Janelle Drossler and William Kerlin (Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences), who both are pursuing doctoral degrees in radiochemistry, earned awards during the U.S. Department of Energy's 2013 Innovations in Fuel Cycle Research competition. Drossler earned a first-place prize in the open competition, Separations and Waste Forms category for her research on using room-temperature ionic liquids to dissolve rare earth metals. Kerlin earned one of five awards in the Competition for Students Who Attend Universities with less than $600 Million in 2011 R&D Expenditures for his work exploring the fundamental chemistry of technetium, which is the primary isotope used in the medical industry. The national competition is administered by University Research Alliance and solicits submissions from undergraduate and graduate students across the country.