Dr. Kenneth (Ken) R. Ashley

COMMENTARIES

This is my page and my comments. I am expressing my opinions. I am not attempting to please anyone but myself. If you do not like what you read, then leave the page.

December, 2003

COMMERCE, Texas -- Dr. Kenneth Ashley of Texas A&M University-Commerce has won the highest award given by the Texas A&M University System to a faculty member. Ashley has been given the title of Regents Professor. The chemistry professor was among A&M System faculty members and agency employees honored with Regents Service Awards at a luncheon earlier this month.

A&M-Commerce President Keith McFarland congratulated Ashley on receiving the award. "Dr. Kenneth Ashley has an outstanding record of teaching, research and service in his 35-year career at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Dr. Ashley is very deserving of this award and his colleagues and co-workers are delighted he has been selected for this award," McFarland said.

The award honors professors who have provided exemplary service to their institution and also to the community, the State of Texas and/or internationally. Selection criteria are service, teaching, and scholarship. Regents Professors retain the title for the duration of their service in the A&M System. The winners also receive a cash stipend and a medallion to wear with their academic regalia.

Ashley, who also serves as director of Grants and Research at A&M-Commerce, says being named a Regents Professor is a major highlight of his career in higher education. Originally from southern Illinois, the educator earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Southern Illinois University in 1963 at the age of 21. In his senior year at SIU, he decided to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry and enrolled at Washington State University for doctoral studies. With determination and hard work, Ashley completed his doctorate when he was 24 years old. Asked how he was able to complete this goal at only age 24, he replied, "I just worked hard. I worked 12 hours a day seven days a week for 12 months. I took off Christmas Day."

With his doctorate in hand, Ashley spent two years at the University of Southern California where he had an Atomic Energy Commission Post-Doctoral Fellowship. He arrived at A&M-Commerce (then East Texas State University) in 1968 at age 26 and joined the department of chemistry. Ashley said he did not find his youthfulness a liability although one student in his class thought he was a graduate student and complained to the department head that she wanted to be taught by a Ph.D. Department head Charles Rohrer assured the student that Ashley was a faculty member and did have a Ph.D., the Regents Professor related.

Ashley settled into teaching and began his research funded with numerous Robert A. Welch Foundation grants Regarding his teaching philosophy, Ashley says chemistry is a difficult subject for students to learn. While there is memorization in chemistry, memorizing material is only the first step because the ideas have to be understood and internalized, he explained. "Students have to learn on their own," he asserts. Ashley sees his role as that of giving students "hints, tricks, tips, and pointing them in the direction they should go." Known for his high standards in the classroom, he tries to make his lectures relevant by relating the subject to the students' daily lives. Ashley focuses on two themes he believes are important for students to think about -- Americans' reliance on a petroleum-based energy system and that most technical advances in the history of mankind are directly a consequence of the military needs of a society, perceived or real.

Ashley has taught many of his own labs so upper level students could gain the experience and techniques needed for graduate school and in the industrial chemistry field. With the availability of Welch Foundation grants for several years, he had funding to use to do research and that made the university an "attractive place" to put down roots. Regarding his long career at A&M-Commerce, Ashley said, "It's been very productive."

In 1987, he became a research consultant at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Ashley has spent his summers there with the exception of 2001 when he was working as a William C. Foster Fellow at the United States Department of State in the Arms Control Bureau. At Los Alamos, the A&M-Commerce faculty member does nuclear research. Ashley and Dr. Norman Schroeder, a staff scientist at the national laboratory, are working on a Department of Energy research project involving the safe disposal of nuclear waste. The project focuses on the cleanup of the DOE nuclear waste site at Hanford, Wash.

Ashley and Schroeder have devised methods to remove the technetium, one of the radioactive materials, from the waste at the Hanford site. Technetium is a byproduct from the production of plutonium for defense purposes. They are now attempting to determine the chemical form of the technetium in the waste.

