Oak Ridge Today

ORISE report shows overall number of nuclear engineering degrees increases to highest level since 2016

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Part of the ORAU campus in central Oak Ridge is pictured above on May 29, 2017. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The number of nuclear engineering degrees awarded in 2019 were at the highest level since 2016, driven primarily by a significant increase in the number of master’s degrees awarded, a press release said.

In addition, the number of doctorate degrees awarded in 2019 were the second highest level recorded since 1966.

This is according to a study conducted by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education that surveyed 34 U.S. universities with nuclear engineering programs. The report, “Nuclear Engineering Enrollments and Degrees Survey, 2019 Data,” included degrees granted between September 1, 2018, and August 31, 2019, and enrollments for fall 2019.

The number of bachelor’s degrees remained about the same, while the number of master’s degrees increased after a two-year slump, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Construction of new water plant could start in May, be complete next year

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

An image showing the interior of the proposed new 16-million-gallon-per-day water treatment plant at the City of Oak Ridge water intake on the Clinch River south of Bethel Valley Road. (Image courtesy of Jacobs Engineering Group and the City of Oak Ridge)

Construction of the new water plant at the city’s water intake on the Clinch River could start in May and be complete in December 2022, according to a proposed schedule presented to Oak Ridge City Council.

The Council on Monday will consider a construction administration contract for the new water plant, which would be south of Bethel Valley Road. It would be able to treat 16 million gallons of water per day.

If approved Monday, the professional engineering services agreement would be with Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. of Knoxville. The contract would be valued at up to about $1.88 million. It would be for construction administration and observation of the construction of the new water treatment plant and a main transmission line.

Approval of the agreement with Jacobs Engineering on Monday could be contingent upon the city’s ability to use Drinking Water State Revolving Funding, which is pending approval, according to the resolution to be considered by Council.

[Read more…]

First Presbyterian offers free meal, groceries on Feb. 11

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

First Presbyterian Church will provide a free meal and bag of groceries to food-insecure guests who drive by the church between 5:30 and 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 11, a press release said.

The church’s monthly Welcome Table community meal program plans to supply each guest with a hot meal consisting of taco soup, Fritos chips, fresh fruit, and brownies or cookies.

In addition, each family in a car will receive a grocery bag containing two cans of spaghetti sauce with meat, one package of spaghetti noodles, one container of Parmesan cheese, one can of fruit, one can of vegetables, crackers, peanut butter, and two cans of soup. [Read more…]

Williams is new director of Roane State’s Small Business Development Center

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Stephen Williams

By Bob Fowler Roane State staff writer

A local business consultant with vast experience has been named the director of Roane State’s Tennessee Small Business Development Center.

Stephen Williams, well known in the Oak Ridge and Roane State service area, begins his new duties on Monday, February 8, in his office at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce at 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

He replaces long-time director Jutta Bangs, who has taken another job.

“I’m really excited about being a part of Roane State and their efforts with workforce development,” Williams said. “I’ll be able to contribute what I’ve learned in more than 35 years in business and owning businesses.”

[Read more…]

Eric Rackard is new Oak Ridge fire marshal

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Eric Rackard

The City of Oak Ridge has named Eric Rackard as its new fire marshal.

Rackard, who has recently served as an Oak Ridge Fire Department battalion chief, takes on the new role following Travis Solomon’s promotion to fire chief last month. Rackard joined the department in November 2007, a press release said.

“I am honored by this promotion and greater opportunity to serve the citizens of Oak Ridge,” Rackard said in the press release.

In the role of battalion chief, Rackard managed daily operation requirements for the Fire Department’s A Shift, including staffing, overtime, training, and logistics. 

“I was also responsible for command and control on all major incidents on A Shift,” Rackard said. “I also lead a lot of trainings, including coordinating state commission training and serving as the hazardous materials team leader.”

[Read more…]

ORAU receives National Science Foundation grant to study greenhouse gases in Arctic

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Praveena Krishnan

The National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs has awarded ORAU a collaborative research grant to study greenhouse gas emissions in the Arctic. The award is valued at $581,829.

The grant will be used to study local and regional emissions of isotopes of methane and carbon dioxide. Methane and carbon dioxide are two greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases can help raise the Earth’s temperature, changing the climate and causing other significant changes. (Isotopes are different forms of an element that have equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei.)

In a press release, ORAU said carbon stored in permafrost is increasingly vulnerable to thaw and decomposition by microbes as northern latitudes such as the Arctic continue to warm.

