June 2014 - Volume 8, Issue 3

in this issue
• Perspectives from the 2014 U.S. Women
in Nuclear Region II Conference: Waves of
Change, Oceans of Opportunities: Leading
Nuclear Energy into the Future
An Update on U.S. WIN Activities
V olume 8, I ssue 3
Perspectives from the 2014 U.S. Women
in Nuclear Region II Conference: Waves of
Change, Oceans of Opportunities: Leading
Nuclear Energy into the Future
The Host’s Perspective: GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy
Attendees started early on Tuesday with
the traditional Lesley Burns Memorial
Fitness Walk as well as a Fit Camp exercise option.
The conference agenda kicked off with a
welcome and keynote address by GEH
President and CEO Caroline Reda, whose
leadership staff is impressively comprised
of 40 percent women. Following Caroline
was a lively, interactive, and entertaining
session called “Awakening the Leader In
You” by Bob McCall, General Manager of
Fleet Services for Duke Energy Progress.
To quote one survey respondent, “Bob
McCall was dynamite!” He certainly
awakened us all. The remainder of the
morning included a session on Lifecycle
Management of Aging Plants by Dr.
Kathryn McCarthy of the Department
o A Southern Nuclear Company (SNC)
Perspective
• Ezold Presents Keynote Address at
Chattanooga 2014 Engineers Week
Awards Banquet
• Three Mile Island (TMI) Chapter Recruits
Future Nuclear Workers
• Diablo Canyon Chapter Supports Local
Career Fair
• LaSalle Chapter Participates in Outreach
Events at Local Schools
Submitted by: Mary Jo White, Manager, Maintenance Services
GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Region II
GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) hosted
the U.S. Women in Nuclear Region II
Conference held from Feb. 3 to 5, 2014
at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in
beautiful Wrightsville Beach, NC. The
conference kicked off Monday evening
with a welcome reception and networking
opportunity hosted by GEH and Oscar
Fields Custom Fabrication. The event
featured music by local reggae band,
Long Beach Entertainment, and was a
nice way to begin the event. Following
the reception there was a complimentary
showing of Pandora’s Promise, complete
with the requisite popcorn!
o The Host’s Perspective: GE Hitachi . Nuclear Energy
of Energy, and a panel on new builds
moderated by Jay Wileman, Senior Vice
President of Nuclear Plant Projects and
COO of GE Hitachi. Jay’s panel included
Jennifer Foelske from Fluor Enterprises,
Kerri Madden from B&W mPower, Inc.,
and Julianne den Decker from CB&I.
Lunch was highlighted by the presentation of the Region II Leadership Award to
Amy Dewhurst of Duke Energy Progress.
Meredith Werley accepted the award on
Amy’s behalf.
The afternoon sessions were split into
technical and professional development
tracks, both of which were kicked off with
a fun networking Human Bingo game
whose ultimate winner, Priya Chhiba
of ENERCON, received a Kindle Fire!
The technical topics included ALARA
reform, an update on GEH’s Global Laser
Enrichment and PRISM technologies,
and a session on the Deepwater Horizon
Accident Investigation and it’s applicability to the Nuclear Industry. Professional
development topics included a session on
the book Uncommon Service, Personal
Branding with Cynthia Devita-Cochrane
of The Westwind Group, and a panel
discussion on Lean-In. Each attendee
at the Personal Branding session was
encouraged to carve their own personal
brand in a bar of soap to win a prize.
• Nuclear Advocacy on the Run
• PPL Susquehanna Chapter Sponsors One
Book, One Community Initiative
• Diablo Canyon Chapter Learns Financial
Wellness
• Diablo Canyon Chapter Parks Support
for C
. ourt Appointed Special Advocates
(CASA) during Outage
• INPO Hosts Women in Leadership
Conference
• INPO Chapter Professional Development
Cohort
• District of Columbia (DC) Chapter
Participates in Women in Aviation and
Space Family Program hosted by National
Air and Space Museum
• STEM Power Day Offers Opportunity to
Learn about Nuclear Energy
Remember to Register for the
2014 U.S. Women in Nuclear
National Conference
The 2014 U.S. WIN national conference
– Leadership in Challenging Times –
will be held at the Westin Copley Place
in Boston, MA from July 27 to 30.
