Oak Ridge Today

Spotlight: Eight Y-12 employees awarded master’s in engineering management

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Y-12 National Security Complex Aerial View

Eight employees at the Y‑12 National Security Complex, pictured above, recently earned a master’s in industrial engineering with a concentration in engineering management at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Eight employees at the Y‑12 National Security Complex recently earned a master’s in industrial engineering with a concentration in engineering management at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Students pursuing this degree complete the 16-course, four-semester program as an ensemble, attending all-day Friday classes not held on the university campus.

“This particular program is one of the success stories of the Y‑12/University of Tennessee Partnership,” reported Debbie Reed, Y‑12’s UT liaison director. “But setting up the program was the easy part. Being a nontraditional student isn’t easy. Anyone who works full-time and still has the discipline and drive to take on college studies deserves special recognition. Putting in a 4/10 workweek and then taking another full day of classes—along with doing the homework that comes with those classes—that’s a lot of extra effort.” [Read more…]

Honors: Y-12 garners third year as American Heart Association Fit-Friendly Worksite

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Y-12 Fit Friendly Work Site

B&W Y-12 was recognized by the American Heart Association for the third year as a Fit Friendly Worksite. Part of the criteria for such a designation is providing employees support for physical activity, such as Y-12’s LiveWise program, an onsite wellness program.

For the third year, the Y-12 National Security Complex has been recognized as a Fit-Friendly Worksite.

The Fit-Friendly Companies program recognizes employers who champion the health of their employees and create a culture of physical activity and health in the workplace.

B&W Y-12 joins 12 other East Tennessee companies as a Gold-level company, which includes offering employees support for physical activity, promoting a wellness culture, providing healthy eating options at the worksite, and implementing at least nine specific criteria outlined by the American Heart Association related to physical activity, nutrition and culture.

“As a Gold-level award recipient, you have not only recognized the importance of a healthy workplace for your employees but have taken important steps to create a culture of wellness by providing support to employees, and we commend you and your employees,” said American Heart Association Chief Executive Officer Nancy Brown.

K-25: Large, flat, close to ORNL, interstate—good for economic development

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Gov. Bill Haslam Visits ETTP/K-25

Sue Cange gives Gov. Bill Haslam, right, an update on the almost-completed demolition of the mile-long, U-shaped K-25 Building. Cange is deputy manager of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management. Also pictured are Leo Sain, left, president of cleanup contractor UCOR, and Jeff Tucker, UCOR deactivation and decommissioning manager.

It was built during World War II to help enrich uranium for the world’s first atomic bombs. Then, it helped win the Cold War. Now, the former K-25 site in west Oak Ridge presents a giant opportunity for economic development in Tennessee, Gov. Bill Haslam said during a tour last Friday.

“We have a real interest in what happens here,” Haslam said in a short meeting with reporters before getting a brief update on the demolition of the former mile-long, U-shaped K-25 Building, which was once the world’s largest building under one roof.

The governor said the K-25 site, now known as East Tennessee Technology Park or Heritage Center, has 2,000 flat acres with infrastructure already in place, including roads and rails, and it’s three miles from Interstate 40 and seven miles from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Energy’s largest science and energy laboratory.

“We don’t have that opportunity in a lot of places,” Haslam said. “Finding 2,000 flat acres in East Tennessee is virtually impossible.” [Read more…]

Guest column: Y-12, Pantex transition update

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Jim Haynes

Jim Haynes

Note: This is a copy of a March 20 transition update for employees at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas. It’s posted on the Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC transition website.

By Jim Haynes

It has been a very busy two weeks for the Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS) transition team. We are proceeding full speed ahead. Among other activities last week, we had a very informative series of 36 briefings over three days with the incumbent Pantex and Y-12 management teams designed to help us better understand the current site organizations. Also, dozens of other meetings have been held at Pantex and Y-12.