“This decomposition has the potential to lead to large increases in methane and carbon dioxide emissions, both important greenhouse gases,” ORAU said. “Accurate and reliable forecasts of greenhouse gas emissions are critical for the improvement of global models that predict changes to temperature and sea level.”

[Read more…]

TVA asks for public comments about proposed nuclear reactor site

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

TVA Clinch River Site
The Clinch River Site in west Oak Ridge is pictured above. The road running from bottom to top on the right (east) side of the Clinch River connects to Bear Creek Road in southwest Oak Ridge. Highway 58 is off to the top left of the photo and the Heritage Center is to the north. (Photo courtesy TVA)

The Tennessee Valley Authority is asking for public comment about a proposal to build one or more small or advanced nuclear reactors in west Oak Ridge.

The reactors would be on the Clinch River Nuclear Site, near the Clinch River and south of Heritage Center (the former K-25 site) in Roane County.

The reactors could be advanced or small modular nuclear reactors. They would have a maximum total electrical output of 800 megawatts. They would be smaller than traditional nuclear power plants, and they would produce less power.

Oak Ridge Today has previously reported that the reactors could provide enough electricity to power several cities the size of Oak Ridge

[Read more…]

ORFD photographer dies at 88

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Tom Scott (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

Tom Scott—photographer for the Oak Ridge Fire Department who kept historic fire trucks, equipment, and literature at his home—died Saturday. He was 88.

Scott was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama, but he spent the last three decades in Oak Ridge serving as the fire department’s official photographer, the City of Oak Ridge said Thursday. Scott also took photos at other fires and crashes in the area, including in Blair, Marlow, and Oliver Springs.

Scott had moved to Oak Ridge in the 1970s to work on the development of the gas centrifuge process for enriching uranium.

In 1974, he joined the Oliver Springs Volunteer Fire Department, and in 1990, he joined the Oak Ridge Fire Department as their official photographer, the city said. That happened after ORFD responded to a large structure fire where Scott was taking pictures. When the fire chief at the time, William “Bo” Harris, saw the pictures, he decided the ORFD needed to have an on-site photographer at all incidents to document the fires for training, media, and historical preservation, the city said. Harris asked Scott to lead the effort.

[Read more…]

For members: Mason indicted on attempted murder, assault charges

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Charles Mason Preliminary Hearing July 25 2019
Charles Edward Mason, 53, has been indicted by the Anderson County Grand Jury on one count of attempted first-degree murder and five counts of aggravated assault, among other charges. He pleaded not guilty in Anderson County Circuit Court on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021. Mason is pictured above during a preliminary hearing in July 2019. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 12:25 p.m. Feb. 2.

An Anderson County man with two homicide convictions and a 28-year prison sentence for federal drug and gun convictions has been charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault, among other charges, after he allegedly tried to shoot a deputy in April 2019.

NNSA has virtual job fair, including for Y-12

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The sign at the main entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex is pictured above on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration has a virtual job fair for its laboratories and production sites on Wednesday, January 27.

The NNSA said it wants to hire about 2,000 new employees in 2021.

The virtual job fair is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday. It will include hiring officials from NNSA and its national laboratories, plants, and sites, a press release said. Those include:

[Read more…]

Tower rebuilding complete, South Illinois re-opened overnight

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The replacement of a large high-voltage transmission tower was completed Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, and South Illinois Avenue re-opened to traffic at about midnight. (Photo courtesy Tennessee Valley Authority)

The rebuilding of a large high-voltage transmission tower in Oak Ridge was completed Sunday, and South Illinois Avenue re-opened to traffic at about midnight.

The 155-foot steel lattice tower that had to be replaced was knocked over when a pickup truck crashed into it at about 4:15 p.m. Friday. The tower, which is at Union Valley Road, carries high-voltage Tennessee Valley Authority transmission lines and city transmission and distribution lines.

The four-lane road, the main connection between Oak Ridge and Knox County, was closed for about two days after the crash while crews removed and replaced the damaged transmission tower.

TVA said the crash also caused damage to three smaller structures, and they were repaired.

[Read more…]

DOE photographer dies at 62

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Lynn Freeny (Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Energy)

Ross Lynn Freeny, a U.S. Department of Energy photographer who helped document current and historic activities in Oak Ridge, died on January 14. He was 62.

Freeny, a University of Tennessee graduate who lived in Maryville, had been a photographer for DOE since 1992. He taught photography classes at Pellissippi State Community College. He died at Blount Memorial Hospital on January 14. He had battled cancer.

Freeny could often be seen taking photos at DOE events. For example, he took photos at the opening of the K-25 History Center in February 2020.

[Read more…]