Y-12 Blog
UT students and Y‑12 nuclear security subject matter experts conduct a battle board challenge in Oak Ridge.
It’s like a semester‑long chess game with the final moves played live at Y-12 National Security Complex. Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC nuclear security training experts and University of Tennessee graduate students strategize over a 3‑dimensional battle board during the culmination of an intense college course — a simulated, practical, force‑on‑force, military‑type exercise in which the victors control the virtual cached enriched uranium.
As part of the CNS and UT partnership, Y‑12 experts and UT students work together throughout the semester and then lay it all out on the table in a fierce, calculated half‑day challenge. Dr. Howard Hall, Governor’s Chair Professor at UT, teaches the Nuclear Security Science and Analysis course, working closely with KJ Maddux and others at Y‑12, to offer well rounded training for our nation’s next generation of nuclear security decision makers. “I don’t know of another program like this outside Tennessee,” said Hall. “We have a unique opportunity to work with nuclear security experts as part of the Institute for Nuclear Security, and we conduct our final exercise inside the perimeter of a nuclear facility. This battle board event is definitely the highlight of the semester. Through this training, we’re making a significant impact on the future workforce.”
The INS was founded to increase cooperation between government and academia to solve crucial problems in global nuclear security. As a top‑tier graduate program in nuclear engineering, UT attracts students from around the world. In addition to CNS and UT, INS members include the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Oak Ridge Associated Universities. “Nuclear security carries tremendous domestic and international importance,” said Maddux, senior program manager for Global Security Analysis & Training at Y‑12. “It’s critical for institutions in academia, industry and government to partner. The INS goal is to create opportunities for its members to interact with one another to attract and educate the next generation of nuclear security experts.”
Y‑12 and UT have completed seven battle board exercises, each with its own flavor. The fall 2015 class of 32 students, which included active‑duty military personnel pursuing advanced degrees, divided into teams early in the semester. The red team played the adversaries (bad guys) and the blue team acted as the protective force (good guys). They held frequent, separate strategy meetings to build their attack/defense of a mock nuclear facility.
The red team’s goal was to infiltrate a mock facility; the blue team was well prepared and ready for an attack, with multi‑tiered tactics in place to defend the facility and the stored nuclear material. The teams moved back and forth, deliberating in separate rooms between turns, taking their best guess at the other team’s next play on the board. This year, the blue team reigned, protecting the nuclear material and leaving the red team with just one man standing.
“Y‑12 is a gem with about 15 subject matter experts available to help the UT students understand and experience physical security, vulnerability analysis, performance testing, safeguards and security, and nuclear materials control and accountability,” said Maddux. He has 30 years of broad experience in the nuclear security field and works closely with Hall to ensure the students receive a healthy balance of classroom and hands‑on training.
Hall, world renowned in the intervention of nuclear terrorism, brings a wealth of field experience to the classroom. Before joining the UT’s nuclear engineering staff in 2009, he worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and supported the Department of Homeland Security. “We’re educating grad students — from nuclear engineers to writers — about nuclear weapons, material security and crimes. We truly value our unique partnership with CNS,” he added.
Throughout the exercise at Y‑12, senior managers observed the battle board challenge and addressed the students to offer sound advice and words of encouragement. “The world is a dangerous place. Now, more than ever, we need the next generation to step forward and face the challenges of securing nuclear materials,” Bill Tindal, Y‑12 site manager, said. “I applaud you for choosing this field of study. Our world will be counting on you.”
At the semester’s end, UT’s grad students took away their final grade and unmatched national security experience, leaving the virtual cached enriched uranium safe and secure.
Joining forces, CNS and the University of Tennessee offer well rounded training — both on the Knoxville campus and at Y-12 — for our nation’s next generation of nuclear security decision makers. Y-12 recently hosted a tour and 3-D battle board challenge for graduate students. The exercise involved strategic moves by a team protecting a mock nuclear facility and a team attacking the facility to control the stored nuclear material.
Gen. Kevin Chilton, former commander of U.S. Strategic Command, spoke to Pantex employees and thanked them for their service.
Gen. Kevin Chilton, former commander of U.S. Strategic Command, recently spoke to Pantex employees and delivered a clear message: “From the bottom of my heart, thank you for what you do every single day.” During the Jan. 26 all hands address, he encouraged employees to be proud of themselves, calling the mission “unique,” “vital” and “special.”
Chilton, who is now working with Consolidated Nuclear Security to support Pantex and Y-12 missions, was at Pantex as a member of a Technical Advisory Board focused on enhancing mission delivery. His talk with employees emphasized the importance of the CNS mission, linking employees’ roles to the broader nuclear deterrent.
“One thing I’m certain of, folks, is that we in this room, our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will absolutely need and depend on every one of you and the work you do to provide security for them and our great country,” he said. “For that and your dedicated and hard work, I thank you again.”
And he noted that more work will be coming to Pantex and Y-12 as nuclear weapons work ramps up in the coming decades.
“The cycle is picking up right now, and it’s picking up fast. There is a tremendous amount of work to be done, and there are those who doubt we can do it,” Chilton said. “And then there are those like me who are counting on folks like you to make it happen because we have to make it happen. It’s just so important to our country.”
