Lucas Heffler ’26 is heading to one of the most storied research institutions in the world. The chemical engineering senior has accepted a position at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in Los Alamos, New Mexico—a facility synonymous with scientific breakthroughs and home to some of the brightest minds in the country. One of 17 National Laboratories supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, LANL has long stood at the frontier of discovery in science, engineering, and national security.
Born out of the Manhattan Project during World War II, LANL made history as the birthplace of the atomic bomb. Today, the lab’s primary focus is to modernize the United States’ nuclear stockpile and maintain its safety, security and reliability. LANL’s scientists and engineers conduct advanced research in areas including national security, energy, geophysics, and supercomputing.
Heffler will begin his position as a research and development engineer at LANL this summer. He became interested in the National Labs system through connections with College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) alumni and gained valuable industry experience through internships and the Nuclear Chemistry Summer Schools (NCSS), a DOE workforce development program administered by the American Chemical Society. Heffler completed a six-week NCSS program at San Jose State University in California, where participants attend lectures, visit research facilities, and conduct hands-on laboratory exercises to build their expertise in nuclear chemistry.
Heffler took advantage of ECS resources like attending resume reviews and employer information sessions offered through Career Services. “Getting that experience of just being comfortable talking to employers definitely helps while on job interviews,” says Heffler.
Looking back on his coursework, Heffler says that Chemical Engineering Laboratory I and II helped him discern his career interests and prepare to enter the workforce. Setting up experiments, analyzing data, and writing technical reports are all skills he will rely on in his work as an R&D engineer.
Heffler found supportive faculty in the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, including Program Director Katie Cadwell and his advisor, Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering Radhakrishna Sureshkumar. He also appreciated the opportunity to take classes with Professor Theodore Walker, who draws on his experience as a senior scientist for ExxonMobil. “Having professors that have worked in industry and can look at things from an industry standpoint is enlightening,” he explains.
“Lucas possesses a rare combination of technical depth, creative insight, and problem-solving skills,” says Sureshkumar. “After working closely with him as his advisor and instructor, I am delighted by his highly deserving appointment at LANL. He is a natural leader who will undoubtedly make major contributions to the profession.”
