Y-12 Blog
Taking a first-of-a-kind facility from design through major construction milestones is something many engineers dream of doing. For Cathy Flavin, Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) CNS deputy project director, it has been her reality. Flavin joined the project 9 years ago, working on the initial planning and design for the multi-facility concept. She had worked a year for another Bechtel project in the United Kingdom before moving to East Tennessee during the CNS contract transition when a project engineering manager was needed for UPF.
As UPF CNS deputy project director, Flavin focuses on the project’s relationships with Y-12 and NNSA, primarily the Y-12 Acquisition and Project Management Office. With each of the area project managers for the Main Process Building, Salvage and Accountability Building, and Process Support Facilities subprojects reporting to her, Flavin manages overall project performance and the escalation of issues. She provides leadership for planning and reporting, as well as guidance for implementing process improvements.
Flavin’s professional journey into engineering began at Michigan State University, when she entered as an undeclared engineering major. She knew she wanted to pursue a career in science and math, and she eventually chose electrical engineering as her focus. After graduating, her first job was working at the Savannah River Site and, from that point on, most of her career has focused on executing projects for the Department of Energy.
At UPF, many of Flavin’s colleagues endearingly refer to her as the “project historian” because of her deep understanding of the technical requirements and aspects of the site. Flavin believes her knowledge of the project and DOE processes is one of the best things she can bring to the table.
“Because I was the engineering manager during the design process, I am pretty familiar with a wide range of processes and builds happening on-site. One of the things I enjoy most about working at UPF is being able to see the renderings and designs on paper actually transformed into this history-making facility,” said Flavin. “Being a part of something like this at Y-12, whose mission is one I deeply believe in, has truly been a highlight of my career.”
What is your favorite aspect about your work environment?
Working as a team to solve problems has always been my favorite part of the job. Watching our team come together and rise to the challenge is a big motivator.
What CNS principle drives you to be successful?
All of them really speak to me daily on the project. If I had to choose, I would say setting high standards and having a questioning attitude. It’s important to challenge the status quo and make sure we do the right thing for the right reasons. Those are pillars of success that have been engrained in me throughout my career; we want to make sure we do our jobs right the first time as engineers. It doesn’t do any good if we build the building or facility but then it can’t be used by the workforce.
As an employee, what do you want to be remembered for?
I want to be remembered for being helpful and trustworthy — someone who others can depend on. On a lighter note, I want to be remembered for helping people laugh. On a project before UPF, I was told by a colleague that I could always be found on the site just by listening for my laugh. What we do is serious work, but it’s important we also look on the positive side, and humor can be the best way to maintain positive energy. It’s important to me to be a great person to work for and work with.
What work advice would you offer someone who is new to Y-12 or UPF?
Read the procedures.
Just kidding. Well, still do that. My biggest piece of advice is to find someone you look up to and ask that person to be your mentor, and when you gain experience, mentor other people.
If you could have any super power, what would it be?
Definitely teleportation, because I could pop all over the world without the headache of traveling. I would travel first to see my kids and family all over the country. A lot of people don’t know I have four kids who all have their own careers. I would probably go to Los Alamos first, and then Utah, followed by New York and Delaware.
Y-12’s Alicia Swift has been named to the 2023 University of Tennessee Volunteer 40 under 40 Class.
Swift is director of Nonproliferation and Arms Control at Consolidated Nuclear Security. She joins an elite class of young professionals who have excelled since completing their degrees at UT Knoxville.
Swift received her Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from UTK in 2016.
“I am honored to have been nominated by CNS and then ultimately selected for the award,” Swift said. “I am proud to represent CNS as part of the 2023 class. I think this is indicative of the important work we all do in support of the mission and the nation.”
This latest recognition should not surprise anyone. Her relatively short career is already filled with superlatives. From 2012 to 2013, she served as a nonproliferation graduate fellow within the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Global Threat Reduction.
She is past chair of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division of the American Nuclear Society and an associate editor of the Journal of Nuclear Materials Management. She currently serves on the board of directors for the American Museum of Science and Energy.
Swift, who grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida, says she owes her love of science to a high school physics teacher, Mr. Murray. Swift said he made physics extremely accessible and fun.
“He was always bringing in exciting topics for us to study, like black holes and astrophysics,” she said.
He also made the class challenging.
“Physics requires thinking outside the box and a different mindset,” Swift said. “I think I also liked the expansive nature of thinking about things in new ways. A big cause of personal growth is choosing things that are difficult and not being afraid to fail or ask for help,” she added.
“Ultimately my love of science stems from the ability to help others and society and to discover new frontiers,” Swift said.
The 2023 class was honored at a ceremony at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, earlier this month. She was excited that her parents and sister were there to share the moment.
A poster produced in the 1990s paid tribute to the Seawolf submarine.
The removal of a big machine at Y-12’s Alpha-1 facility is a big deal.