Visit www.winus.org to register today.
Cont...
1
After a packed day, the group was ready to kick back and enjoy
the evening! A cocktail hour with steel drum band music was
followed by a lovely dinner of surf and turf. After dinner the ladies
packed the dance floor and enjoyed the music of local band
Machine Gun.
Wednesday morning was another early start with the Fitness
Walk and Yoga options for those who did not get enough exercise on the dance floor the night before. The morning sessions
included the technical track topic of the NRC’s Knowledge
Management Program, presented by retired NRC Advisor,
Patricia Eng; and the professional development track topic of
Diversity in the Workforce, presented by GE Hitachi’s Senior
Human Resource Manager, Kim Bankston.
Following those sessions the group was brought back together
again for two inspirational closing sessions. Leading Across
Generations by Olalah Njenga, CEO of The YellowWood Group
taught us that culture evolves, but values endure and gave
great advice on how to lead (and how to be a better) “Mature”,
“Boomer”, “Gen-Xer” or “Millennial.” The conference closed with
Tiffany Pettiford-McMillian’s session on emotional intelligence,
or the ability to perceive, evaluate and control our emotions.
Following lunch, some attendees toured the Brunswick Nuclear
Plant, while others took a trolley tour through historic Wilmington
on their way to tour the USS Battleship North Carolina. All-in-all
the conference was a great success thanks to the support of our
wonderful sponsors and the enthusiastic attendees! We were
very proud to have contributed to the Twitter followers of U.S.
WIN through our promotional contests and many new “tweeters”
had a lot of fun with it! #USWIN2014.
A Southern Nuclear Company (SNC) Perspective
Submitted by: Carol Lynn Riley, Southern Nuclear Company, Region II
A sea of nearly 200 engineers, chemists, health
physicists, trainers, electricians, operators,
accountants, administrative professionals
and CEOs rolled into the 2014 U.S. Women in
Nuclear Region II Conference earlier this month
to discuss specific challenges facing both
men and women in the nuclear industry. The
kick-off event was a complimentary showing
of the controversial Pandora’s Promise which
impressed several of the SNC chapter of U.S.
WIN members who had not yet seen the documentary. “These messages from former Green
Peace and Sierra Club members are very compelling,” according to Pam Smith, Farley I&C
Technician.” “They certainly make for a great
discussion on the role of nuclear energy in our
The SNC chapter of U.S. WIN represented their respective site and corporate chapters at the U.S. WIN
struggle to meet the world’s energy demands.”
Region II Conference in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Picture left to right: Front row, Leigh Perry, Lisa
Spears, Stephanie Agee, CeCe Evans. Middle row: Neecie Tarrant, Erin Autrey, Sharon Mobley, Shanetta
Most of the viewers, of course, shared the
Howard and Carrie Gilbreath. Back row: Kelli Roberts, Bonnie Goodwin, Pam Smith, Shannon Sampson,
supporting position the documentary held on
Anna McLendon and Susan Beasley.
the inclusion of nuclear. ”Though coal as a fuel
option was not presented as a positive, the film
still is an excellent energy dialogue starter,” continued Smith.
The first full day of the conference began with Caroline Reda, CEO/President of GE Hitachi, providing the keynote presentation in which
she challenged both men and women to continue to re-invent themselves to optimize their chances of success in the global market of
opportunities. To a very impressed audience of nuclear professionals, she provided a visual introduction to the GE Hitachi management
team which currently contains 10 female executives. She stated that she is surrounded by a team of high performing women who were
never satisfied with the way things used to be but rather who think in terms of what could be.
