Oak Ridge Associated Universities Archives

ORAU, ORISE permit some work from home

Posted at 12:30 pm March 20, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

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

ORAU and ORISE—which work for more than 20 different federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—are allowing employees to work from home when possible.

ORAU and ORISE have authorized executives and directors to approve work from home for employees who are able to perform their job responsibilities at home, such as office workers.

Some employees will be required to report to work to continue operations, including in some laboratories, in information technology for computer support, and for security, for example.

ORAU is Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and ORISE is Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.

The work-from-home authorization was implemented this week, and ORAU and ORISE don’t have final numbers of the numbers of employees who are or will be working from home.

[Read more…]

ORAU’s Cindy Snow promoted to director of procurement

Posted at 7:09 pm October 22, 2019
By Amanda Freuler Leave a Comment

Cindy Snow

Cindy Snow has been promoted to director of procurement for Oak Ridge Associated Universities.

As a long-time employee of ORAU, Snow has experience in both contracts administration and the management of purchasing company equipment, materials, supplies, and professional services, a press release said. In her new role, she will direct all ORAU procurement and small business activities and staff, including internal purchases, acquisitions and sub-contracting, and ensure excellent customer service to internal and external clients, the press release said.

“We are proud to see an employee as dedicated to ORAU as Cindy take this next step in the company,” said Andy Page, ORAU president and chief executive officer. “She has held numerous leadership roles, and we know she will only continue to prosper as our director of procurement. We all offer her sincere congratulations and look forward to what she accomplishes in this new role.” [Read more…]

ORAU sponsors U.S. student researchers to attend Heidelberg Laureate Forum in Germany

Posted at 11:37 am September 22, 2019
By Amy Schwinge Leave a Comment

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

ORAU will again sponsor young researchers in the fields of mathematics and computer science to attend the Seventh Heidelberg Laureate Forum from September 22-27 in Heidelberg, Germany.

The Heidelberg Laureate Forum is a gathering of laureates of some of the most prestigious prizes in mathematics and computer science, namely the Abel Prize and Fields Medal as well as the Turing Award and Nevanlinna Prize. Held annually for a week in Heidelberg, Germany, the Heidelberg Laureate Forum brings these laureates at the apex of their careers together with 200 high-achieving graduate student and postdoctoral counterparts from around the world, a press release said.

The forum gives early career researchers an opportunity for interaction that is typically not available within the normal university environment or in their home university department, whereby the laureates provided formal plenary lectures and led small group discussions with topics driven by a combination of prepared presentations by the laureates as well as student questions, the press release said. [Read more…]

Leading AI expert, ORHS grad to be featured at reception, talk on Monday

Posted at 3:37 pm May 2, 2019
By Jessica Steed Leave a Comment

Submitted photo

Kai-Fu Lee—a world leading artificial intelligence expert, venture capitalist, author, and founder of Google China and Microsoft Research Asia—will discuss artificial intelligence in Oak Ridge on Monday.

The May 6 talk is titled “Making AI Work.”

The public is invited to attend a community reception for, and also lecture by, Lee at Pollard Auditorium from 5:30-7:30 p.m., a press release said.

Lee, a 1979 Oak Ridge High School graduate, is being hosted by the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, UT-Battelle, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and Friends of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the press release said.

[Read more…]

A former Oak Ridge student, artificial intelligence expert to visit city, talk at evening ceremony

Posted at 7:43 pm March 8, 2019
By Jessica Steed Leave a Comment

The cover of Kai-Fu Lee’s book, “AI Superpowers.” (Submitted)

Kai-Fu Lee—a world-leading artificial intelligence expert, venture capitalist, writer, and former president of Google China—is planning a visit to Oak Ridge on May 6, a press release said.

Lee, a 1979 Oak Ridge High School graduate, will visit his former schools, St. Mary’s Catholic School and Oak Ridge Schools, meeting with students and teachers during the day, the press release said.

The public is invited to an evening ceremony at Pollard Auditorium including a reception beginning at 5:30 p.m. and Lee’s talk at 6:30. This community event will be hosted by the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, UT-Battelle, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and Friends of ORNL. Lee will be available to sign his most recent best-selling book, “AI Super-Powers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order.” Copies of the book will be available for purchase, the press release said. [Read more…]

(For members) Y-12 class could be added to worker compensation program based on thorium, Pu-241 exposure

Posted at 6:33 pm December 28, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

A new class of Y-12 employees could be added to a federal worker compensation program based on exposure to radiation from thorium metal parts and plutonium-241 isotopes between 1958 and 1976, health officials said.

The worker compensation program involves certain illnesses and work at sites like Y-12 that are affiliated with the U.S. Department of Energy.

The program is a result of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, which was enacted in October 2000. The act includes what is known as the Special Exposure Cohort. The new class of Y-12 employees could be part of that Special Exposure Cohort.

That designation would allow eligible claimants to be compensated without the complete reconstruction of a radiation dose or a determination of the probable cause. A covered employee would have to have at least one of 22 specified cancers.