I spent time at both sites last week, including a visit with Pantex Plant management at their Integrated Plan of the Day meeting. As I visit the sites, I more fully appreciate your professionalism and support—you truly are making a difference for our nation. I look forward to interacting with more of you over the coming weeks.

Over the last two weeks, I have also met with a significant number of community stakeholders in Amarillo and Oak Ridge, and will continue to do so as we introduce additional members of our leadership team and announce our plans. Our host communities are proud of your service, and proud to host the national assets that are Pantex and Y-12. We will continue to make them proud.

During my visits, I have been asked about our name, Consolidated Nuclear Security. I am happy to answer that question because we were very thoughtful in developing a name for our enterprise that accurately describes who we are and what we will do. [Read more…]

Employment offers made at Y-12, Pantex from April 15-June 2

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Jim Haynes

Jim Haynes

The new contractor at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, will make employment offers between April 15 and June 2, the company said Tuesday.

Information about the employment offers, which must be made no later than June 2, was included in a Tuesday message to employees from Jim Haynes, president and chief executive officer of the new Y-12 and Pantex contractor, Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC.

“The CNS management team and I recognize that you are waiting for information that will affect your jobs and your lives—and that waiting can cause anxiety about staffing plans, organizational structure, members of the senior leadership team, benefits, retirement planning, work schedules, and more,” Haynes said.

Here are other key dates: [Read more…]

Demolition, construction to start soon on ORNL shipping, receiving building

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Demolition and construction are expected to start soon on a shipping and receiving building at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a press release said.

“Hickory Construction Inc. will begin demolition of an existing structure ahead of breaking ground on a LEED Gold design-built construction at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on April 1, as part of the campus-wide Site Sustainability Plan,” the press release said.

“We are always honored to work with ORNL, and the chance to build a LEED Gold structure is something we love to do,” said Chris Duncan, project manager. “Hickory not only has the ability to make quality LEED buildings, but it does so for incredible value and on time.”

The building, which will serve as a central hub for everything that ORNL ships and receives, will be a total of 26,000 square feet. Of that, 17,000 square feet is designated as a shipping/receiving warehouse with 11 loading docks, and areas for packaging, staging, and storage. The remainder of the building is designated as office space. [Read more…]

ORAU, USDA seek agricultural postdocs

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Multiple research appointments available through Agricultural Research Service Postdoctoral Research Program

Selected candidates participate in USDA research for one to four years

Oak Ridge Associated Universities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are currently seeking recent doctoral degree recipients for various appointments in the Agricultural Research Service Postdoctoral Research Program.

The ARS is the USDA’s chief scientific in-house research agency responsible for developing and transferring solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority. ARS research is organized into national programs comprised of more than 800 research projects carried out by ARS in approximately 90 locations across the U.S.

From research positions focused on crop production to food safety and virology to sustainable agricultural systems, this program serves as the next step in educational and professional development of scientists and engineers interested in agricultural-related research. [Read more…]

Rebirth of nuclear energy assessed at ORAU Council meeting

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 Rebirth of nuclear energy assessed at 69th annual meeting of ORAU Council of Sponsoring Institutions

Leading experts discussed technology and educational challenges

Declines in new construction, evolving safety regulations, and building the next generation of nuclear engineers and researchers are among the challenges facing the future of nuclear energy, but there is hope, according to a top Nuclear Regulatory Commission official.

Speaking recently to more than 130 attendees at the annual meeting of ORAU’s Council of Sponsoring Institutions, Patrice Bubar, chief of staff for NRC Commissioner William Magwood, shared the agency’s perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing nuclear energy.

“There have been many projections and predictions about the future of nuclear power,” she said. “Nuclear power plants continue to operate safely and construction of new plants continues.” [Read more…]

Safety forum to focus on UPF nuclear safety culture

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Uranium Processing Facility

Pictured above is the proposed Uranium Processing Facility at Y-12 National Security Complex, with the administrative area in the front and the fortified section of the building in the rear. (Submitted image)

The Oak Ridge Business Safety Partnership will have its first community safety forum of 2014 from 8-10 a.m. April 2 at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge. The topic will be “Nuclear Safety Culture of the Uranium Processing Facility.”

