NNSA: President’s budget request includes $326M for UPF at Y-12

Uranium Processing Facility

The proposed Uranium Processing Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex is pictured above. (Submitted image)

President Barack Obama’s budget request for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1 includes $326 million for the Uranium Processing Facility project at the Y-12 National Security Complex, federal officials said this week.

The president’s proposed budget, which still has to be considered by Congress, was released last week. The National Nuclear Security Administration released details on Monday.

The NNSA has also posted highlights of the president’s budget request. [Read more...]

‘VolsTeach Program’ at Lunch with League on Tuesday

Peggy Bertrand

Peggy Bertrand

Submitted

“VolsTeach” will be the focus of a presentation by university faculty member Peggy Bertrand, the guest speaker at “Lunch with the League” at noon Tuesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church.

“VolsTeach” is a University of Tennessee program targeted to undergraduate math, science, or engineering majors who are interested in expanding their professional skills and exploring a career in secondary teaching. Without any additional credit hours, students can graduate in four years with a degree and obtain licensure as highly qualified teachers in their respective content areas. The program emphasizes early and ongoing field-based experiences. [Read more...]

Y-12 has second annual ‘Introduce a Girl to Engineering’ event

Ultrasonic Detector Demonstrator

Natalie Layne, a Coalfield High sophomore, listens to an ultrasonic detector pointed at her eyes during the “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day” at the New Hope Center on Thursday. (Submitted photos)

About 400 girls from East Tennessee schools were encouraged to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics during the second annual ”Introduce a Girl to Engineering” event at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.

The girls, who are in grades 9-12, interacted with women working in the engineering field, and they experienced hands-on activities at various exhibits hosted by Y-12, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee, and various engineering organizations, a press release said.

[Read more...]

B&W Y-12 awards scholarships to two Roane State students

B&W Y-12 STEM Scholarships

B&W Y-12 Commercialization Manager Jeremy Benton, left, chats with STEM Scholarship winners Sara Lemmonds and Wes Jenkins, two Roane State Community College students who will split $5,000 in scholarships. (Photo courtesy of B&W Y-12)

B&W Y-12 recently awarded $5,000 in scholarships split between Roane State Community College freshmen Wes Jenkins and Sara Lemmonds, a press release said.

B&W Y-12 operates and manages the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge for the National Nuclear Security Administration.

The contractor said the scholarships are part of its effort to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, education.

Recipients of the B&W Y-12 STEM Scholarship must be full-time students at Roane State pursuing a degree in one of the STEM fields of study.

Jenkins is a Harriman High School graduate and plans to major in biology. Lemmonds graduated from Oak Ridge High School and is enrolled in the college’s pre-med program.

[Read more...]

Business, education partnership boosts student interest in science, math

An Oak Ridge business and education partnership launched with the help of Roane State Community College has  boosted middle school student interest in science and math.

The students, from seven area school systems, participated in a “Lab-in-a-Box” pilot program by the Rural Communities STEM Initiative, or RCSI, during the past academic year, a press release said.

An evaluation by Roane State found that:

  • 70.9 percent of students responded that the labs increased their interest in science or math.
  • 91.5 percent of students reported that they liked doing the labs.
  • 85 percent of students achieved a high level (80 percent or greater) of competence in the state standards addressed with each Lab-in-a-Box.
  • 67.6 percent of students wrote that the labs motivated them to achieve in science or math.

[Read more...]