The class of employees being evaluated now would have worked at Y-12 between January 1, 1958, through December 31, 1976, when Y-12 was manufacturing nuclear weapons components during the Cold War. The employees would have had an aggregate total of at least 250 work days, according to a notice published in the Federal Register this month. The class could change, however, based upon the evaluation.

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Registration for Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit extended through today

Posted at 9:07 am May 18, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Registration for the Tennessee Valley Corridor National Summit in Oak Ridge this month has been extended through today (Friday, May 18).

The TVC Summit is scheduled from Tuesday, May 29, to Thursday, May 31, at the New Hope Center at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

Organizers said the Summit will include five main sessions focused on clean energy, cyber and national security, advanced manufacturing, and education. The Summit will also celebrate the 75th anniversary of the City of Oak Ridge, the 85th anniversary of Tennessee Valley Authority, and 50th anniversary of NASA’s Apollo 8 Mission.

There will be more than 50 speakers, panelists, and presenters, ranging from university and community college presidents to entrepreneurs to top leaders of the region’s federal contractors. More than 400 community, academic, and government leaders from the five-state region are expected to participate, organizers said. [Read more…]

Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit has presentations on energy, manufacturing, security

Posted at 5:46 pm March 18, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Valley Corridor National Summit in Oak Ridge in May will feature presentations on advanced manufacturing, clean energy and a nuclear renaissance, and national security and cyber security.

The 2018 TVC National Summit is scheduled from May 29-31 at the New Hope Center at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. It will be hosted by Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch in cooperation with U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann.

Agenda topics include: [Read more…]

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority has 30th MLK Program on Monday

Posted at 1:58 pm January 11, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Archie Smart

In celebration of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated (AKA), Oak Ridge Chapter, will present its 30th annual Community Speaks Program on Monday, January 15, at 9:45 a.m. at Consolidated Nuclear Security’s New Hope Center on Scarboro Road. This year’s theme is “Together We Win with Love for Humanity,” a press release said.

Archie Smart, the keynote speaker, is a native of South Carolina, a press release said. He received a bachelor’s degree in history from South Carolina State University. Smart is a veteran of the U.S. Army, where he served as a commissioned officer in the Adjutant General Corps.

He is a project manager at Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), where he manages the third consecutive National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) project, the press release said. [Read more…]

ORAU Annual Giving Campaign exceeds $100,000 for 10th year in a row

Posted at 11:28 am October 15, 2017
By Pam Bonee Leave a Comment

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

$1 million raised in past 10 years benefits United Way and Community Shares

For the 10th consecutive year, ORAU exceeded its goal of raising $100,000 in donations as part of its internal annual giving campaign that benefits the United Way and Community Shares, making total donations more than $1 million for the timeframe.

As part of the 2017 ORAU Annual Giving Campaign, a total of $117,604.41 was pledged. Employees donate via payroll deduction and could earmark their donation for United Way, Community Shares, or both nonprofit organizations, a press release said. [Read more…]

Groundbreaking for Friendship Bell Peace Pavilion is Thursday

Posted at 9:15 pm September 18, 2017
By Kay Brookshire Leave a Comment

The new Peace Pavilion for the International Friendship Bell at Alvin K. Bissell Park will feature a cantilever design. (Submitted image)

Groundbreaking ceremonies for the new International Friendship Bell Peace Pavilion will take place at 5 p.m. Thursday, September 21, at the bell’s new location in Alvin K. Bissell Park, just west of the Oak Ridge Civic Center.

Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch will be master of ceremonies for the groundbreaking. The Oak Valley Baptist Church Choir will present a music program relating to the friendship and peace theme of the event. Pat Postma and Alan Tatum, co-chairs of the International Friendship Bell Citizens Advisory Committee, will take part in the ceremonies.

Major donors—including UT Battelle/Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and CNS-Y-12—will participate in breaking ground for the new pavilion, a press release said.

The bell, created for Oak Ridge’s 50th birthday, is expected to bring its message of peace and friendship to the thousands of visitors expected at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Oak Ridge, the press release said.. The new pavilion for the bell came about after city officials discovered that structural beams in the original bell house had severely deteriorated. [Read more…]

Safety Fest TN opens with Community Safety Forum on Tuesday

Posted at 2:48 pm September 11, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Submitted photo

On September 12, Safety Fest TN will hold a Community Safety Forum, an annual event that officially kicks off Safety Fest TN and its Safety Expo.

Safety Fest TN offers free safety classes to residents and companies September 11-15.

This year’s Community Safety Forum will be held in the Wamp Auditorium at 9 a.m. Tuesday, September 12, at the New Hope Center at Y-12 National Security Complex. More than 900 people have registered for the event.

Headlining the Community Safety Forum are Burns Phillips, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce; Steve Hawkins, administrator of the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration; David Purkey, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security; and Patrick Sheehan, the director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.

“We wanted to offer our audience a statewide perspective on workplace safety and emergency preparedness, and who best to deliver that message than the commissioners and their administrators?” said Tom Wantland, a Safety Fest TN organizer. [Read more…]