A discussion panel on nuclear new construction followed with representatives from CB&I, Fluor, Babcock & Wilson and GE Hitachi. The
panel unanimously identified the lack of skilled labor as the one common issue faced in constructing new plants. Panel reps implored
organizations like U.S. WIN to build awareness of opportunities with students, civic leaders, parents and schools.
The remaining content of the conference was divided between two tracks: professional development sessions and technical sessions.
SNC representatives attended those appropriate to their interests and reported their notes and findings at their networking event the
following evening. Here are some thoughts and reactions to the various presentations attended.
The professional development track included presentations on leadership, customer service, personal branding, emotional intelligence,
The WINning Edge | A n Update on U.S. WIN Activities | vol. 8, issue 3
diversity in the workplace, and generational learning styles. One of
the messages from “Leading across Generations” that resonated
with Farley Nuclear Plant (FNP) Fleet Procedures Supervisor
CeCe Evans was that “culture evolves, but values endure.” Evans
said, “My challenge as a supervisor is to strive to personify the
company values while implementing a culture in the workplace.”
VNP 3&4 Chemistry Supervisor Susan Beasley’s favorite was
the session on personal branding. “It made me think about my
own branding. I discovered that my brand is already out there. In
this presentation I learned that you have to know yourself and be
prepared to rebrand yourself when you need to.”
Bob McCall, Duke Energy Fleet Services General Manager delivered a very dynamic leadership seminar that FNP Communications
Coordinator Neecie Tarrant found very timely. “People rise to or
fail to meet the expectations of the people closest to them,’ Tarrant
recalls from McCall’s presentation. She adds, “As Southern
Nuclear functional areas are separated by site or corporate office,
we are dependent on those closest to us to provide standards or
examples. Fleet cohesion is dependent on the expectations set by
those examples.”
The conference’s technical track provided new and, in some
case, very stimulating discussions on industry concerns like the
Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) sustainability program for light
water reactors, the NRC’s knowledge management program,
global laser enrichment and As Low As Reasonably Achievable
(ALARA) reform.
Key points from Dr. Kathryn McCarthy, Director of DOE’s light
water reactor sustainability program included a consideration for
balancing the government’s and the utility’s roles in the development of a strategic plan to improve performance of its Light Water
Reactors (LWRs). According to McCarthy, the biggest threats to
aging plants are concrete, reactor metals, cables, buried piping,
and mitigation technology. A new nuclear regulation on expanded
materials degradation analysis will be issued this year.
By far the most animated, if not polarizing, session of the conference was ALARA reform session. Shannon Brown Sampson,
Farley Health Physics foreman on loan to INPO reported that several of the ideas presented by Dr. Eric Loewen, Chief Engineer, GE
Hitachi and past American Nuclear Society president were challenged by many in the break out session. According to Loewen,
“Data does not support a linear, zero-threshold model for implementing ALARA.” He further noted that “minimizing dose maybe
adversely affecting the safe operation of plants.” As an example,
he told the story of visiting one plant at which “the engineering
vice president had not been in containment for 10 years because
it wasn’t ‘ALARA’.” He holds that the industry is advocating the
premise that any radiation is bad. “If the focus of the workforce is
on getting in and getting out because of the risk of rad exposure,
then the focus is not on the quality of the work being performed.”
Among his recommendations for ALARA reform is a challenge
to eliminate dose goals and contamination event tallies. This
approach to ALARA raised Sampson’s eyebrows. “For any
ALARA reform, a dialogue with the radiation workers is required.
They have a vision for ALARA that provides safe and quality
work,” said Loewen.
At the conclusion of the conference participants took advantage
of the opportunity to tour either nearby Brunswick Nuclear Plant or
the USS North Carolina.
The 2014 Region II conference brought together experienced
industry executives, technology experts and motivational speakers to help WIN members successfully navigate the waves of
change and oceans of opportunities in our industry today. The
goal was to bring awareness, education and personal development sessions that provided a charter through change. The SNC
chapter of U.S. WIN members cruised through this conference
with all sails set on new, exciting horizons.
