On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, the University of South Carolina’s National Laboratories Office (NLO) proudly hosted “Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Day at USC” in collaboration with the Savannah River National Laboratory.
Held in the Russell House University Union Ballroom, the event brought together USC students, faculty, and staff with SRNL scientists and leaders for a day filled with learning, networking, and career exploration. Attendees included participants from USC’s Columbia campus and our Palmetto College campus at USC Salkehatchie, reflecting the broad reach and impact of the partnership.
A Day of Insight and Engagement
The event opened with a welcome from Dr. Michael Matthews, Vice Dean of Engineering & Computing and Associate Vice President for Research and National Laboratory Relations, and Mark Barnes, Research Collaborations Director at SRNL, who emphasized the growing collaboration between USC and the national laboratories.
Kamilah Brown, NLO Program Manager at USC, followed by highlighting opportunities available through the National Laboratories Office’s student programs and support initiatives, inspiring students to explore national lab internships, research partnerships, and career pathways.
A lively panel discussion led by Johnnae Roberts featured SRNL scientists Sean Noble, Raden Gustinvil, Christian Harrison, and Jeanette Pina, who shared their experiences working in the national lab environment and offered insights into current research efforts and professional development.
Later, Valarie Preddy, SRNL Internship Program Lead, delivered an informative presentation on the range of internship, postdoctoral, and full-time career opportunities available through SRNL. Students then participated in a poster and networking session, connecting directly with SRNL researchers and USC representatives from the Office of Undergraduate Research and Career Services to learn about ways to engage with national lab research early in their academic journeys.
The day concluded with Lightning Talks from USC and SRNL researchers, highlighting cutting-edge work in advanced manufacturing, grid technologies, cyber assurance, and nuclear material science—a fitting end to a day that celebrated innovation, collaboration, and the next generation of scientific leaders.
Looking Ahead
The University of South Carolina’s partnership with SRNL continues to grow, opening doors for students to pursue meaningful research and career opportunities at national laboratories. With the momentum from this year’s event, the NLO looks forward to making SRNL Day at USC even bigger and better in 2026.
