Y-12 Blog
Congratulations to the Bechtel Global Scholars with ties to Pantex, Y 12, and the Uranium Processing Facility.
The 2021 Bechtel Global Scholars program awarded a total of $75,000 in college funds to 25 students in six countries. The $3,000 scholarship goes to students in their first year of studies at an accredited college, university, vocational institute, or technical school.
Among the 25 students receiving the scholarship this year, five are a child of a Consolidated Nuclear Security or Uranium Processing Facility Project employee:
- Jocelyn Espinoza, daughter of Pantex’s Andrew Espinoza
- Olivia Horner, daughter of Pantex’s Robbie White
- Nathan Nelson, son of UPF’s Jeanne Grozdanich Nelson
- Alexandria Perry, daughter of Y 12’s Douglas Perry
- Oviya Shanmugam, daughter of UPF’s Nambi Shanmugam
Oviya Shanmugam thanked Bechtel for the opportunity. “I consider it a great honor to have been chosen as a recipient of this scholarship,” she said.
Her father, Nambi Shanmugam, said, “I appreciate Bechtel for identifying, recognizing, and rewarding young achievers on their first step toward higher education. It is especially encouraging after overcoming a very challenging last year.”
Parent Robbie White also expressed his appreciation to Bechtel. “We feel honored for the selection and thankful for the aid during this transition year as our youngest daughter leaves the nest,” he said.
Jocelyn Espinoza said the scholarship will help further her education. “I am very excited to have been selected for this award, and it will go a long way to help me achieve my goals,” she said.
Bechtel Group Foundation funds the scholarship, which is managed by Scholarship America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging global educational achievement. This year, 160 students from eight countries applied for the scholarship. Scholarship America reviewed each application before the final selection.
The opportunity is open to students in all fields of study, with preference given to those pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math. Bechtel scholarships are awarded each year for full-time study at an accredited institution of the student’s choice. However, current undergraduates are not eligible for the program.
Since its start in 2001, the Bechtel Global Scholars program has awarded $1.3 million in college funding to 486 students.
Quotes from the scholars
Jocelyn Espinoza: “I am very excited to have been selected for this award, and it will go a long way to help me achieve my goals.”
Olivia Horner: “I’m very thankful for this investment in my future. I am very thankful for the recognition of my hard work throughout high school. I am incredibly excited to pursue my business degree at Texas A&M University!”
Nathan Nelson: “My family and I are both grateful to be considered and awarded this scholastic opportunity to help further my education. Thank you very much!”
Alexandria Perry: “It is an honor to be chosen to represent my high school and my family in accepting this generous scholarship. I feel a remarkable amount of support and personal enthusiasm as I begin my collegiate journey, and I am very thankful!”
Oviya Shanmugam: “I am thankful to Bechtel for the opportunity and consider it a great honor to have been chosen as a recipient of this scholarship. This award will be a great addition to support my college tuition.”
A chemist performs an initial sample analysis.
The Analytical Chemistry Organization (ACO) at Y-12 recently received good news from Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL) that ACO completed the annual laboratory requalification to continue supporting nuclear Navy reactors through June 30, 2022. The recertification ensures that Y-12 can continue to process the highly enriched uranium used to help fuel reactors in the Navy’s nuclear powered aircraft carriers and submarines under an agreement with NNSA’s Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.
Local and global impacts
Comprised of seven laboratory groups within Analytical Chemistry Enterprise and Mission Operations, ACO performs chemical analyses on a wide variety of samples gathered throughout Y-12.
Impurities in weapon materials, isotopic analysis, waste and environmental sample analysis, beryllium and bioassay for worker health and safety, and reactor material supply are just some of the areas from which the ACO receives samples.
“ACO analyzes virtually every part and process at Y-12,” said Rob Kring, former senior manager of Y-12 Analytical Chemistry Mission Operations. “The work we do every day in ACO has global impacts. It’s not just a sample we are analyzing — we are ensuring the U.S. nuclear stockpile, helping to power the nuclear Navy and commercial nuclear reactors, and are doing our part to help protect our Y-12 coworkers.”
The Y-12 Analytical Chemistry Operations group completed more than 102,000 tests in 2020. Click for a larger image.
A yearly review
Each year, ACO participates in a recertification exercise run by Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, which is a part of the greater Naval Nuclear Laboratory. During the exercise, KAPL sends samples with different and unknown concentrations of impurities to Y-12 and ACO then has to recover those impurities at the targeted levels within strict accuracy constraints well-below the parts per million level. The ACO team prepares eight samples along with blanks and quality control. Both the samples and the individual components are analyzed and then re-analyzed on additional instrumentation to verify results.
Results are collected, compiled, calculated, and reviewed over several days before a report is produced and submitted. KAPL then evaluates the report and recertifies ACO based on the results.
Overcoming challenges
The previous year brought many challenges to working environments all over the world, and the ACO recertification process was no different.
“Communication is key to all customer relationships, and COVID-19 drastically increased the difficulty of all interactions,” explained Kellye McGhee, lead chemist for the Inductively Coupled Plasma team.
“Keeping up with daily customer samples and lab qualifications is challenging even in a stable environment, but finding a way to complete necessary tasks while dealing with all the uncertainties COVID-19 brought our way was even more complicated,” McGhee stated. “Thanks to the critical thinking skills of our group, collaboration with other subject matter experts within ACO, and a deep motivation to succeed for our customers, we continue to support the Y-12 mission.”
Participants followed pandemic controls that were active at the time of the photographs.
Jan West (left) and Jeff Barnard (right) stand in front of the new flag at Post 5.