Ashley has taken students with him to work at Los Alamos and one student completed her honor thesis for her bachelor's degree there. From June 1, 2001 until May 31, 2002, he was on leave of absence from A&M-Commerce working in Washington, D.C. Ashley was one of three professors in the nation selected to be a Foster Fellow in the U.S. State Department. As a Foster Fellow, he researched nuclear energy issues.

Dr. Finnie Murray, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at A&M-Commerce, noted that the chemistry professor has a strong work ethic as evidenced by his "consistent record or presentations at professional conferences and publications in journals." As a researcher, Ashley has funded his work with grants from outside the university for most of his career and he has involved numerous undergraduate and graduate students in his projects, the dean said. Regarding his award from the A&M System, Murray remarked, "There is no doubt that Dr. Ashley richly deserves this honor and it is a distinct honor to this institution that he has been named Regents Professor."

Ashley volunteered in the community through his work with the Boy Scouts and for his efforts received the District Award of Merit and the Silver Beaver Award. Active in Boy Scouts for close to 20 years, he served as a Cub and Webelos den leader, cubmaster, assistant scoutmaster, and scoutmaster. Ashley, who served on the NeTSeo Trails Council Board of Directors, and his wife, Glenda, have two sons who are both Eagle Scouts. The Ashleys' sons now live in Waco and Fishers, Ind. Ian Marcus is an Emergency Room physician at Providence Hospital in Waco and John Michael is a senior programmer at the Sagin Division of Beckman Coulter Corporation in Indiana.

The Ashley couple has enjoyed living in Commerce through the years and raising their sons here. Ken Ashley grew up in Carmi, Ill., a town of about 5,000 that in some ways is similar to Commerce, he says. "It's been a good place to live," he says of Commerce.
During this holiday season, the Ashleys have been busy with their annual cookie-baking project. Ken and Glenda bake between 35 and 40 dozen chocolate chip cookies that include pecans from their trees. The cookies are distributed to A&M-Commerce offices in appreciation of the work done by all of the staff members. "Much of what I accomplish is with the help of a large number of the staff here at A&M-Commerce," the Regents Professor concluded.

COMMERCE, Texas -- Texas A&M University-Commerce professor Kenneth Ashley's interest in environmental research has taken him to Washington, D.C.

A chemistry professor, Dr. Ashley is a William C. Foster Fellow Visiting Scholar in the nation's capital. He is on leave from the university this academic year to do research on the safe disposal of nuclear waste.

The A&M-Commerce faculty member and Dr. Norman Schroeder, a staff scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, are working on a Department of Energy research project. The project focuses on the DOE nuclear waste site at Hanford, Wash.

Ashley and Schroeder are attempting to devise methods to remove the technetium, one of the radioactive materials, from the waste at the Hanford site. Technetium is a byproduct from the production of plutonium for defense purposes.

Ashley says he finds the work challenging and rewarding since he is playing a role in helping the U.S. to deal with a complex environmental cleanup problem. "This research helps me to keep my analytical skills and knowledge fresh. I can then pass this on to the students at Texas A&M University-Commerce," he commented.

The two scientists are among American researchers currently conducting studies focusing on environmental problems at DOE facilities that were once part of the nation's nuclear weapons production complex. "After the removal of the technetium, it will be stored with other radioactive waste. This is planned to be at Yucca Mountain in Nevada," Ashley said.

Ashley has been doing research on the Hanford site since 1996. He did this work in the summers at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

During the summers from 1989 to 2000, the A&M-Commerce chemist has worked at Los Alamos where he met Schroeder.

Schroeder has been awarded an $870,000 grant from DOE and Ashley is the co-investigator or researcher. Ashley will be in Washington, D.C. until May 31 when he will go to Los Alamos facility for the summer. He will return to teaching at A&M-Commerce this fall.

In November of last year, DOE awarded more than $39 million in funding for 13 nuclear waste research projects in the nation. These projects represent some of the nation's most complex environmental cleanup challenges, according to Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham.

"These projects are designed to apply advanced scientific research and initiatives to make significant strides in nuclear waste cleanup at various DOE sites," Abraham said.

Many of the researchers, including Ashley, are from universities while others like Schroeder are on staff at DOE laboratories.

