Nichols thinks that the INEEL’s geoscience capability is a prerequisite for the lab’s success in many other fields. “No matter how much things change socially, politically, or even climatically, the INEEL cannot escape its geologic setting,” Nichols said. “The site rests upon an aseismic plain of fractured basalt that contains an extremely important aquifer. Whatever course is charted for the INEEL, understanding its geologic setting and bounding the associated uncertainties are the keys to its future. Geoscience should always be viewed as a long-term enabling capability for the INEEL.”

Nichols’ dedication to geoscience is deeply rooted in his upbringing. His father, Paul Nichols, was a petroleum geologist and oil field pioneer who is often credited with modernizing rotary drilling by recording drilling variables. By the time young Nichols was 10 years old, he regularly accompanied his father on drilling rigs in the Oklahoma oil fields.

Nichols had completed three geoscience degrees at the University of Oklahoma by 1970 — a bachelor of science in geologic engineering, a master of science in geology studying clay minerals under Prof. Charlie Mankin, and a Ph.D. with a doctoral dissertation on the geology and geochemistry of geothermal systems. In addition, he held various positions as a visiting professor.

Nichols moved to Idaho in the early 1970s and began teaching at Boise State University. While there, he conducted research on geothermal phenomena of Yellowstone National Park. He has fond memories of a shared moment of discovery in his Boise office with Yale professor Dick Armstrong. Before Armstrong published his landmark paper on the Yellowstone hotspot and the origins of the Snake River Plain, he visited Nichols and shared his data showing the time sequence of volcanic calderas — data that showed the dates getting older with the distance from Yellowstone. With plate tectonics still in its infancy, Nichols immediately understood the significance of Armstrong’s findings.

Nichols also made some rather fundamental discoveries of his own. While analyzing economically viable geothermal areas throughout the world, he theorized that the high temperatures needed to sustain dry steam and other types of geothermal plants would only exist where there was shallow melting of the continental crust.

“Whenever I stated my case to an audience, someone would point out the problem of Iceland,” said Nichols. “Since I primarily focused on geothermal development and not geothermal research, I finally stopped pressing it. But I am pleased that a tiny vestige of continental crust associated with high-temperature geothermal areas in Iceland was finally identified. I didn’t get a publication, but the theory, which I shared with several colleagues, was vindicated.”

While at Boise State, Nichols began what would become a long involvement with the INEEL, helping it emerge from its nuclear energy roots to become the multiprogram national laboratory it is today. He also began consulting on the potential development of geothermal resources at the Nuclear Reactor Testing Station, now the site of the INEEL.

In 1974, after the Atomic Energy Commission became the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA), Nichols was invited to help organize ERDA' s national geothermal program in a joint effort with the United States Geological Survey (USGS). At that time, ERDA was responsible for engineering; the USGS was responsible for basic research. The Raft River Geothermal Power Plant demonstration in Idaho and other geothermal projects were the INEEL’s first steps toward investigating energy sources other than nuclear power.

Nichols’ interests broadened when ERDA was replaced by DOE. In addition to geothermal work, he participated in electrical vehicle research, industrial energy conservation, and early research into alcohol fuels. He directed DOE’s Grand Junction office during its transition to managing uranium mill tailings projects and worked with the state of Alaska in managing its geothermal exploration program. Later, he led an interagency committee that investigated trade-offs between energy development and related environmental impacts.

In the late 1980s, Nichols’ belief in the importance of geosciences was reinforced. He was leading an evaluation of the environmental impacts presented by DOE’s proposed Special Isotope Separation Project (SIS).

“At the time, some advocates wanted the Snake River Plain zoned as a high seismic hazard area,” said Nichols. “This would have forced the government to completely and unnecessarily overbuild facilities, foreclosing the future development of nuclear facilities. It was only through the tireless work of INEEL geoscience professionals like geophysicist Suzette Payne and others that we were able to present the scientific evidence needed to support a designation matching the geologic reality.”

Most recently, Nichols participated in the national vadose zone roadmapping effort. The roadmap identifies DOE’s research needs for the next quarter century in the area of fate and transport of materials in the unsaturated subsurface.

These accomplishments, and his seminal role supporting the INEEL’s Subsurface Science Initiative, have allowed Nichols to retire satisfied that he has served his discipline well. Though he still gets together weekly with his peers from DOE and the USGS, Nichols thinks he will be happy with life at home. When asked if he will miss his active role as a scientist, Nichols said, “I may not think of myself as a scientific researcher anymore, but I will always appreciate and be a student of good science.”