Oak Ridge Associated Universities 2006 Annual Report

HIGHLIGHT
PROFILE
Scientist Finds Ways to Harness
Fog Efficiently
To many, fog conjures moods of mystery and obscures
the path ahead, but, for Dr. Dave Sree, fog is not so
elusive and can be captured, measured, and used for
environmental purposes.
As a part of the ORNL/ORAU HBCU/MEI Faculty
Summer Research Participation Program at ORNL,
Sree helped to develop fog collection systems that are
as energy efficient as possible.
Originally from India, Sree now makes his home
in Alabama, where he teaches in the mechanical
engineering department at Tuskegee University (TU).
The university is a member school of the ORAU
HBCU/MEI Council. Sree has taught there since
1990 and was awarded “Professor of the Year” by TU
engineering students in 1997 and 2004.
Working with research partner Dr. Peter J. Todd in
ORNL’s Chemical Sciences Division, Sree’s research
involved evaluating a fog collection system from a fluid
dynamics point of view and helping develop it into an
energy-efficient and cost-effective system.
“Fog and smog collection systems have an important
bearing on environmental management,” Sree said,
adding that fog can also be used as a source of fresh
water. Fog collection research is also used in other
scientific research areas, such as atmospheric science
and in studies of industrial pollution.
One of the highlights of his experience was with a
group of about 20 TU students who visited the lab
in July, he said. The mostly science majors toured the
lab and heard presentations from former TU students,
as well as Sree. The visit was designed to pique the
students’ interest in internship opportunities available
at ORNL during the summer.
Image Information:
At ORNL, Sree studies ways to build machines that collect
fog while saving energy. Sree’s assignment was sponsored
by the ORNL/ORAU HBCU/MEI Faculty Summer Research
Participation Program. Sree teaches at Tuskegee University.
In 2006, ORAU was a major sponsor of
the national conference “White House
Initiative on HBCU” in Washington,
D.C., where U.S. Department of
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings,
pictured above, highlighted two new
grants—the Academic Competitiveness
Grant and the National Science and
Mathematics Access to Retain Talent
Grant—which will provide $790 million in
funding for the 2006-2007 academic year
and $4.5 billion over the next five years.
The grants encouraged students to take
more challenging high school courses
and pursue high-demand college majors,
specifically in math and science and in
certain foreign languages.
ORAU is also working with HBCUs to
advance their research enterprise through
the integration of research, innovation,
and commercialization and to create
opportunities for dialogue on education,
research, and policy issues that impact
continued growth and sustainability of
HBCUs.
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