The agenda includes an overview of the UPF project by Federal Project Director John Eschenberg; a presentation about the project’s nuclear safety culture by Project Director Carl Strock; and a presentation on how the project successfully manages its nuclear safety culture by UPF Acting Manager for Environment, Safety, and Health Gary Hagan and ORAU Senior Scientist Jeff Miller.

The ORBSP was formed in 2004 to help companies working on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Reservation understand the DOE safety culture, to enhance communication among them, to share lessons learned about safety issues, and to share ideas about effective safety programs with commercial companies. [Read more…]

UT, ORNL, NASA, TVA help robotic ‘football’ kick off this week

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FIRST Robotics' Aerial Assist

This image shows what a game of FIRST Robotics’ Aerial Assist, a football-like game played by robots, might look like. (Photo courtesy University of Tennessee)

KNOXVILLE—Football season is still months away, but those needing a quick fix before fall can get a chance to see a version of the game played by competitors functioning like well-oiled machines.

The FIRST Robotics Competition Smoky Mountain Regional returns to the Knoxville Convention Center March 26-29, and is centered around a game featuring strong elements from football and soccer called Aerial Assist.

The idea behind Aerial Assist is that the 50 teams at the competition—from as far away as St. Louis and as close as the L&N STEM Academy across World’s Fair Park—will each build a robot capable of throwing, kicking, or running with a round ball with the goal of scoring a goal at each end of a field, or one capable of playing defense.

The University of Tennessee’s College of Engineering in Knoxville helps sponsor the event along with various technology and industry organizations such as NASA, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. [Read more…]

NSPS finishes first year as DOE’s security contractor in Oak Ridge

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Joe L. Evins Federal Building

National Strategic Protective Services LLC on Monday said it has completed the first year of its protective force services contract with the U.S. Department of Energy in Oak Ridge. Among the facilities guarded by NSPS are the Joe L. Evins Federal Building, pictured above.

National Strategic Protective Services LLC on Monday said it has completed the first year of its protective force services contract with the U.S. Department of Energy in Oak Ridge.

“Congratulations to everyone at NSPS for a job well done,” NSPS President Ignacio Balderas said in a press release. “A lot of hard work went into winning and transitioning this critical infrastructure contract in early 2013. During the course of the past 12 months, we have built a solid relationship with DOE, established high morale within our employee base, fostered productive labor relations and above all, engaged proactively with the Oak Ridge community.

NSPS is a joint venture of Triple Canopy Inc. and Securiguard Inc. The company provides protective force services to the East Tennessee Technology Park, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Joe L. Evins Federal Building. NSPS replaced former longtime security contractor WSI Oak Ridge in 2013 following an unprecedented security breach at the Y-12 National Security Complex in July 2012. [Read more…]

DOE report co-chaired by UT professor calls for renewed focus on high-end math research

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Jack Dongarra

Jack Dongarra

Professor also ORNL researcher, co-author of Top 500 ranking of the world’s most powerful supercomputers

KNOXVILLE—The U.S. Department of Energy recently released a report co-chaired by Jack Dongarra, a distinguished professor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, in which he stresses the importance of prioritizing research into high-end mathematics to help keep the United States on the cutting edge of computing.

“Exascale computing (capable of one quintillion floating point operations per second) will enable us to solve problems in ways that are not feasible today and will result in significant scientific breakthroughs,” said Dongarra, of UT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. “However, the transition to exascale poses numerous scientific and technological challenges.”

Dongarra, one of five National Academy of Engineering members on the faculty of UT’s College of Engineering, said that increased funding for the development of new models and ways of gathering data is key to unlocking a number of those challenges. [Read more…]