Clemson, SRNL announce joint appointment to advance energy research

Scientist Dale Hitchcock of the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) joined Clemson University as a joint faculty appointee to support innovation in advanced materials for energy.

Hitchcock, a scientist in the SRNL’s Tritium Technology Division, becomes the lab’s second joint appointee to work at Clemson, joining SRNL materials expert Jake Amoroso. Several Clemson faculty also have joint appointments at SRNL.

“I am happy to see our long-standing relationship with Savannah River National Laboratory continue to grow, providing unique opportunities for both our faculty and our students to pursue meaningful research that aligns with federal priorities and enhances the nation’s position as a global leader in energy innovation,” said Tanju Karanfil, senior vice president for research, scholarship and creative endeavors at Clemson University.

SRNL’s Joint Appointment Program is designed to strategically increase the number of collaborations between SRNL and U.S. academic institutions to further research and technical workforce activities of interest to both SRNL and academia. Joint appointees serve as a bridge between academic institutions, SRNL researchers and students to deliver the future workforce for SRNL and the Department of Energy.

Hitchcock joins the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Science.

“I am excited for the opportunity to further collaborate with Clemson,” Hitchcock said. “As an alumni of the Clemson Department of Physics and Astronomy, it is always nice to work with previous collaborators. The main areas of collaboration will be the synthesis and characterization of advanced materials for both energy and nuclear applications. I am also excited for the opportunity to further interact with students. Beyond the technical aspects of the collaboration, I see this as a great opportunity for workforce development in the state of South Carolina.”

Hitchcock joined SRNL in 2015 as a staff scientist after working as a postdoctoral researcher in SRNL’s Energy Materials group. His work at SRNL has primarily focused on material interactions with tritium, an isotope of hydrogen.

“We are excited to have Dr. HItchcock join us as we seek to expand our opportunities for student research in condensed matter physics,” said Chad Sosolik, chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.