Whitworth Undergraduates Share ASL Experiences

WSU’s Applied Sciences Laboratory in Spokane offers unique physical science research opportunities to local undergraduate students

By Tara Roberts, for the Institute for Shock Physics

Jacob Blomdahl, a senior engineering student at Whitworth University, was already interested in
pursuing a career in research and development. But after conducting hands-on research
through Washington State University’s Applied Sciences Laboratory (ASL) in Spokane, he’s
considering a new goal: working at a National Laboratory.

The United States’ 17 Department of Energy National Laboratories employ thousands of
researchers, and the need for highly skilled employees with U.S. citizenship is growing. To build
a pathway for students in the Spokane region to pursue advanced degrees and go on to these
in-demand careers, ASL — the applied research component of WSU’s Institute for Shock
Physics (ISP) — is providing Whitworth students with research and educational opportunities.
Whitworth students have worked at ASL since the laboratory was founded in 2004, but a
memorandum of understanding finalized in May 2024 formalizes the partnership.

Students who gain experience at ASL are prepared for graduate school, including at the WSU
Pullman campus, where they can conduct research in ISP’s innovative, multidisciplinary labs.
In addition to offering undergraduate research opportunities at one of Spokane’s only physical
sciences labs, the partnership also aims to benefit the region, the state and the nation, including
by developing a highly skilled workforce and spurring economic growth by attracting research
funding.

Student interns are valuable and significant contributors to ASL’s research. Hergen Eilers, ASL
associate director and research professor, has mentored many Whitworth students in his lab
and said he is excited for the possibilities this enhanced partnership will bring: “It gets students
interested in moving up the ladder into a career path that would help them and contribute to
national security related careers.”

Whitworth engineering professor Kamesh Sankaran said the WSU partnership offers students
additional training they can’t get through Whitworth’s undergraduate-only program.
“We want to provide opportunities for students to be able to do this kind of cutting-edge
research,” Sankaran said. “We’re very fortunate that ASL is right here in Spokane.”

Gaining Valuable Skills

Much of ASL’s research is funded by the Department of Defense or Department of Energy, but
its results go beyond defense applications. Students who gain experience at the lab are
prepared to work in fields including environmental sciences, nuclear sciences and climate
science, Eilers said. National Laboratory researchers also study fundamental science, building
the foundation for advanced technology, Sankaran added.

Blomdahl and fellow Whitworth students Joshua Demant and Caleb Flegel are currently working
with Eilers to study the potential effectiveness of destroying chemical weapons. Their goal is to
understand what happens to the chemical agents as they heat up — including what particles
might be dispersed in the atmosphere — and to measure what temperatures the explosions
might reach. (The research does not involve actual chemical weapons or explosives in the lab.
Only lab-safe materials called simulants are used.)

Demant, a senior engineering major, said he’s enjoyed learning about the engineering design
process and how to design a system so it’s functional “not just for an engineer, but for
somebody who wants to use it commercially, and how to make that accessible to them.”
For Flegel, a senior computer science and computer engineering major, the project has offered
a chance to practice real-world coding — and has also shown him new career possibilities in
industry and research.

“I’m very happy to say that I’ve been able to have this opportunity, because it gives me more
clarity on what I want to do in the future,” Flegel said.

Expanding Opportunities

Through the ASL-Whitworth partnership, WSU faculty and National Laboratory scientists will
also provide seminars and other educational opportunities for Whitworth students, with an
emphasis on postgraduate work and career advancement.

Blomdahl, who has worked at ASL since spring 2024, said ISP and ASL’s connections with
National Laboratories have not only shaped his aspirations, but also introduced him to the world
of government-contracted research.

“I feel very equipped to go into those fields,” he said.