Ezold Presents Keynote Address at Chattanooga 2014 Engineers
Week Awards Banquet
Submitted by: Carolyn Corley, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Region II
An awards banquet honoring professional engineers was held on Thursday, Feb. 20, in
downtown Chattanooga, Tenn. Ms. Julie Ezold, a nuclear engineer from the Oak Ridge
Chapter of U.S. Women in Nuclear, was the keynote speaker. Her topic was “Engineering
and Contributing to the STEM Conversation,” addressing the passion of those pursuing
scientific and technical interests and making the most of every opportunity to communicate this passion with others. Ezold suggested all engineers should have a prepared
“elevator speech” – a concise promotional statement ready for chance encounters on an
elevator or other impromptu networking opportunities – and to not be afraid to talk about
what they do. She also recommended tailoring talks to the particular audience at hand,
avoiding the use terminology that may not be part of their vocabulary.
Julie Ezold addresses awards banquet attendees.
The awards banquet was one of several activities in Chattanooga in recognition of
National Engineers Week (NEW), which this year ran from February 16 to 22 with the theme, “Let’s Make a Difference.” NEW is an
annual occasion to raise public awareness about engineers and their achievements. The event was founded in 1951 by the National
Society of Professional Engineers and is one of the oldest professional engineering outreach efforts in the United States.
3
Three Mile Island (TMI) Chapter Recruits Future Nuclear Workers
Submitted by: Tammy Hanlon, Three Mile Island, Exelon Generation, Region I
Four members of the TMI chapter of U.S. WIN – a
chemist, an administrator, a Human Resources
representative and an engineer – participated
in the Middletown Area High School’s annual
career fair held on March 20, 2014 in Middletown,
Pennsylvania. TMI, along with other local area
businesses, supported the career fair by providing
the students access to workers with specific information on various careers available at their workplaces and by answering the numerous questions
posed by the students.
The setup of the career day promoted interaction
between the students and the workers. Business
displays were arranged within “Career Pathways”
in the large high school gymnasium. The Career
Pathways included the following categories:
Engineering and Industrial Technology (where
TMI’s WIN members were slotted); Business,
Finance and Information Technology; Science and
Health; Arts and Communications; and Human
Services.
Pictured left to right: Tammy Hanlon, Carolyn Flory-MaGatz (CJ), Keri Blymire & Rich Freeman
The high school students were allowed time to visit up to four different business partner displays at the fair. Each grade-level had specific questions they were required to ask of the workers to facilitate participation by all parties. The questions served as icebreakers
between the students and the adult workers and included:
1. Is an education beyond high school necessary for this career? If so, explain.
2. How did you choose this career?
3. What high school courses should I take to thrive in this career?
4. What hours do you normally work? (How many hours per week? Is it shift work?)
5. How important is teamwork for this occupation?
6. What opportunities are there for promotion?
7. What is the salary range for your occupation?
8. What advice would you give me in preparing for any career choice?
9. If I could “job shadow” at your business, who do I contact?
10. What are 3 valuable interviewing tips?
TMI WIN members discussed a wide variety of job opportunities available at TMI as well as opportunities throughout the nuclear
industry. Members also shared information on how they obtained their current positions and gave interviewing tips. In summary,
attendees answered the questions above many times for several different students. TMI’s HR representative Keri Blymire provided
very useful information to the students on how to get their resumes to stand out from other resumes, types of extracurricular activities
that students should become involved in, and job shadowing/internship contact information. Overall the students were very interested
in learning about the career options offered in the power industry and were excited at the opportunity to ask TMI employees questions
about their fields of interest. The WINning Edge | A n Update on U.S. WIN Activities | vol. 8, issue 3
Diablo Canyon Chapter Supports Local Career Fair
Submitted by: Shilo Terek, Nuclear Communications, Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant, Region IV
The Diablo Canyon chapter of U.S. WIN attended a
local career fair to infuse interest in the nuclear industry and share employment opportunities. The career
fair was held at the largest high school in the county
and was attended by dozens of local and regional
employers.
“The booth is really two fold,” said Heather Lewis,
Diablo Canyon chapter of U.S. WIN board member.
“We get to educate the students on nuclear energy
and provide career advice.” Though Diablo Canyon
Nuclear Power Plant operates in San Luis Obispo
County, the secluded location of the plant leaves a gap
in the population who simply are not familiar with the
operation and benefits of the facility.
“It’s a great way to get in front of them,” continued
Lewis.
The Diablo Canyon chapter of U.S. Women in Nuclear
support dozens of outreach activities each year,
directly supporting the U.S. WIN outreach pillar.
Pictured left to right: Daniel See, Tiffani Teachey, Heather Lewis and Tracey Vardas.
LaSalle Chapter Participates in Outreach Events at Local Schools
Submitted by: Sammi Schussele, Exelon Nuclear’s LaSalle County Generating Station, Region III
The LaSalle Chapter of U.S. WIN participated in outreach events at local schools covering topics
from water source effects on lettuce plants to material burn rates, and “Do Boys or Girls Text
Faster.” The scientists consisted of the seventh and eighth grade students at Northlawn Junior
High School in Streator, IL.
On Monday, Feb. 3, four members from the chapter joined the science project students at
Northlawn’s Family Science Night. The event gave the students an opportunity to showcase
their scientific pursuits for their family and friends to view and learn. The LaSalle Chapter of U.S.
WIN hosted a separate booth at the event with nuclear-related, interactive activities for students
and family alike to enjoy. Throughout the night, members taught the nearly 100 participants the
process of radioactive decay and misconceived perceptions of nuclear risk.
“I think the kids really enjoyed it,” said U.S. WIN member and Family Science Night
volunteer Christy Hoskins. “They kept coming back to the table. They seemed to like the half-life
experiment best, but then again that one had the M&Ms. Some students even recognized us
from previous events we’ve done at Northlawn, which is great.”
The week prior to Family Science Night, three U.S. WIN members held an informational session for the Chemistry and Engineering
club at Illinois Valley Community College (IVCC). The presentation consisted of a background of the presenters’ careers, an overview
of WIN as an organization and general information on Exelon and the nuclear industry as a whole.
“The presentation [at IVCC] was a really good experience,” said U.S. WIN member Amber Von Ruden. “The students were very
engaged with lots of questions. It was a great opportunity to bring some insight on our industry to the public.”
5
Nuclear Advocacy on the Run
Submitted by: Mimi Mylin, PPL Susquehanna, LLC, Region I
Three U.S. WIN advocates of nuclear energy shared wellwishes on a bright Sunday morning, April 6, at the National Mall
in Washington, D.C., before running in the Credit Union Cherry
Blossom Ten Mile Run.
PPL Susquehanna’s Susan Downs has run the race several
times and has long encouraged others in the industry to join her.
This year, Downs successfully recruited AREVA’s Director of
External Communications Laura Clise, to join her in running
the 10-mile course, and MPR Associates Engineer Suzanne
McKillop to run the 5K.
“It was great to reconnect with friends who are nuclear advocates, with the cherry blossom run event as a focus,” said Downs,
a business operations analyst with PPL Susquehanna and U.S.
WIN steering committee member. “I’m pleased that all my years
of coaxing friends and colleagues to join me finally came to fruition. I love this race and have wanted to involve others.”
These women, who ran in honor of the many contributions of
nuclear energy, became friends through their work related to
nuclear and educational outreach.
Downs plans to assemble another nuclear advocacy team next
year.
“I’m hoping for a larger team that will help gather more attention
to the many benefits nuclear power brings to our communities,
and to share in the whole running fellowship experience” Downs
said.
Anyone interested in participating with a nuclear advocacy
team for 2015 (runners and cheerers-on alike) should contact
Downs at [email protected]. Race registration opens in
December.
PPL Susquehanna Chapter Sponsors One Book,
One Community Initiative
Submitted by: Susan Downs, PPL Susquehanna, LLC, Region I
All ears were tuned into Analyst Francine Wozinski’s expressive reading of Chapter 8 of “The Lemonade War” on the evening of January 30, at PPL Susquehanna’s Energy Information
Center near Berwick Pennsylvania.
Nearly 60 people, mostly children, visited the center that evening as part of a community wide literacy project organized by
an elementary school principal in the Berwick School District.
Families with young children enjoyed a light meal and interacted with the center’s many energy-related displays as part
of the event.
“Special events like this one break up the children’s study
routine and remind them that learning can be fun,” said Mimi
Mylin, an information specialist who helped organize the
event sponsored by the Susquehanna chapter of U.S. WIN.
“Listening to children giggle as they press display buttons and
watching the concentration of a young boy furiously pedaling
a bicycle to light up a bulb say, much better than words, that
the event was worthwhile.”
Every elementary school child in the Berwick area was given
a copy of the book to read.
Those with developing reading skills can listen to public
readings of each chapter
that were held at various
venues throughout the area.
Audio versions of each
chapter were also made
available online.
“Despite our location being
one of the farthest from the schools, we had a great turnout,”
Mylin said. “The appreciation for our community involvement
was clearly felt and stated by many of the parents and children
who attended. I also appreciate the help from members of our
U.S. Women in Nuclear group who supported the event.”
Capping off the readings was a book signing event by the
author, Jacqueline Davies, at the McBride Memorial Library in
Berwick, in mid-March. She also visited the children in each
of the elementary schools to discuss the importance of reading, writing and education.
The WINning Edge | A n Update on U.S. WIN Activities | vol. 8, issue 3
Diablo Canyon Chapter Learns Financial Wellness
Submitted by: Shilo Terek, Nuclear Communications, Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant, Region IV
The Diablo Canyon Chapter of U.S. WIN was represented at a
recent seminar focused on Financial Wellness for Women. The
all-day seminar provided tools for women to develop financial
skills, financial vocabulary, and to create strategies for long-term
financial success. This seminar upholds the U.S. WIN pillar of
professional development by showcasing the importance of
financial excellence, which is one of the leading challenges in
today’s nuclear industry.
“I’d consider myself financial savvy but this seminar really
opened your eyes to a more holistic view” said Karen Karner,
Diablo Canyon U.S. WIN member. “It’s standard to think of budgeting and saving for the short-term but how often do you think
about estate planning?”
Seminar material was developed by Libbie Agran and presented
by Andrea Wasko and Meaghan Gilbert, leaders in development
with more than 50 years of cumulative experience. Find more
information about the seminar at www.economicsofbeingawoman.com.
Diablo Canyon Chapter Parks Support for Court Appointed Special
Advocates (CASA) during Outage
Submitted by: Shilo Terek, Nuclear
Communications, Pacific Gas and
Electric Company’s Diablo Canyon
Power Plant, Region IV
Planned maintenance and refueling outages mean different things
to different people. For some it
simply means extended hours; for
others it’s a chance to rotate
functions and learn new skills, but for all
of us it means less available parking. The Diablo Canyon
chapter of U.S. WIN eased that burden for two employees
at the plant and supported a local nonprofit by working with
leadership and security to secure two reserve parking spaces
for the duration of the outage for the winners of a drawing.
CASA of San Luis Obispo County advocates for the best
interests of abused and neglected children within the court
system. CASA recruits, trains and supervises volunteers who
advocate for this vulnerable population with the goal of ensuring that each and every child— some who maybe future U.S.
WIN members—grows up in a safe, nurturing and permanent
home.
The chapter raised $1,300 to benefit the local CASA of San
Luis Obispo County by selling tickets for the reserved spaces.
Members of the chapter volunteered their time to sell tickets
in the plant’s cafeteria.
7
INPO Hosts Women in Leadership Conference
Submitted by: Kim Maza, INPO,Region II
INPO held a Women in Leadership
Conference on Jan. 16, 2014 at the
Cobb Energy Center in Atlanta, GA.
Approximately 110 attendees shared
information on career building, work
life balance and the power of mentoring. The audience was predominantly
comprised of INPO women from
every company profession with a
plethora of educational backgrounds,
some male managers and members
of the senior leadership team. Three
panels discussed topics on career
lessons learned and updates from
company leaders on what is happening in various divisions. The keynote speaker, Becky Blalock, former Senior Vice President and
Chief Information Officer of Southern Company abundantly shared her straight talk on confidence, courage and career for women in
charge from her book DARE. Professional headshots were an added attraction. Feedback from the attendees was overwhelmingly
positive. All of the attendees stated that they learned useful tips and heightened perspective to incorporate into their personal and
professional life. Kim Maza, Vice President, Industry Trends and Organizational Learning challenged all of the attendees to further
strive to be their best as our industry undergoes continual change and scrutiny.
STEM Power Day Offers Opportunity to Learn about Nuclear Energy
Submitted by: Peggy Hobbs, AREVA Inc., Region II
AREVA’s chapter of U.S. WIN hosted 23 Girl Scouts representing
several counties across Southeast Virginia for a STEM Power
Day at AREVA’s office in Lynchburg, Va., on Saturday, April 12.
Following a POWER Bingo icebreaker activity designed to help
them make new friends, the girls learned the basics of nuclear
energy. They later toured AREVA’s Technical Training Center
where they studied a model of a fuel assembly, looked deep
inside a spent fuel pool mock-up, saw several robots that are
designed to perform maintenance work at nuclear reactors, and
viewed multiple components from nuclear power plants that are
used for training workers to perform service tasks at plant sites.
As a bonus, the girls were treated to spending time with longtime AREVA employee and engineer, Scott Wilson, when he
shared his Sparrow Electric Car. The girls delighted in taking a
turn in the seat of the three-wheel electric car as Scott explained
the science and technology behind this unique vehicle.
After lunch, the girls split into groups to participate in activities
based on their ages. Participants at the Brownie level learned
that there is science all around them by participating in activities
using common ingredients found in most kitchens. Who knew
you could make your own Silly Putty using a little glue, borax,
water, and food coloring or that you can blow up a balloon using
vinegar and baking soda to create carbon dioxide? Learning
how to create 3-D glasses and animate artwork helped participants at the Junior-level discover the science behind the world
of entertainment.
to offer activities to the community that promote STEM education,” said Gloria Witt, past President of the U.S. WIN AREVA
Chapter. “We were thrilled to partner with the Girl Scouts of
Virginia Skyline Council to offer this STEM Power Day and help
the Girl Scouts earn required badges and teach them about
nuclear energy.”
At the end of the day, participants at the Brownie level earned a
Home Scientist Skill Building badge and Junior-level girls earned
a Science and Technology Skill Building badge.
“Girl Scouts is committed to ensuring that every girl has the
opportunity to explore and build an interest in STEM. Our collaborative effort with AREVA WIN enabled us to expose girls
to STEM-related fields while allowing them to complete their
skill-building badges,” said Jesse Dawson, Program Manager,
Southeast Virginia, Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council.
“We are so excited about our partnership with AREVA WIN and
hope to continue our efforts in building strong programs that will
advocate STEM career pathways and increase leadership skills
in girls.”
A lot of hard work and commitment went into making the day
possible, with 12 WIN members participating in the planning and
execution of the event. “It is important to us as members of WIN
The WINning Edge | A n Update on U.S. WIN Activities | vol. 8, issue 3
District of Columbia (DC) Chapter Participates
in Women in Aviation and Space Family
Program hosted by National Air and Space
Museum
Submitted by: Katie
Mulvaney, MPR Associates,
Inc., Region I
On March 15, 2014, the
Washington, DC chapter
of U.S. WIN participated in
the Women in Aviation and
Space Family Program,
which is hosted each year
by the Smithsonian National
Air and Space Museum.
