Oak Ridge Today

Anderson County Chamber announces student initiative in advanced manufacturing

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DiDiTN LogoThe Anderson County Chamber of Commerce and Anderson County Schools have partnered on a pilot program that is designed to raise student awareness of job opportunities in advanced manufacturing.

The partnership was announced by Anderson County Chamber of Commerce President Rick Meredith.

“Dream It. Do It. Tennessee is a competition that brings middle school students together with area industries to create videos that tell the stories of those industries,” Meredith said in a press release. “When they’re done, you can view the videos online and vote for your favorites.”

The program, “Dream It. Do it. Tennessee” was co-founded by the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services, the press release said. It’s the result of an ongoing need to fill the hundreds of job vacancies that go unfilled each year in advanced manufacturing, and to encourage a new generation of young people into the exciting and lucrative world of manufacturing in Tennessee. [Read more…]

Cedar Springs Homeschool wins DOE Tennessee Science Bowl

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Cedar-Springs-Homeschool-Tennessee-Science-Bowl-Feb-27-2016

Winning first place in the 2016 Tennessee Science Bowl is Cedar Springs Homeschool of Knoxville. Pictured left to right with their trophy are Lily Turaski, Josiah Boyle, Tara Conway, Tyler Fulghum, Wesleigh Wright, and Coach Dee Dee Turaski. (DOE photo courtesy Lynn Freeny)

 

Cedar Springs Homeschool advances to National Science Bowl 

Countless hours studying math and science paid off for some exceptionally bright students from Cedar Springs Homeschool. They were first-place winners in the U.S. Department of Energy’s annual Tennessee Science Bowl this past weekend.

Cedar Springs Homeschool competed against 58 other high school teams on Saturday, February 27, to place first in the annual competition. The schools edged out its competition by successfully answering challenging questions in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, earth and space science, and energy.

Held at Pellissippi State Community College’s Blount County Campus, the Tennessee Science Bowl is the nation’s third largest regional competition. The regional bowl prepares students to compete nationally with other exceptional students from schools across the country. As the first-place team, Cedar Springs Homeschool receives an all-expenses-paid trip to the DOE National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C., April 28-May 2, as well as a $1,000 cash prize and a first-place trophy. [Read more…]

Consolidated Nuclear Security has more leadership changes

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Michelle Reichert

Michelle Reichert

The company that manages and operates the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, has announced two more leadership changes.

Effective Monday, Michelle Reichert became the deputy enterprise manager for Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, or CNS. She will report directly to CNS President and Chief Executive Officer Morgan Smith.

Todd Ailes is succeeding Reichert as the Pantex site manager.

Operating primarily out of CNS offices at Pantex, Reichert will share leadership responsibilities with Smith, focusing on communications with employees, customers, and other key stakeholders, a press release said. Reichert will also coordinate integration activities between the two sites to ensure they are aligned in the best interest of CNS and the NNSA. [Read more…]

Smith named president, CEO at Consolidated Nuclear Security, which operates Y-12, Pantex

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Morgan Smith

Morgan Smith

The chief operating officer at the company that operates Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant in Texas will become the president and chief executive officer on February 1.

Morgan Smith will replace Jim Haynes in the top leadership position at Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC. Haynes is returning to an executive position at Bechtel, a press release said. Bechtel National Inc. is part of the CNS team.

CNS said Haynes successfully led the government contractor through its first phase as a consolidated organization. CNS began managing and operating Y-12 and Pantex under a consolidated contract on July 1, 2014. Both sites are important production facilities for federal nuclear security work.

“With the majority of key consolidation activities complete, CNS moves to its next phase focused on advancing operational performance and increasing production,” Haynes said in the press release. “Morgan Smith is uniquely positioned to lead CNS at this time based on his past experience managing Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program facilities and his time at CNS. Morgan and I have mapped out the path for a successful handoff. I could not be more confident in Morgan’s abilities.” [Read more…]

CNS, ATLC reach tentative agreement

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Y-12 National Security Complex Aerial View

The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge is pictured above. (File photo)

 

On Monday, negotiation teams from Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC and the Atomic Trades and Labor Council reached tentative agreement on a new five-year labor agreement for work at the Y-12 National Security Complex. The tentative agreement will go to ATLC members for a ratification vote on Thursday, December 3.

CNS and ATLC began negotiating a new labor agreement on October 26. The current agreement is scheduled to expire December 8. If ratified by ATLC membership, the agreement will be in effect Tuesday, December 8.

The ATLC is the bargaining unit for 13 local unions representing approximately 1,100 employees at Y-12.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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CNS, UT chemical sensing technology wins R&D 100 Award

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ChIMES CNS and UT RD100

The ChIMES team’s investigators each brought unique expertise to the project. (Photo courtesy CNS)

 

An inexpensive, small, and portable chemical sensor developed by Consolidated Nuclear Security researchers at the Y-12 National Security Complex and the University of Tennessee received a prestigious R&D 100 Award.

ChIMES, which is short for Chemical Identification by Magneto-Elastic Sensing, was selected as a revolutionary technology by a panel of 70 independent judges. This low-cost sensor has virtually limitless applications, including detection of chemical and biological warfare agents, toxic industrial chemicals, explosives, and illegal drugs, a press release said.

