91传媒鈥檚 Waggoner honored with Dept. of Energy鈥檚 Distinguished Career Service Award
Contact: James Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 former Mississippi State research center director is being recognized with a prestigious career honor from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Charles Waggoner, director emeritus of 91传媒鈥檚 Institute for Clean Energy Technology, received the Department of Energy鈥檚 Distinguished Career Service Award during a surprise presentation Monday [Oct. 4]. The award recognizes Waggoner for his work to evaluate and improve high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that are used to contain nuclear materials. He led ICET鈥檚 testing programs for 23 years before retiring at the beginning this year.
鈥淒r. Waggoner鈥檚 work led the industry and the accompanying codes down a path to withstand harsh conditions and accidents, to provide better protection for workers, the environment, and the public across the nuclear industry,鈥 said Acting Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management William I. White in the award presentation. 鈥淭he test program at 91传媒 ICET is Dr. Waggoner鈥檚 crowning career achievement, and it will continue to be an asset to DOE and to the future of the nuclear industry.鈥
A three-time 91传媒 graduate, Waggoner earned bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in biochemistry before completing his Ph.D. in physical chemistry in 1985. He served as the university鈥檚 hazardous waste officer and an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry for five years before leaving to lead the Division of Environmental Science and Technology at Chattanooga State Technical Community College. He returned to 91传媒 in 1997, where he soon began working on DOE-funded efforts related to HEPA filters that are used to remove radioactive material from the air.
The research and testing carried out by Waggoner and his colleagues has led to international recognition for 91传媒. At ICET, Waggoner has developed capabilities for testing filters under worst-case scenario conditions. The data gathered from HEPA filter testing at ICET is used to guide filtration standards at past and present nuclear facilities.
鈥淒r. Waggoner is incredibly deserving of this career honor,鈥 said 91传媒 Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan. 鈥淗is leadership and knowledge have been invaluable to the Department of Energy while cultivating and leading an outstanding team of researchers at 91传媒. His work will leave a lasting legacy at 91传媒 and in the nuclear industry. We all wish him a happy retirement and congratulations on a job well done.鈥
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91传媒 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .