and I love the branch that I work for and everyone that's involved in it. I've been so happy to be where I'm at. And honestly, if I can progress in this same position, I would gladly take that offer. So. - Awesome. And I assume, since you've had such a great experience, you would recommend an ORISE Fellowship for other young researchers, up and coming scientists, right? - Oh, of course. ORISE has provided me with so many great opportunities and it has allowed me to gain a lot of skills and better my skills. So I feel like I've become better in my leadership role, communication and presenting skills, just learning new things. And this all couldn't have been possible without my opportunity to be a part of ORISE. So I would highly recommend it to others, and hopefully they can enjoy their experience as much as I have have so far. - Awesome. Have you had the opportunity to present research? Do you like post recessions that sort of thing? - Yeah, I've presented a lot of projects that I contributed to just internally. So within the research branch we'll have monthly updates that I'll give on the projects that are ongoing. I've also done some larger scale presentations for journals. I've done a biannual conference presentation. And a science symposium for NIOSH. Just a lot of great opportunities and a couple big presentations, for sure, that I've been really excited to be a part of. - That's really cool. And I think that's, you know, something we don't always talk about on the front end of an ORISE experience is, you know, you get these opportunities to not only work lab side with a mentor, like in your case with Mike, but you get to present, you get to network with other scientists at conferences and other events. And I have to imagine that's been a really important part of your overall experience. - Yes, absolutely. I think those experiences have allowed me to grow even more. To be able to have those collaboration moments and to showcase the work that we've done internally with the outside world is just all you could ever want is to have your research showcased that way. So I've been very honored to have taken on that role and to be the presenter in those situations. - Awesome. Last question for you, Brooke. What brings you joy? - Oh my, that is a tough question 'cause I feel like so many things bring me joy. From a career standpoint, doing the work that I feel so passionate about, which is to help others and to address the needs of others, in this case, for respiratory protection. Yeah, it's just bringing me a lot of joy to do the work that I do. To work alongside wonderful colleagues and under a wonderful mentor. I couldn't ask for more. - Awesome. - As well as just the support of my family and friends. They're all so excited for me and the opportunities that I've been given so far. And yeah, a lot of things provide me joy and work has been a huge factor for that. So. - Awesome. Well, Brooke Vollmer, thank you so much for spending a few minutes with me talking about your work and your Future of Science Award. It's been a real pleasure and I wish you the best of luck and hope we get to cross paths again soon and talk more about the work that you're doing. - Yes, absolutely. Thank you so much for having me and it's been awesome to talk with you. - All right, thank you so much. Have a great day. - Yeah, you too. Thank you. - Thank you for listening to the "ORISE Featurecast." To learn more about the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, visit orise.orau.gov. Or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at ORISE Connect. If you like the "ORISE Featurecast," give us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.