[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 88 (Monday, June 21, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S7368]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO JONATHAN EDWARD STEPHENS

 Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to 
honor Jonathan Edward Stephens on his graduation summa cum laude from 
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. I commend his outstanding academic 
achievements.
  Jonathan was the 1995 Dover High School Valedictorian and went on to 
a superb academic career at Rensselaer. Ranking first in his class with 
a 4.0 average, Jonathan was also awarded the Erwin R. Gaerttner award, 
given to a nuclear engineer or engineering physics major. The award 
recognizes excellence in scholarship, personal character, and promise 
of outstanding performance in research related to nuclear engineering 
and physics.
  Jonathan was also awarded the Senior Design Project Award for his 
project, titled the ``International Neutron Spherical Torus Explosives 
Detector.'' His research will be used to detect land mines. Mr. 
President, as a veteran, I recognize our need to find land mines.
  Jonathan also has exciting opportunities ahead of him. He has been 
offered a full fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
to pursue a doctorate in the field of nuclear physics. He has also 
received the national full fellowship from the Oak Ridge Labs in 
Tennessee to pursue a doctorate at any University in the United States. 
Jonathan has chosen to accept a position as a nuclear engineer with the 
Knoll Atomic Power Lab, a division of Lockheed Martin, where he will 
design nuclear reactors for the U.S. Navy's aircraft carriers. He plans 
to complete his Master's at Rensselaer.
  As a former teacher and school board chairman, I recognize the 
challenges students face to succeed. I applaud Jonathan for his 
exemplary academic career. I wish him luck as he continues his 
education and work in the engineering field. I am pleased to recognize 
such an outstanding young mind, and it is with great pleasure that I 
represent him in the United States Senate.

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