A large mill used to produce the first propulsor for the legendary Seawolf submarine has been dismantled. It took three years for Y-12 to build the propulsor, but only a few months to take down the machine used for the project.
In 1989, the U.S. Navy launched a plan to build the propulsor for the then new Seawolf. The propulsor is the device used to propel a marine vessel, which includes the propellers, water jets, and other components. The part was needed to make the fast sub quieter. For decades, attack submarines had reputations for being either fast or quiet, but never both. Fast subs could be heard by adversaries who were considerable distances away. The Seawolf task needed specific expertise and scheduling requirements, as well as advanced materials and technologies.
Making connections
“Through a connection at ORNL (Oak Ridge National Laboratory), the Navy found out about us,” said Y-12 Uranium Transformation Director John Gertsen, who was part of the propulsor team. “The Navy had to find the right kind of shop for extensive and complex machining and fabrication. ORNL said, ‘We can introduce you to Y-12.’”
This five-axis mill has been dismantled at Alpha-1. The machine was instrumental in the production of a propulsor for the first Seawolf submarine.
The Navy explored other possible contractors, but “they knew we were capable of doing it,” Gertsen said. “Other vendors couldn’t do it, wouldn’t do it, or they wanted the Navy to build a new factory for it. The Navy came back to us.” Y-12 began work on the propulsor in 1990.
Although Y-12 had most of the equipment to build the part, the plant still needed additional machinery. This included a special five-axis, computer-controlled milling machine and a lathe. The milling machine was used to create complex shapes for the propulsor, while the lathe fashioned rings for the propulsor.
“We were given DX (a rating assigned to programs of the highest national importance) priority to get the next one coming out of the factory,” Gertsen recalled. “They told the other customer, ‘Yours is going to be late.’”
Big dismantlement with a small crew
Now, a few decades later, the mill was the focus of the recent dismantlement.
“It is a fairly small, eight-person crew that has been working on it,” said Ross Sampson, production support manager at Alpha-1, which was command central for the Seawolf propulsor project. “I’ve been involved in some other dismantlements, but nothing of this capacity.” The $2.3 million endeavor began in early September 2022.
“Despite the size of the machine, we were able to efficiently remove it,” Sampson said. “We had a high-capacity overhead crane and an experienced demolition crew. We were very strategic about how we dismantled this machine, in order to do it safely.”
The milling machine occupied a 5,000 square foot space.
“That is really just a drop in the bucket in terms of space,” Sampson said. “Alpha-1 as a whole is 278,000 square feet. But that is very valuable space.” The mill’s former space has been spoken for and will hold equipment used for special processes.
Massive equipment
The impressive 26-foot vertical turning machine was brought in as the centerpiece of the Alpha-1W wing, which was specifically added for the propulsor project. The lathe was bought used and shipped on a barge from Chattanooga.
“We needed this lathe,” Gertsen said. “It had to be big enough to do the machining on a 20-foot diameter part.” The massive lathe remains.
At one time, an area was dedicated to a large coordinate measuring machine, also purchased for the Seawolf project.
“That was a probe instead of a cutting tool,” Gertsen explained. “You probed the part to measure the surface and specific shapes. Certain shapes were important when it came to noise generation.” Sampson said that machine was removed from Alpha-1 a decade or so ago.
The propulsor was delivered in three subassemblies to submarine-maker General Dynamics in Connecticut, two via waterway. One of the pieces shown here is being loaded onto a barge in 1993..
In 1993, Y-12 completed the propulsor on schedule and within budget. It was divided into three subassemblies and delivered to General Dynamics in Connecticut, which built the Seawolf submarine. One part went by road in an oversize truck, and the other two made the trip via barge, starting from Oak Ridge and using the Tennessee River system. The Seawolf sub was commissioned in 1997.
Y-12 also did the model work and manufacturing design for the test propulsor for the Navy’s Virginia class submarine, made the third subassembly for the second Seawolf class submarine, crafted spare parts for the propulsors, and then transferred the process to a Navy shipyard.
Good for Y-12, the country
Although some of the machines used to help make Seawolf a stealthy vessel are no longer part of Alpha-1, the memories of that time will always ring loud for Gertsen.
“It was kind of like ‘The Hunt for Red October,’ except in that case it was the Soviets coming out with the quiet submarine,” he said. “The project gave us a real sense of accomplishment. People were proud to work on it. It showed us we can do things that are good for us [Y-12] and good for the country.”
Cultivating contracts with small businesses is a component of Consolidated Nuclear Security’s overall mission at Pantex and Y-12, a goal passed down from the Small Business Administration through the U.S. Department of Energy.
Each year, Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS) establishes a small business goal that aligns with the National Nuclear Security Administration’s and the U.S. Department of Energy’s commitment to supporting the growth of small business engagement in subcontracting. In Fiscal Year 2022, CNS Supply Chain exceeded the small business percentage goal.