The event was held at the
National Air and Space
Museum’s Steven F. UdvarHazy Center. The Women in
Aviation and Space Family
Program celebrates the
accomplishments of women
in aviation, science and
Pictured: John Boska of the American Nuclear Society along
with DC-WIN members Laurene Dobrowolski and Savannah
aerospace. The goal of this
Fitzwater volunteered to educate families about nuclear energy
event is to encourage young
and careers in the nuclear industry under the wing of the space
shuttle Discovery at the Women in Aviation and Space Family
people to pursue careers
Program. The event is held each year at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.
and opportunities in aviation,
science and aerospace fields and to educate parents about these fields.
DC chapter volunteers ran a “street fair” booth with several activities and display
materials related to nuclear energy and careers in the nuclear industry. Families
learned about radiation monitoring at a demonstration with a Geiger counter, a
personal monitoring device worn by plant personnel. Lollipop handouts were used
to communicate about the energy contained in very small amounts of uranium
fuel, and a radioactive decay activity taught families about radioactive half-life.
Additionally, the volunteers used a miniature windmill to explain how electricity is
generated from the steam turbines used in a nuclear power cycle. The volunteers
also provided brochures related to nuclear energy to parents.
Children and parents showed great interest in the activities, and sharing the
experience with families was extremely rewarding for the DC chapter volunteers.
Overall, volunteers talked with approximately 450 children and parents.
INPO Chapter
Professional
Development
Cohort
Submitted by: Kim Maza,
INPO, Region II
The 2013 INPO chapter of U.S. Women
in Nuclear Professional Development
Cohort began with about 20 members
representing every strata of the organization. Throughout the year, Elisabet
Dennehy, President of Rodriguez and
Associates, was onsite every other
month for a full day of leadership training on topics that included Leading by
Influence, Distinguishing Leadership
from Management, Networking, Stress
Management, and Generations at Work.
Each topic was accompanied by an activity for attendees to develop and implement
personal action plans. The group also
discussed various books and articles recommended by Elisabet. Topics included,
but were not limited to, assertiveness in
a male dominated work environment,
professional appearance, how to change
one’s perspective, and the importance of
listening skills. Following the group presentations, she conducted one-on-one
consultation based on individual-specified topics pertinent to individual’s needs
such as identifying personal professional
goals, or analyzing and improving one’s
first impression or presence in every walk
of life.
Follow U.S. WIN
On Twitter!
Follow @WomenInNuclear
to keep up with U.S. WIN
happenings.
We welcome your suggestions and comments
by direct message on
Twitter or by email to
CommComm@winus.
org. If you’d like to join
the Twitter Team, please
contact Kara Lukehart at
[email protected] for
more information.
9
Submit Your
Story Today
What is U.S. Women in
Nuclear?
• U.S. Women in Nuclear (WIN) is the
premier network of over 6,000 women and
men who work in nuclear- and radiationrelated fields around the country.
• U.S. WIN members participate in networking,
professional development and outreach
activities through local chapters, regional
organizations, and the national organization.
Local chapters are organized based on
company, university/college, or geographic
region.
• In addition, U.S. WIN is an affiliate of the
Women in Nuclear Global organization
(WIN Global). The WIN-Global
organization is made up of more than
3,800 members in 94 countries.
For more information
visit us at winus.org.
We want to know what your
U.S. Women in Nuclear (WIN)
Chapter is doing to support an
environment in nuclear energy
and technologies, provide
a network for professional
development or provide public
education opportunities. This is
how you can contribute:
1. Compose your story.
Brag about a great event you
put on recently, tell us about
something important happening
at your facility, or highlight a
personal achievement of a
member of your chapter. You
can type it in a word processor
document, or even just put it
in the body of an email. Make
sure to include your name,
plant and company, region,
daytime phone number and
email address.
2. Add photos.
They say a picture is worth a
thousand words so be sure to
add a photo! Photos make
your story pop and add that
personal touch. Make sure that
you follow the guidelines – get
permission from everyone in
the photo before you submit
it. You can find a copy of the
release form at the U.S. WIN
website.
3. Submit your story.
Email your story and photos to
[email protected].
The WINning Edge | vol. 8, issue 3