WISE GUY: Junior awarded D.C. fellowship

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Oklahoma State University junior Logan Scott from Edmond was selected as one of fifteen Washington Internships for Students of Engineering Scholars. Scott is only the second student from OSU to be selected for the program

“I have always been interested in the inner-workings of government and politics,” Scott said. “When you combine the realm of engineering and policy with the prestige of the WISE program, this is a premier internship that will allow me to best explore my academic interests.”

The WISE Internship was founded to prepare future leaders of the engineering profession. Each year, WISE societies select outstanding 3rd or 4th year engineering and computer science students nationwide. More than 600 students apply for the fifteen internships. The students spend nine weeks in Washington D.C. with government officials. During the internship, students learn what engineers can contribute to legislative and regulatory public policy decisions and how officials make decisions on complex technological issues.

Each applicant submits a policy proposal during the selection process.

“My proposal is looking to find a way to incentivize the production of commercial molybdenum-99 for nuclear medicine purposes by means of Low-Enriched Uranium reactors,” Scott said.

Mo-99 legislation is a priority for the White House. Medical patients around the world require access to reliable supplies of radioisotopes for medial use.

“I hope my research will aid the domestic stimulus of commercial radioisotopes for medicinal usage,” said Scott.

At the end of the internship, students present their findings and a thesis to sponsoring members and congressional representatives 

Scott was not alone in the application process. Tim O’Neil, director of the Freshman Research Scholars program, was instrumental in the process as wells as Gen. Max Bunyard, says Scott. Bunyard served as the 2012 Grand Marshal of “The Sea of Orange” Homecoming Parade and is an alumnus of the WISE program.

Scott says he plans to run for elected office in the future and possibly attend both law and graduate schools.

“I looked forward to establishing a great relationship between OSU and the WISE program,” Scott said.

By Mason Waldvogel