“CNS Supply Chain is proud of its history of supporting small businesses at both the Pantex and Y-12 sites,” said Rick Hillert, director of Procurement Operations. “As the economy is ever changing, we now more than ever look to our small business partners to team with CNS to provide an environment of collaboration and communication for our mutual success in completing the mission.”
Additionally, CNS exceeded four of the five small business socioeconomic goals in FY 2022 through the efforts of many, including Supply Chain Management procurement representatives and Enterprise Business Management personnel.
Randy Crawford and Greta Ownby are the Small Business Program managers at Pantex and Y-12, respectively.
“Small business is an essential part of our nation’s economy,” Crawford said.
In fact, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, more than 99% of the nation’s 37 million businesses are categorized as small (fewer than 500 employees.)
“Subcontracting with businesses supports delivery and attainment of CNS's mission success,” Ownby said. “Small businesses are an important part of that initiative.”
CNS Supply Chain established Partners in Excellence meetings to enhance small business relationships with CNS and large contractors. By sharing upcoming subcontract opportunities and providing a direct connection to the CNS procurement staff, businesses are able to learn about upcoming opportunities and network with other businesses for potential partnerships.
One way CNS supports small business is through the Mentor Protégé Program. Additionally, Ownby and Crawford attend local and national conferences and meetings, trade shows, and outreach events to cultivate small business relationships.
“For Fiscal Year 2023, we took a hard look at all of the opportunities that will be available for small business participation and expanded our small business goals,” Hillert said.
Small businesses interesting in partnering with CNS can find more resources at this link.
Alyssa Gibson is a current Veteran to Engineer intern working in both Waste Management and Piping/Processing Facility Design while earning her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
“What am I going to do when I grow up?”
It is a common phrase uttered by the roughly 200,000 service members who exit the military each year. Transitioning from military service into civilian life is pretty challenging.
Fortunately, CNS has multiple veteran and service member friendly programs to assist during that time, one of those being the Veteran to Engineer Program (VTE). The program is sponsored by Mission Engineering at both Pantex and Y-12 for interested veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces to pursue an engineering degree from an accredited university with the goal of follow on employment with CNS post-graduation.
Alyssa Gibson is a current full-time VTE intern who also serves as a sergeant in the Army National Guard. In her role as a crew chief on a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, Gibson assists in search and rescue operations in the region with the Medical Evacuation Unit stationed out of Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport. She has previously served as a combat engineer and deployed with a multinational NATO Task Force to Poland in support of Atlantic Resolve.
Now Gibson is focusing on her long-term goal of becoming an engineer. She currently splits her time in the program working as an engineering intern with Waste Management and Piping/Processing Facility Design while pursuing her mechanical engineering degree at Pellissippi State Community College with future transfer to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
“I was excited to be able to work here in the field I wanted while the Army paid for my schooling using the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to pursue my goal of becoming an engineer, having started over a decade ago, without completely restructuring my life.”
With 12 current program participants between both sites, veterans have a plethora of disciplines from which to choose. “As long as they are actively pursuing an engineering discipline, for example, mechanical, electrical, civil, nuclear, chemical, structural, systems, industrial, software, etc., from an ABET accredited university program and a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, they are eligible,” said Kevin Mattern, Y-12 VTE program manager. “Interns will typically rotate into various areas of the plant and my job is to find an engineering home for them to be value added both personally and to the organization while finishing their degree.”
Mattern continued, “The VTE Program is a huge benefit to CNS, the national security mission, and the veteran. It’s a win/win for everyone. The mission manager gains additional support during the internship period, and the veteran gains experience and skills to be successful post-graduation.”
That is something with which Daniel Sims, piping lead for Y-12’s Piping/Chemical Design, agrees. “Aly is able to handle smaller projects to gain experience in this stage of her career while we’re focused on larger more complicated designs. It’s been great to have her involved, ready to learn, and take on tasks she can manage with a little oversight from us. She is going to do well.”
Gibson said of being in the Veteran to Engineer Program, “It’s an opportunity to pursue my goal of becoming an engineer without completely restructuring my life.”
Working in multiple disciplines has allowed Gibson to see the big picture of how the different pieces of the mission intertwine and work together. “It makes me a more well-rounded person so when I do get to my actual job later on, I’ll be able to complete my work knowing how decisions I make affect others down the line,” Gibson said. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come across things here at the plant that relate to stuff I’m learning at school or something suddenly makes sense to the Blackhawk I’m on.”
As a veteran himself, Mattern mentioned, “The military gives you a ton of life experience and skills that don’t necessarily directly translate into civilian life. Having the VTE Program helps veterans during that transition period to figure out where they fit in.”
When asked about her overall experience in the program, Gibson said, “The folks here are great. Everyone here wants to see me succeed, and I’m given a lot of support towards that eventual goal of joining CNS as a full-time engineer.”
If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the VTE Program, more information can be found online or by emailing VetsToEngineers@pxy12.doe.gov.