ORISE celebrates our mentors during National Mentoring Month

January is National Mentoring Month, and we're celebrating the incredible mentors who guide and inspire participants in ORISE-administered internship and fellowship programs!

Check out these notes of appreciation from ORISE participants, highlighting the meaningful impact their mentors have had on their journeys.

• Dan Baxter

  Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

  

  “Dan Baxter has been one of the most encouraging mentors I have had the pleasure of collaborating with. I don't just mean in the sense that he offers good advice or is usually optimistic, though these are also true. Beyond helping me push my research ahead, Dan reminds me to enjoy what we do. He frequently draws my attention to experience I have gained, things I have learned, or how progress in a project has broader applications. He goes out of his way to point out the effect that I have had, how I could improve, or how far I have come. 

  In any given project, there will be lots of challenges. As scientists, we do our best to predict where they will be and prepare accordingly, but inevitably we will be surprised by many. Despite how frustrating these can be, I find it hard to be discouraged when collaborating with Dan because of his innate habit of looking forward. It's a skill that I hope to develop throughout my career.

  So, thank you Dan!”

  — Kyle Kennard, ORISE participant, U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science Graduate Student Research Program

• Don Caverly

  Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  

  “I could not have imagined me being placed with a more fitting mentor. I am a nontraditional student and Don, without knowing it, showed me that despite going back to school and starting a new path, I still had just as much to offer. He wanted me to become enmeshed in the culture here at ORNL so that I could truly envision being employed here one day. Don has vast knowledge that he did everything he could to pass on to me. I never felt like he was unapproachable and he made me feel at home from day one. Don wanted me to experience all that the lab has to offer and made sure I went on every tour as well as orchestrated a few of his own for the interns in my building. I felt that getting a job at the lab one day was something well within my reach due to his support. I put myself out there and took a chance applying, and as a result, I will start full time in January as an operator. I graduated in December, and thanks to Don, I had the courage to apply for my dream job.”

  — Allie Davis, ORISE participant, Education Collaboration at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

• Djuna Gulliver

  Researcher, National Energy Technology Laboratory

  

  “Thank you to Dr. Djuna Gulliver for her exceptional mentorship, support, and motivation. Her example inspired me to pursue my Ph.D. in environmental engineering, and serving as my co-advisor, she saw me grow as a researcher. With my time at NETL as an ORISE fellow, I gained experience with difficult microbial samples from energy-related environments. Through this opportunity, I learned a lot about trusting the process. Dr. Gulliver taught me a level of patience and resilience that goes beyond the lab. Thanks to her guidance, I learned world-class techniques to study these organisms, and was able to drastically improve my science communication to a variety of audiences. Having had the opportunity to be involved in the full research cycle—from experimental design in the Geochemistry & Geomicrobiology Laboratory to field sampling, sample processing, analysis, and publication—has fundamentally prepared me for my future.”

  — Preom Sarkar, ORISE participant, National Energy Technology Laboratory

• Amanda Marcott-Thottunkal

  Deputy Division Director, Community Development, Oklahoma Department of Commerce

  

  “I would like to express my sincere appreciation for my mentor, Ms. Amanda Marcott-Thottunkal, who has had a truly positive impact on my experience. She supported me by clearly explaining Oklahoma’s energy sector and actively involving me in both technical and management discussions. Amanda consistently shared valuable information about how electrical systems in the State of Oklahoma operate, the relationship between the state and the DOE, and the challenges in the electrical infrastructure, including outage patterns and potential improvements. She was extremely helpful, informative, patient, and supportive throughout the project. Despite having many responsibilities, Amanda always responded quickly and took the time to guide me. I am genuinely grateful for her mentorship.”

  — Rahman Ashena, ORISE participant, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Energy Innovator Fellowship

• Randy Ngelale

  R&D Staff - Chemical Engineer, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  

  “Randy Ngelale has been an incredible mentor and teacher throughout my experience at ORNL. With his expertise in chemical engineering and uranium science, he has been instrumental in helping me further my skills and better understand the chemical processes I model. With my background in nuclear engineering, much of the chemistry is outside of my usual academic focus. Still, Randy walked me through every step of the process to ensure I understood it as well as I could. This excellent teaching and mentorship has allowed me to apply my computational skills to build models and interfaces that have an impactful role in the Uranium Science and Technology Center (USTC)'s efforts. Randy is always happy to answer any of my questions, but he also trusts my abilities and ideas, which has made for a welcoming and collaborative environment. I look forward to continuing to learn from and collaborate with Randy on this project!”

  — Lauren Bailey, ORISE participant, Graduate Research Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

• Jeffery Owens

  Air Force Civil Engineer Center

  

  “I want to thank Dr. Owens for creating an environment where I feel trusted and supported. He allows me to move at a pace that fits my learning, and he is always there with thoughtful feedback when I need direction. I can tell he genuinely believes in me, and that trust has given me a strong sense of confidence throughout my learning experience. His steady support has made a meaningful difference, and I’m truly grateful for it.”

  — Adam Puchalski, ORISE participant, Air Force Civil Engineer Center

• Natalie Pekney

  Environmental Engineer, National Energy Technology Laboratory

  

  “My mentor… has been very supportive and has provided me with the resources that are required for my research planning, fieldwork, and data gathering at different scales of measurements and analysis. My interaction with my mentor has exposed me to the understanding of how to apply scientific and technical knowledge in the field of natural gas emissions, measurements and quantifications in the oil and gas infrastructure. The experience with my mentor has provided me with confidence that my appointment will be a success, thanks to the practical guidance and constructive feedback provided by my mentor.”

  — Ogochukwu Azike, ORISE participant, National Energy Technology Laboratory

• Lindsey Perkin

  Research Molecular Biologist, U.S. Department of Agriculture

  

  “I am honored to be part of the SCINet AI Center of Excellence (SCINet/AI COE) Fellowship, where Dr. Lindsey Perkin has been an outstanding mentor. Whether I have science-related questions or need personal guidance, Dr. Perkin always responds with empathy and insight. She truly puts herself in my shoes. As a U.S. Army Reserve service member, my schedule can shift unexpectedly, but she has supported my commitment to national service wholeheartedly. Her mentorship has profoundly shaped both my professional growth and personal resilience. I’m grateful for her leadership and compassion.”

  — Adama Tukuli, ORISE participant, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service

• Junqi Yin

  Computational Scientist, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  

  “Junqi, a highly professional mentor, provided invaluable assistance during my recent project, offering me both professional and technical suggestions. Junqi also took me on a tour of the office building, where I had the pleasure of visiting the Frontier HPC facility, and introduced me to the various departments.”

  — Shouwei Gao, ORISE participant, Graduate Research Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory