ABQ Times

Two Sandia National Laboratories researchers, Tina Nenoff and Babu Chalamala, have been elected as members of the prestigious National Academy of Engineering, as announced on Apr 3, 2024. They are part of the 114 new members and 21 international members inducted as the class of 2024.

Tina Nenoff, a Sandia Fellow, has been recognized for her groundbreaking research in nanoporous materials and its application in addressing societal and national security challenges. Nenoff's collaboration with colleagues led to the cleansing of an estimated 160 million gallons of radioactive water at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Reflecting on her election, Nenoff credited her success to early parental support, exceptional mentors, and a passion for impactful research. She expressed, “I am honored and humbled to have been elected a member of the NAE.”

On the other hand, Babu Chalamala, who joined Sandia in 2015, has been instrumental in advancing grid storage technologies, contributing significantly to the modernization of the electricity infrastructure. Chalamala expressed his humility at the honor of being elected, saying, “Being elected to the National Academies is a major career milestone, and you feel honored and happy to know that your engineering contributions have significant merit.”

Both Nenoff and Chalamala are recognized for their exceptional engineering contributions and their roles in fostering research to address complex challenges through engineering excellence. The formal induction ceremony for the NAE’s 2024 class, including Nenoff and Chalamala, is scheduled for Sept. 29, 2024.

The National Academy of Engineering, established in 1964, serves as a prestigious honor society for engineers and provides guidance to the federal government on engineering-related issues. Its membership comprises individuals who have made significant contributions to engineering research, practice, or education, as well as those who have pioneered new fields of technology.