During his leave from A&M-Commerce, Ashley is being paid from the Foster Fellows Visiting Scholars Program. The program through the U.S. Department of State gives scientists in the physical scientists and other disciplines an opportunity to be involved in the arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament activities of the State Department.

Foster was the first director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. He served from 1961 to '69. Approximately 45 scholars have served since the program began in 1984.

Michael,
Attached is an article I have written at the request of editor of a small magazine called the Retort. The magazine is published by the Dallas-Forth Worth Section of the American Chemical Society in Dallas. The circulation is about 1500. However, it could be read by anyone anywhere.

Nick has edited it and I have made his corrections. Pierce is "ok in principle." Would you please check to see that I have not written anything that is wrong or anything that is inappropriate and approve it for my sending it to the editor.

Thank you

Ken Ashley
AC/ISN


Dear Tom,

You had asked for a letter/article from me describing some of my experiences at the State Department. And, I had promised to write you one.
It has now been six months since I arrived in Washington, D. C. My wife and I have an apartment in one of the high rise apartment buildings in Crystal City. These are the tall buildings adjacent to Reagan National Airport. I ride the Metro Subway Blue Line ($1.30/one way) into the Foggy Bottom/George Washington University Station to get to the State Department. It is about a ten minute walk from the station to the Harry S. Truman Building (Main State). About two blocks in front of the building is the Lincoln Memorial.
Several months ago we moved from the old War Department Building into renovated offices in the newer part of the building. We were located on the fifth floor around the corner from Henry Stimson's office during World War II and close to General Grove's (of Pentagon and Los Alamos fame) office. We are now on the second floor looking up at the old Naval Hospital on Twenty Third Street NW.
For my noontime walks, I have a variety of choices of where to walk. I am able to walk around the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial, over to the FDR Monument, up to the Museum of American History on the Mall, up to and around the White House, along the river to Georgetown, around Foggy Bottom, or if it is raining, the halls of the building.
On September 11, we were evacuated from the building shortly after the Pentagon was hit and instructed to disperse. I walked toward the White House to see if anything was happening there and was turned back two blocks from the White House by police. The Metro Blue Line which runs past the Pentagon was closed. Hence, I decided to walk home across the Arlington Memorial Bridge (the bridge at the Lincoln Memorial). There were police at the Lincoln Memorial who allowed no one near the structure. I walked across the bridge and past the Pentagon on the side that was not hit by the plane. While there, I stopped to rest at some picnic tables. I listened to a radio someone had on and listened to the conversations of some of the military personnel who had evacuated the building with the hopes that I could find out what was happening. Then I walked on home. I live about 45 minutes from Main State.
The tasks here that I perform here are, of course, totally different than those at the University. The first task for me was to learn State-Speak. The conversations are laced with lots of acronyms and letter combinations. I have partially solved this problem by creating a spreadsheet in Excel listing the abbreviations and definitions. It is very handy to have.
The first project that I was assigned was a proofreading task. I began reading the On-Site Inspection Manual for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). This is a manual that outlines the procedures that would be followed if a nuclear explosion test violation were suspected and a physical inspection of the suspected test site was required. Even though the Senate has not given its advise and consent to ratification of the CTBT, the fact that a President has signed the treaty means that we are a member of a Preparatory Commission which must prepare to implement the treaty once it entered into force. The result of this proofreading was to give me insights into the workings of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO).
Associated with the CTBT international efforts is the need to give guidance to our representative to Preparatory Commission, which in turn guides the work of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) in Vienna. This organization has responsibility for preparing to implement the terms of the treaty, especially the creation of the International Monitoring System. This guidance is fashioned in a backstopping meeting. This is a committee meeting in which all interested departments send a representative to represent their views on the issues at hand. The meeting would have representatives from Department of Energy, Department of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other offices within the State Department. A consensus is reached (sometimes) and guidance is written. It is then circulated to be approved by all interested parties. This is called the interagency process.
