UI doctoral candidate honored for research at INL

Joshua Daw

Joshua Daw, a University of Idaho student completing his doctoral thesis work at Idaho National Laboratory’s High Temperature Test Laboratory, recently earned first prize in the Fuel Cycle Research Innovations competition for his paper, “Hot Wire Needle Probe for In-Reactor Thermal Conductivity Measurement” (IEEE Sensors, Aug. 2012).

In November, he will travel to the American Nuclear Society meeting in Washington, D.C., to accept the award, which is given to support innovation and higher education in disciplines related to the nuclear fuel cycle.

Daw's winning work, completed with INL researchers Joy Rempe and Darrell Knudson, addresses the question of how to measure thermal conductivity during irradiation. Thermal conductivity — which measures how materials conduct heat — is considered one of the most important physical characteristics of fuels. In most materials, it is measured by evaluating samples after being irradiated.

The “cook and look” approach, as Rempe calls it, is an invasive and expensive process. Previous methods for taking these measurements during irradiation required several assumptions that limited accuracy. Working at the INL, Daw developed a method to make such measurements with a hot wire needle probe. Data collected this way may lead to better simulation design codes and improvements to the next generation of nuclear reactors.

Daw has a passion for golf and began studying engineering because he wanted to be a golf club designer. It was a DOE-funded UI/INL research opportunity that led him to high-temperature instrumentation instead.

He expects to complete his Ph.D. next May. His post-doctorate plans include golf and more learning. "There are a few more degrees I am interested in, so who knows?” he said.

Bakery owners hope to have business open by end of August

A crew from SEZ Construction excavates trenches for the footings to support a deck on the front of the Buttercup Bakery and Bistro, 335 First St. Owners F.J. "Tiger" and Neccia Hahn say they hope to have the business open by the end of August. They hired Alderson Karst and Mitro of Idaho Falls for the redesign, and when finished the project will be 977 square feet. Neccia Hahn recently spent time in Northern California to learn the ins and outs of making artisanal bread. The Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/pages/Buttercup-Bakery-Bistro/600613029958045.

Striving to be unique rather than "the best"

Here's a fascinating story about a book with a radical business notion, namely that it's more important for you or your business to be unique than it is to be "The Best."

At Camp Merrowvista, where I went every summer when I was a kid, the motto was: "My own self at my very best." It came from William Danforth, founder of Ralston Purina and a great philanthropist in his day. The idea of being your best is radically different from being top dog. In this profit-driven age I think it bears repeating, if only for the people would might benefit from it.

Who was the best baseball player, Pete Rose or Reggie Jackson? If you were looking at home runs you'd say Reggie; if you were looking at base hits, you'd say Pete. But no manager in his right mind would say, "Great game, Pete, but why aren't you hitting more home runs?"

What about pop music? Is Rod Stewart the best singer of all time? There are people who say he can't sing at all. Yet if you heard three notes from him over the telephone you'd know who it was right away, and he has sold millions of records.

Here's the link: Aim to be unique, not the best - truths about competition from michael porter.

Broker receives award from Edward Jones

Kevin King

Kevin King of Edward Jones in Idaho Falls recently won the firm's Ed Armstrong Award for "exceptional achievement in building client relationships," according to a news release.

King was one of Edward Jones' 1,618 financial advisers to receive the award. The St. Louis-based firm has 12,000 financial advisers serving nearly 7 million clients in the U.S. and Canada. Founded in 1922, the firm focuses solely on individual investors and small business owners. Edward Jones is a limited partnership owned only by its employees and retired employees and is not publicly traded.

For information, call King at 524-5296, email kevin.king@edwardjones.com or go online to www.edwardjones.com.

Wasabi moving to Snow Eagle Brewing; Whitewater to reopen under new management

The sign in the window Tuesday at Wasabi 

If you're hoping to get a sushi fix at Wasabi Japanese Restaurant down by the greenbelt, you're going to have to wait until Thursday.

Until Monday night, Wasabi was under the same roof as the Whitewater Grill. But restaurant owner Jerry Mitchell has sold the Whitewater side of the business and is moving Wasabi over to the Snow Eagle Brewing and Grill, which he also owns. Wasabi will reopen there Thursday.

Mitchell said he made a deal with Dane Watkins, landlord of Eagle Rock Station, where Whitewater, Wasabi and Snow Eagle are located, and that Watkins has found a new person Joel Henry, to run the Whitewater. Efforts to reach Watkins this afternoon were unsuccessful.