While the Stars and Stripes is easy to spot at multiple locations around Y-12, one employee noticed a place on site that seemed to be missing a flag. Because he brought attention to the issue, Old Glory is now proudly displayed at this prominent location.
For months, Jeff Barnard, a painter at Y-12 for more than 40 years, drove past a bare flag pole at the old Post 5 on the east end of First Street twice every day.
“As I passed through Post 5 and noticed the flag pole with no flag flying on it, I thought it was really sad, especially with what our mission is and what we do here at Y-12.”
Barnard took his concerns to his Joint Labor Management team where members Calvin Gallaher, Frank Lyles, and Jan West initiated a plan to run a flag up the pole. Infrastructure’s Roads and Grounds crew provided a new rope and a flag. Power Operations made sure that the flag would be properly illuminated in accordance with the lighting code and to protect its integrity.
“It made me realize that in America, sometimes we get so busy we forget what the flag stands for,” said Lyles, director of Plant Services. “It represents our nation, our future, our families, and our mission. And part of the mission at Y-12 is to make sure a flag is always flying.”
Jan West, senior director of Y-12 Environment, Safety, and Health, and an Air Force veteran, agreed. “It is the bigger picture of why we are here, and I would like to think a large portion of our workforce connects because of what the flag stands for,” she said. “It is very symbolic for what we do here and for our mission.”
West is one of many veterans who, along with still serving military personnel, work at Y-12.
Major John Toliver, who served 15 years of active service before transitioning to the Army Reserves, believes that our flag represents our nation and its people.
“The American flag is a symbol of what we’re defending every time we step across that blue line and come to work,” said Toliver, Special Operations Command - Strategic Partnerships.
“It should be flown at every corner of Y-12 for all to see. Our mission is to ensure a safe and effective U.S. nuclear weapons deterrent and to reduce global threat of weapons of mass destruction,” he said. “We are each called upon to strengthen our national security and what we do every day matters for the nation and we should all be very proud of that.”
Students from as far away as New York participated in the cybersecurity camp sponsored by Y-12 National Security Complex.
Knowing how to be safe online is important for anyone old enough to use a computer or smartphone. Y-12’s educational outreach program is doing its part to make sure students know how to protect themselves, while also encouraging them to grow and maintain an interest in cybersecurity that could lead to a potential career.
For the second summer, Y-12 National Security Complex partnered with Roane State Community College to offer an innovative approach to cybersecurity education through a virtual camp for middle and high school students who are considering careers in Information Technology. The camp was designed to engage today’s hyper-connected young people with firsthand examples of mobile forensics and the damage a cyberattack can do.
George Meghabghab, director of the RSCC Computer Information Technology program, led the camp. “I loved each minute of the camp, and the students felt the same way,” he said.
The first four-day camp, held for high school students, was conducted in early June. The July camp was held for middle school students from as far away as New York and Maryland. Students attending the camps from closer to home were from Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Spring City, Rockwood, Kingston, Oliver Springs, Maryville, Oakdale, and Clinton.
The students were given opportunities to apply their individual skillsets in a group setting in hopes of realizing that they’re always going to be learning and finding new ways to identify solutions to problems. Meghabghab said the students wanted to know how a cybersecurity breach can happen.
“I felt students wanted to do hands-on work more than ever before, which is why I do what I do,” Meghabghab said. “I feel interest in this camp is exploding,” he continued. “I believe the virtual outreach is critical, and I am glad we did it this way. I hope we can use the same format next year.”
In a time of heartache and abuse, organizations like the Knoxville Family Justice Center are there for victims of domestic violence
Consolidated Nuclear Security continues to look for ways to help our communities toward recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The company recently turned to the East Tennessee Foundation and its Neighbor to Neighbor Fund to join with the CNS Community Investment Fund. Together, CNS and ETF were able to quickly get much needed resources to several nonprofit organizations in East Tennessee.
Knoxville Family Justice Center’s Navigator Program
Imagine being isolated and alone with only an abusive partner at your side. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic only increased the stress caused by abusive relationships. Safer at home orders, furloughs, and unemployment left many victims of domestic violence trapped with nowhere to escape.
Carmen was in that situation. Her boyfriend, with whom she had a history of explosive fights, had been laid off and his angry outbursts had escalated. He became even more controlling, threatening violence to her and her dogs.
Fortunately for Carmen, she found the website of the Knoxville Family Justice Center, a hub of 47 collaborating organizations including shelter, advocacy, and law enforcement. She cried out for help through an email.
“Our navigators responded immediately, and we asked if she had a safe phone number so we could text her,” said Kathy Hatfield, the Family Justice Center’s grant writer.
Through text messages, KFJC navigators connected Carmen with advocates from its partner agencies. Through their help Carmen was able to escape her abuser.
Hatfield said the pandemic created obstacles for everyone. For the Knoxville Family Justice Center, it required the Center to adapt quickly to COVID-19 safety protocols. Its trained volunteers could not be used, increasing the work of paid staff.
Thanks to a $2,500 CNS grant, coupled with $4,700 from the East Tennessee Foundation, KFJC was able to provide funding for its Navigator Program for Survivors of Domestic Violence and address the needs of survivors.
Staff members were also repurposed for victim care, coordinating appointments, and ensuring a sterile facility for in person meetings when necessary because of extreme danger in a victim’s situation. When possible, survivors were encouraged to call ahead so on site visits could be staggered.
Hatfield said the support of CNS and East Tennessee Foundation’s Neighbor to Neighbor Fund allowed KFJC to perform vital services for survivors of domestic violence during the pandemic.
“Your support resulted in survivors reporting improved safety, better access to resources, and a better understanding of abuse,” Hatfield said.