Communities

• About Us
• Definition of Community Resilience
• History
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• Research Staff

M. J. Plodinec, Ph.D.

Dr. M. J. Plodinec is the Science Advisor of the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) where he is the Lab’s “Science Guardian,” and is responsible for fostering strategic university partnerships. He is currently the lead for SRNL’s support of the Southeast Region Research Initiative, aimed at improving the ability of the southern region to respond to and recover from disruptive events, especially natural disasters. This currently involves support of the Community and Regional Resilience Institute, and programs to improve debris management and the resilience of residences. Dr. Plodinec returned to SRNL in 2005 after nine years at Mississippi State University (MSU) where he led efforts in characterizing the ability of structures to withstand wind events with the Idaho National Laboratory. He was also MSU’s representative on a multi-university consortium (SEVEER) aimed at better prediction of hurricanes and other windstorms, and improved mitigation techniques.

Dr. Plodinec is heavily engaged in the renewable energy arena and currently leads the Solid Fuels Committee of the South Carolina Biomass Council. This Committee is the focal point for enhancing the use of solid biomass fuels in South Carolina. He is a member of the Energy Supply Working Group of the governor’s Climate Change Initiative. Dr. Plodinec was the initial technology lead for the state of Mississippi’s Alternative Energy Enterprise, and helped guide this program as it developed alternative energy projects across the state. Dr. Plodinec has in-depth knowledge of and experience in many disciplines related to hazardous waste; he is an internationally recognized expert in nuclear waste characterization, vitrification, and disposition, and has extensive experience in chemical waste management as well. Having spent more than 22 years with the Department of Energy's (DOE) Defense Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site Dr. Plodinec is regularly consulted by several of the DOE sites, by DOE headquarters, and by external groups such as the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, and the National Academies of Science and Engineering on waste management issues. Dr. Plodinec also led an effort to assist the Indian glass and metal foundry industries in converting from coal to natural gas to protect the Taj Mahal from further deterioration.

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