In addition to thanking employees for their work, Chilton explained that the purpose of the United States’ nuclear stockpile is to deter and assure — deter those who think striking us wouldn’t be so bad and assure our allies that the U.S. can provide protection. Chilton said our nation has used nuclear weapons as a deterrent every day since they were first fielded. “We have been 100 percent successful,” he noted.
Aside from stressing the importance of a strong nuclear deterrent and the role CNS plays, he peppered his remarks with stories of his days as the commander of STRATCOM, his long and prestigious Air Force career and his service at NASA, where he was on three space shuttle missions: Endeavour (1992), Endeavour (1994) and Atlantis (1996), which he commanded.
CNS was well represented at the first National Energetic Materials Consortium.
About 70 university researchers and government and industry experts from across the country, including Consolidated Nuclear Security employees, joined forces at the first ever National Energetic Materials Consortium hosted by Texas Tech University.
Pantex’s Christopher Young said, “There are a great many types of energetic materials and an array of applications. The explosives used by the Department of Energy are a specialized subset and have very stringent requirements in regards to their precision, timing, reproducibility, sensitivity and ageing characteristics.”
NEMC was formed by leading universities across the U.S. to combine technology and science within the academic community with the manufacturing resources of private industry. The aim is to bring critically needed innovations to the energetics sector of the national technological industrial base; NEMC is designed to allow for a rapid transition of new materials to a modernized industrial base.
“Acceptance and performance testing of explosives has been accomplished at Pantex for DOE since the 1960s,” Young said. “We’ve teamed up with Los Alamos National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on this work. Current data acquisition strategies are continuously balanced against new technologies and ever evolving requirements.”
There was a strong showing from Pantex and Y-12 presenters.
Pantexan Patrick Goguen said, “It was a great opportunity to share ideas with some of the leaders in academia, government and industry related to advancing the frontiers of energetic materials. Rarely can you get such a diverse audience together to have such a focused interchange.”
CNS was one of the sponsors of the event, held in Lubbock, Texas, and is collaborating with Texas Tech University in research and development areas.
Consolidated Nuclear Security recently donated $10,000 to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital’s capital campaign. The CNS donation will go toward construction of a pre- or post-op room at Children’s new building, which is currently under construction.
On hand for the check presentation was Y-12’s Site Manager Bill Tindal and Children’s Hospital CEO Keith Goodwin.
The new 245,000-square-foot space, which is scheduled for completion later this year, will expand services for children with chronic conditions such as cystic fibrosis and other special needs. Forty-four private Neonatal Intensive Care Unit rooms will provide the best care for the hospital’s smallest patients.
The new facility also will feature parking and enhanced family areas, including a rooftop garden.
East Tennessee Children’s Hospital is a not-for-profit, private, independent pediatric medical center and is the only Comprehensive Regional Pediatric Center in East Tennessee.
Y-12 Nuclear Science Week volunteers.
Educating people about the importance of nuclear science and inspiring youth to pursue their interests in science, technology, engineering and mathematics are vital components of the nuclear industry’s success. Recently, Y-12 engineers in the Career ONE program joined other nuclear professionals in the Oak Ridge area for the “Big Event,” Nuclear Science Week’s biggest celebration.
Established by the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History, Nuclear Science Week is a nationally recognized annual celebration promoting all aspects of nuclear science. The week includes events of all sizes throughout the country and a big event in one designated city. In fall 2015, the American Nuclear Society Oak Ridge/Knoxville section hosted the Big Event at the Knoxville Convention Center.
“Nuclear Science Week inspires others to pursue STEM careers. Over 70 kindergarten through sixth-grade students attended this event. These children were from a variety of schooling scenarios — homeschool, Montessori, private and public. Participation in this event helps remind me of the vital role our science-based skills play in delivering on Y-12’s mission,” said Jon Richey, a mechanical engineer.
The Big Event features numerous interactive nuclear science and engineering activities, including nuclear detection demonstrations, cloud chambers, electromagnets, atom assembly and other exercises designed to inspire students. Participants include students, educators, employers and locals in the community.
Josh Lucheon, a chemical engineer, said, “Nuclear Science Week was a great experience to give back to the community and share our knowledge of science and technology with grade-schoolers. The hands-on experiments and demonstrations hopefully sparked an interest for focusing their education on STEM as they grow up. Additionally, the opportunity was very gratifying for me because knowing that I helped a child learn something for the first time is a great feeling. I had a blast!”
Like Lucheon, structural engineer Faheem Ahmed spoke positively about the experience of engaging the students to help them understand basic science concepts. He also said the Big Event not only benefited the students but also the professionals from different companies who attended. “We had the opportunity to network with one another. The camaraderie with fellow engineers and the opportunity to help the students made it a wonderful experience; I hope to participate again next year.”
Richey, Lucheon and Ahmed participate in Career ONE, a job rotation program at Y-12 that allows new graduates to work in different engineering disciplines to help them discover the area that best suits their skills and interests.
John Latham also participated in the Big Event. At his STEM station, Latham worked with four to six children at a time, helping them understand magnetism by building a small electromagnet with a nail, copper wire and small battery.
“My favorite thing to hear from the kids was, ‘I wonder what would happen if…?’ I often replied, ‘Hmm…I’m not sure; why don’t you try it and see?’ I thought it was a success if they left with more questions than they came in with, in keeping with Einstein’s quote, ‘The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.’”