The sensor is the product of a three-year collaborative effort between CNS and scientists from the University of Tennessee. Y-12 researcher Vincent Lamberti, who managed the project, said: “The R&D 100 award reflects the importance in having strong partners in the advancement of a new technology. ChIMES surely would not have succeeded without the steady stream of innovations that were created in our collaboration with UT.” [Read more…]

CNS research teams named 2015 R&D 100 Award finalists

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LISe Thermal Neutron Imager Sensor Board

The LISe Thermal Neutron Imager sensor board bears the Y‑12 and UT logos. At the center is the lithium crystal that creates the images. The imager is nominated for a 2015 R&D 100 Award. (Photo by Y-12 National Security Complex)

 

CNS partners with universities on significant technology advances

Two teams of Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC researchers at the Y-12 National Security Complex are finalists in the 2015 R&D 100 Awards program.

The LISe Thermal Neutron Imager, or LTNI, and a sensor named ChIMES, which is short for Chemical Identification by Magneto-Elastic Sensing, were selected as finalists by a panel of 70 independent judges. The winners will be announced November 13 at the conference in Las Vegas.

LTNI (pronounced litany) was developed through a collaboration with three Tennessee universities—the University of Tennessee, Fisk University, and Vanderbilt University. The imager builds upon a lithium crystal that won an R&D 100 Award in 2013. Applications for the imager include research, diagnostics/medical imaging, law enforcement, and national security. [Read more…]

Record crowds: Secret City Festival was ‘tremendous success’

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Secret City Festival Concert 2015

A concert crowd at the 2015 Secret City Festival in Oak Ridge. (Photo by Robert Welton)

 

The 2015 Oak Ridge Secret City Festival drew record attendance, despite the heat, organizers said. Concerts by the Marshall Tucker Band and Three Dog Night attracted the highest number of spectators in festival history.

“We were ecstatic with the turnout for both concerts,” says, Marc DeRose, executive director of the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We knew the bands would be popular but didn’t expect to see quite so many people. It was outstanding!”

Attendances for The Marshall Tucker Band and Three Dog Night were more than 2,200 and more than 3,500, respectively. The previous record was 2,300 for the Rick Springfield concert in 2013.

“After seeing how many tickets were sold at the gate for Friday’s Marshall Tucker concert, we decided to move the concert fences back to accommodate the expected additional 1,000-plus spectators for Three Dog Night,” DeRose said. [Read more…]

BES Technologies celebrates one million gallons of recycled water

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BES Technologies Rad Waste Water Laundry Operations

BES Technologies LLC, or BEST, has reached a major milestone by recycling one million gallons of radiological waste water through its laundry operations at the East Tennessee Technology Park.

“This represents the prevention of one million gallons of water that would have gone into our environment, but instead was cleaned and re-used,” a press release said. “This recycling process not only avoids environmental insult, but also allows for savings to be passed on to customers by cleaning and reusing water.”

The press release said the laundering service uses a state-of-the-art radiological water treatment system, and it is able to reuse more than 70 percent of the water used in its process. [Read more…]

CNS donates $25K to Boys, Girls Clubs; others match the gift

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CNS Donation to Boys and Girls Club

Boys and Girls Clubs of the Clinch Valley founder and Executive Director Emeritus Lawrence Hahn, center, discusses the history of the organization with CNS President and CEO Jim Haynes, left, and the club’s Chief Volunteer Officer Gerald Boyd. (Photo courtesy CNS)

 

Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC has donated $25,000 to Boys and Girls Clubs of the Clinch Valley, and that gift has been matched—for a total of $50,000. The money will be used for a new roof at the Oak Ridge facility.

CNS President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Haynes presented a symbolic $25,000 check to the Oak Ridge unit during a ceremony on Thursday. Representatives of some of the 16 organizations that matched the CNS donation were also present.

“On behalf of our 5,000 employees at Y-12, we are extremely pleased to contribute to an Oak Ridge organization that makes such a difference in young peoples’ lives,” Haynes said. “Y-12 employees have a long history of serving this community, and we are honored to continue that tradition. The Oak Ridge Boys and Girls Club has served the community for decades, and we are proud to contribute so that it can continue to serve for decades to come.” [Read more…]

Y-12, Pantex receive six NNSA Sustainability Awards in 2014

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Y-12 National Security Complex

The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge is pictured above. (File photo/B&W Y-12)

 

The National Nuclear Security Administration has awarded six 2014 Sustainability Awards for innovation and excellence to the Pantex Plant and the Y-12 National Security Complex, both operated and managed by Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, or CNS, a press release said.

“The awards recognize exemplary individual and team performance in advancing sustainability objectives through innovative and effective programs and projects that increase energy, water and fleet efficiency, and reduce greenhouse gases, pollution, and waste,” the release said. [Read more…]

Update: Y-12 chemical spill contained; less than 10 workers in building at time of spill

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Y-12 Aerial Photo June 2012

The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge is pictured above in June 2012. (Photo courtesy NNSA)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:12 p.m.

The Purification Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge was evacuated Tuesday morning after a chemical spill, officials said. Fewer than 10 people were in the building at the time of the spill, and none were in the immediate area.

There were no injuries, and federal officials and Y-12 staff have accounted for all workers, the National Nuclear Security Administration said.

The spilled material is acetonitrile, a liquid solvent used in chemical processing operations, said Steven Wyatt of the NNSA.

Everyone was evacuated from the building, which is on the east end of the plant, Wyatt said. The spill was reported at 10:24 a.m. Tuesday.

[Read more…]