The academic equivalent of this would be a committee meeting involving Chemistry, Physics, Art, Music, English, and Elementary Education Departments. They would have to reach a consensus position on what number of semesters, what level, and what mastery of mathematics is necessary for an educated person to have and to be necessary for graduation of all students. Then, their respective Department Heads and Deans would have to approve it.
During the late summer, the Administration informed the office that the U.S. would no longer support the CTBT. However, they did choose to support the International Monitoring System aspects of the CTBTO. This is a worldwide system of seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound, and radionuclide stations that would operate 24/7 and report to the CTBTO in Vienna. The primary purpose of these stations is to detect evidence of nuclear testing. However, the data might be available to the world scientific community for research purposes. The open availability of date of this caliber and extensiveness would offer unprecedented possibilities for earth science and environmental research.
In support of this effort, I represent our office at the Radionuclide Subgroup meetings. The Radionuclide Monitoring Stations will measure continually the concentrations of the 131mXe, 133mXe, 133Xe, and 135Xe isotopes in samples integrated over less than a 24-hour period. The stations will also collect a 24-hour sample of atmospheric particulate matter using a filter. The topics discussed at these subgroup meetings are scientific issues and the necessary policy to support the measurements at the stations.
Another issue in which I participated was an effort to defeat an Iraqi United Nations resolution concerning the use of depleted uranium in munitions and trying to associate it with weapons of mass destruction. This involved gathering information about the issue from a general internet search. Next, I wrote the points to be used in the argument against the resolution. Then, with very, very much help from another person in the office, we wrote a cable and sent it to all of our larger diplomatic posts instructing them to try to persuade the respective governments to vote against the resolution. In the United Nations First Committee, the resolution passed by just a few "yes" votes. The U.S. lost! Because of the close vote, we decided to try to defeat the resolution in the full United Nations General Assembly. We wrote and sent another cable asking diplomatic posts to try again. With much effort on their part and the U.S. representatives at the United Nations, the resolution was defeated in the General Assembly vote. This was quite a victory since a turn around in the voting from the First Committee to the General Assembly rarely ever occurs.
While all of the above tasks are being performed, I regularly search the internet for information on a variety of topics. One of the topics I look for regularly is the status of the design and building of what has become known as mini-nukes. These are nuclear weapons of <1 kt yield. I first examined published policy papers from a variety of sources to obtain an understanding of what the current position is on the need of these small nuclear weapons. This includes checking the anti-nuclear groups' web sites, of which there are many, to see what they have. When the Quadrennial Defense Review was published, I examined it to see if small nuclear weapons were considered. I examined the germane sections of the Budgets of the Department of Defense and Energy to ascertain if these types of weapons were in the budget. I check daily the newspapers and summarized news clips for reference to new nuclear weapons. Now I routinely check web sites to see if there are any new developments.
One of the stated needs by some groups for these small nuclear weapons is the need to defeat hardened or deeply buried targets. These groups envision these small nuclear weapons to be used as earth penetrating "Bunker-buster" bombs. The use of conventional high explosive "Bunker-buster" bombs have been in the news lately connected with our activities in Afghanistan.
Another issue that I began to examine some time ago that has now become very topical is Radiological Weapons or Radiological Dispersal Devices. These are weapons made by placing radioactive material around a conventional explosive device. When the explosions are detonated, the radioactive material is dispersed. Both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. examined the possibility of such devices as military weapons during the 1950's and concluded that they had limited to no effectiveness as military weapons and that that the cost-benefit ratio was too high. I provide some of the information to the action officer drafting a position paper on Radiological Weapons to be forwarded upward. Other questions of a scientific nature related to our treaties and national interest are directed toward me. I research these questions, find answers, and respond.
In our office of 10 people there are four Ph. D's, two physics, one geophysics and myself, chemistry. This is an atypical staffing arrangement. We have two young women just beginning their careers. Two of the men are nearing retirement and the remaining are in mid-careers. I am very impressed with the caliber, the dedication, and the work ethic of the personnel in our office. Your State Department performs an outstanding service in a professional manner. I am very proud to be associated with such a group of people.

Ken

Below is the Commencement Address that I gave this December, 1999 for the University.

Commencement Address
December 18, 1999.



