Dr. Stephen Stow is currently ombudsman for Oak Ridge National Laboratory and developed the formal procedure for handling cases of scientific misconduct at ORNL. He holds a B.S. degree in geology from Vanderbilt University and M.S. and PhD degrees from Rice University in geochemistry. He has worked in many capacities since joining ORNL in 1980, serving as program manager for various environmental activities, Section Head for the Earth Sciences section, and an active participant in numerous environmental restoration projects associated with clean-up of the Oak Ridge Reservation. Prior to joining ORNL, Dr. Stow was a professor of geology at the University of Alabama and was employed by Continental Oil Company. He is active in professional organizations and is a fellow in the AAAS and the Geological Society of America.