Catching Up with Scholar Alums Emily and Jarvis Caffrey
Emily and Jarvis Caffrey are ARCS Oregon scholar alums who both earned their PhDs at Oregon State University. Emily’s 2015 PhD focused on Radiation Health Physics, and Jarvis earned his PhD in nuclear engineering in 2016.
Emily was funded by the Wills Family and Jarvis received a Chapter Award. They now live in Alabama and here’s what they are doing now.
Emily is currently the Program Director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Health Physics Program.
In 2024, she says, “I had the honor of serving as an American Nuclear Society/American Association for the Advancement of Science Congressional Science and Engineering Fellow on the Senate Budget Committee under Senator Whitehouse. While there, I worked on nuclear-related legislation, assisted with the passage of the ADVANCE Act that aimed to modernize the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and educated the Senator and members of Congress on nuclear topics. The experience gave me valuable insights into the legislative process and connections in federal agencies. Those connections have given me unprecedented opportunities to influence the current national debate on radiation protection regulations.”
In her academic job at the University of Alabama Birmingham, Emily shares that “UAB is the newest and fastest growing health physics program in the country. We have increased enrollment from five to 20 students over three years and are hiring our fourth faculty member.”
“Investing in the next generation of STEM researchers and health physicists is critical to supplying the national need for clean energy, expanding the use of radiopharmaceuticals, and strengthening radiation protection to safeguard workers, the public, and the environment,” she explains.
Jarvis works as a nuclear propulsion subject matter expert at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, where the goal is “ushering next-generation space nuclear technology into reality for this generation.” He has also worked at this NASA center as radiological and nuclear engineer.
The Caffreys finished an 18- month remodel of their historic 1909 home in Huntsville, Alabama. “We are very happy with our new kitchen,” Emily says. A popular hobby is riding their bikes along the Tennessee River.
They celebrated their 14-year anniversary in Costa Rica. “We both miss Oregon dearly,” Emily says.