Congratulations! You will be told this more than several times over the next several hours, days, and months. You have achieved a worthy goal in your life. For some of you, it is early in years. For others, it is later in your life. But for all of you, it is the beginning of a new way of life. For all of you I wish the best of luck and the fulfillment of what God has planned for you.

I stand here today in this usual place of space and time to give to you time-honored words of wisdom and advice. But, my experience has taught me that advice is worth what it cost you to acquire. And probably, you will not remember who is speaking to you today and much of what is said. You will remember that you did graduate today. After all, this is your day.

Given these parameters, then, what shall I say to you. I will tell you of several things that I have learned about life that make my life better. I will tell you about six observations that I have made that seem to make people truly happy.


1. The absolutely most important thing that you must learn is that there is a God. And that you are not him.

In our society, it is very natural to believe that there is a God. However, most people believe that they have control over people, places, and events.
You will find that life become easier to live after you learn that you are not responsible for all that happens around you and in the world. Please note that I have not defined God here. I will leave that up to you.


2. The only things over which you have some control are your attitude and your response to people, places, and events.

It follows that since you are not in control, you have to accept what happens. You don't have to like what happens, but it has happened. What has occurred can not be changed.

The Moving Finger writes; and having writ
moves on: not all your Piety nor wit
shall lure it back to cancel half a line
nor all of your Tears wash out a word of it.

When things happen that you don't like, you must learn to examine your part in the events, the situation surrounding the events, and then how the path of future events might be altered by you. You then must adjust your attitude and respond accordingly.


3. You must have professional and personal goals toward which to work and then do your best to achieve these goals without becoming distracted.

When you are up to your rear in alligators, it is hard to remember that you came here to drain the swamp. And to drain the swamp, you must not fight all of the alligators at once.

You must be striving to accomplish something professionally that you think is right. You must continue to learn and to expand your intellectual horizons. This rate of change is increasing and it is becoming more difficult to keep abreast of any field. But, you must try. You must stay focused. You must give a day's work for a day's pay.

You must be striving to accomplish something personally that will improve the situation. You must give back to the community. This could be in your religious organization, in Girl Scouts, in Boy Scouts, or in some other service organization. Your involvement can make a real and positive difference in the lives of girls and boys as they grow into young adults. This will make them better people, spouses, and citizens. This is giving to the future.


4. You are responsible for the consequences of your actions.

It is popular today to blame someone and something else for one's failures. You must recognize your part in events and own up to it. If you place blame, you only become part of the problem. If you accept responsibility and act to rectify the problem, you become part of the solution. Winners are part of the solution!


5. You must do what you think is morally and ethically correct in all situations, including professional and business affairs.

This is a hard one. Generally it will always cost you in the short term. But in the greater scheme of things, you will become the winner by doing what you consider correct. Most of the time the obviously correct action is not what the people around you are doing. They justify their behavior in a variety of ways. You do not live in their skins. Hence, do not try to judge them, but rather to do what you think is correct in spite of the consequences.


6. Treat people as you wish to be treated.

Again, this is a very hard one. People will do things to you that bruise your ego and might actually cause you harm. Many times these people do not even know that they have affected you in any manner.

You should strive not to seek retribution toward those people. You must forgive them. If you do not, then you have given them control of your feelings. You must ignore their behavior and return positive actions.


Is it possible to do all of these things all of the time? Obviously, the answer is a resounding no. But, try to do them. You are human and you will fail. But that is OK. The point is to keep trying. It will become easier and your life will keep getting better.

I have presented six observations that if followed will lead to a happier and fulfilling life. Please take what you can use and apply it to your lives. Ignore the rest.

Thank you and now, on to the awarding of the Diplomas!

Up from Earth's Centre through the Seventh Gate

I rose and on the Throne of Saturn sate,

And many Knots unravel'd by the Road;

But not the Knot of Human Death and Fate.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change

The courage to change the things I can

And the wisdom to know the difference

When you are up to your arse in alligators,
it is hard to remember that you came here to drain the swamp.

But, to drain the swamp you can not fighy all of the alligators at once

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