Benjamin T Reinke

Benjamin T. Reinke, from Bowling Green, Ohio, was appointed as the graduate/professional student trustee by Governor Kasich for a two-year term beginning May 23, 2012. Ben is currently a third-year graduate student in the Nuclear Engineering Program in the College of Engineering, working towards a Ph.D. He received his B.S., with honors and research distinction, from The Ohio State University with a double major in physics and French. While an undergraduate, Ben completed an honors thesis in French on the cultural and political context of the development of the French nuclear program. He also worked as a student research assistant in the High Energy-Density Physics laser research group in the department of physics. Ben was involved and held leadership roles in many student organizations during his undergraduate career including the Undergraduate Student Government, the Student-Alumni Council, the Beanie Drake Student Leader Endowment Fund, Romophos Sophmore Class Honorary, Bucket & Dipper Junior Class Honorary, and Sphinx Senior Class Honorary. In graduate school, Ben is a NASA Space Technology Research Fellow studying radiation damage at cryogenic temperatures. Specifically, he is developing an experimental cryogenic irradiation facility at the OSU Nuclear Reactor Laboratory. Ben has also worked on a Department of Energy: Nuclear Engineering University Program project to develop and characterize high-temperature radiation detector. During his graduate studies, Ben has served as the Nuclear Engineering Delegate in the Council of Graduate Students and as the vice-president of the American Nuclear Society OSU student chapter. Ben looks forward to a career in the Nuclear Engineering industry and hopes to one day work in energy and education policy, and to continue serving OSU as a dedicated alumnus. Ben currently resides in Columbus, OH and is the son of Keith and Mariann Reinke of Bowling Green, OH.