ROY G. POST FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP
ROY G. POST was the founding chief executive of WM Symposia, the sponsor of the annual international Waste Management Conference. The Foundation is a non-profit organization formed by his students, peers and protégés to provide scholarships to students to develop careers in the safe management of nuclear materials and to participate in the WM Conference.
The Roy G. Post Foundation has awarded scholarships to more than 350 undergraduate and graduate students from all around the world. The recipients of the Post Foundation scholarships are a group of extremely accomplished and outstanding & driven students who excel both inside and outside of their academic role.
The Foundation and WM Symposia have provided over $6M educational support to students to attend the annual WM Conference. For more information about the WM Conference, please visit www.wmsym.org.
JAMES GALLAGHER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
The Roy G. Post Foundation’s James Gallagher Honorarium Scholarship was established to honor the career of Jim Gallagher, a dedicated and recognized leader in the nuclear energy and radioactive waste management fields. Jim completed a 36-year career at Westinghouse Electric Corporation’s Nuclear Energy organization where he retired as President, then became a Board Member and then Chairman of WM Symposia, Inc. and now retains Emeritus status with WM. Jim is now President of Gallagher Consulting Group where his leadership extends to multiple companies, as he serves those companies as a consultant and member of their Boards of Directors. Throughout his distinguished career Jim demonstrated unwavering commitment to excellence in the nuclear energy and radioactive waste management sectors and his foresight, strategies and leadership served as guiding principles for the industry, the decision makers and the many individuals that followed his path.
This scholarship recognizes students who embody the leadership qualities that Mr. Gallagher exemplified throughout his career—vision, dedication, and a strong sense of responsibility. The recipients of this scholarship will be individuals whose academic achievements and extracurricular activities demonstrate their potential to become future leaders in the nuclear energy and/or radioactive waste management fields. Through this award, we honor Jim Gallagher’s legacy and his influence in shaping the future of global energy and technology, while providing opportunities for the next generation of leaders to pursue their education and develop the skills necessary to lead and drive innovation in all phases of these critical energy sector businesses.
LANCE MEZGA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
The Roy G. Post Foundation’s Lance Mezga Memorial Scholarship honors the life and career of Lance Mezga, a dedicated leader in the field of radioactive waste management. Lance’s work was marked by his unwavering commitment to effective research, technical expertise, and long-standing service to the global radioactive waste management community. Throughout his distinguished career, Lance served on the Board of Directors for WM Symposia and contributed to the WM Program Advisory Committee for over 25 years. He also chaired the Low-Level/Mixed Low-Level Waste Treatment Committee for more than a decade and held leadership positions as Vice Chair and Secretary of the Decontamination and Decommissioning Working Group for the Energy Facility Contractors Operating Group. Lance’s expertise extended beyond national borders as he served as a technical expert for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), focusing on low-level waste issues. He spent 30 years at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, making significant contributions to advancing radioactive waste management practices before retiring.
This scholarship is awarded to students who exemplify the qualities that Lance so deeply embodied: a commitment to advancing research, a dedication to the radioactive waste management field, and a passion for service that fosters collaboration and progress in the industry. The recipients will have demonstrated exceptional aptitude in scientific inquiry, leadership, and a drive to contribute meaningfully to the management and treatment of radioactive waste. In memory of Lance Mezga’s unparalleled service and contributions, this scholarship seeks to support the next generation of professionals who will continue to build upon his legacy and work toward innovative, sustainable solutions in radioactive waste management.
