Oak Ridge Today

Robertsville Middle wins best overall score at eighth-grade level in math contest

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Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge won best overall score and was recognized for being the top school in the eighth-grade level at the Tennessee Middle School Math Competition recently held at Pellissippi State Community College. Pictured from left to right are Mrs. Spurling (teacher), Quinn Bader, Logan Rumbaugh, Kaitlan Paine, Carinne Cheney, Abbey Greenhalgh, Andrew Whitus, Ben Kelley, Curtis Roberston, and Becky Hanaver. (Submitted photo)

Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge won best overall score and was recognized for being the top school in the eighth-grade level at the Tennessee Middle School Math Competition recently held at Pellissippi State Community College. Pictured from left to right are Mrs. Spurling (teacher), Quinn Bader, Logan Rumbaugh, Kaitlan Paine, Carinne Cheney, Abbey Greenhalgh, Andrew Whitus, Ben Kelley, Curtis Roberston, and Becky Hanaver. (Submitted photo)

More than 600 students from 40 area schools competed for the honor of being named the top middle school math students in East Tennessee.

The 2013 Tennessee Middle School Math Competition, now in its 13th year, was held recently at Pellissippi State Community College and was sponsored by Oak Ridge Associated Universities.

Farragut Middle School in Knoxville walked away with the No. 1 team ranking for the best overall score in both the sixth- and seventh-grade team categories. Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge took the No. 1 team ranking for the eighth-grade team category. [Read more…]

Two schools each win $5,000 in ORAU Extreme Classroom Makeover

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ORAU Extreme Classroom Makeover Contest

Students at two local schools spent the past month patiently awaiting a potential classroom-altering announcement, and last week their patience was rewarded.

ORAU made surprise classroom announcements and presented each a $5,000 grant as runners-up in the 2013 Extreme Classroom Makeover competition. Courtney Batchelor, an eighth-grade teacher at Lake City Middle School in Anderson County, and Kristan Headrick, a sixth-grade teacher at Coalfield School in Morgan County, will use the grants to purchase technology to outfit their classrooms. [Read more…]

ORAU awards $25,000 to A.L. Lotts in Extreme Classroom Makeover

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A.L. Lotts Extreme Classroom Makeover

Oak Ridge Associated Universities gave $25,000 to a classroom at A.L. Lotts Elementary School in Knox County in an Extreme Classroom Makeover contest. (Submitted photo)

A fifth-grade math and science teacher at A.L. Lotts Elementary School in Knox County has won $25,000 in an Extreme Classroom Makeover competition sponsored by Oak Ridge Associated Universities.

It was the third time teacher Karla Fultz has submitted a video for the annual contest, which is now in its fifth year.

A press release said her winning video was a parody of “Gangman Style,” the Korean pop song and video that has been watched more than one billion times online. [Read more…]

ORAU welcomes four new universities as sponsoring institutions

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Andy Page

Andy Page

Oak Ridge Associated Universities recently welcomed Colorado State, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Utah, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Philadelphia University, and South Carolina State as its newest sponsoring institutions.

The new members were welcomed during the 68th annual meeting of the ORAU Council of Sponsoring Institutions in Oak Ridge, a press release said.

“We’re honored to have these six institutions join our growing university consortium,” said ORAU President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Page. “Membership in ORAU’s consortium broadens the already diverse opportunities these universities provide for students and faculty researchers in many critical areas of science and technology.”

[Read more…]

ORAU, ORNL announce winners of high-performance computing grant competition

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Oak Ridge Associated Universities and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have partnered again to award two new grants in the ORAU/ORNL High-Performance Computing Grant Program for 2013.

ORAU provides up to $75,000 over three years to researchers and their teams. In addition to the monetary award, ORNL provides faculty and student teams with valuable access to the laboratory’s computing resources and staff.

[Read more…]

Free Science Saturdays offered in Oak Ridge

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ORAU Science Saturdays

Oak Ridge Associated Universities has partnered with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to bring students and scientists together through a weekly program called Science Saturdays. (Image courtesy of ORAU)

Oak Ridge Associated Universities has partnered with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to bring students and scientists together through a weekly program called Science Saturdays.

Students in grades 8-12, along with their parents, are invited for six Saturday morning presentations in February and March where they will learn about a variety of engaging science topics through interactive presentations and hands-on activities.

[Read more…]

ORAU promotes Miller to talent management director

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LaShanda Miller

LaShanda Miller

Oak Ridge Associated Universities has announced the promotion of LaShanda Miller to director of talent management.

In her new role, Miller will manage and provide leadership for the talent management department, programs, and staff, as well as develop and implement workforce restructuring strategies, plans, programs, and policies.

Prior to her promotion, Miller served as manager of development and performance at ORAU.

[Read more…]

ORAU marks three million safe work hours

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Oak Ridge Associated Universities and its subcontractors have marked a key safety milestone—three million safe work hours without any days away, restricted, or transferred (DART) due to injury.

The accomplishment occurred over a 10-month period, since the corporation’s last DART case in February 2012.

[Read more…]

DOE recognizes ORAU for Science Bowl support

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ORAU and DOE Science Bowl

Representatives of Oak Ridge Associated Universities and the U.S. Department of Energy at a recent ceremony recognizing their partnership in the management of a high school science bowl. Among those pictured are DOE Program Manager Greg Mills (center back), ORNL Site Office Manager Johnny Moore (second from left), and ORAU President and CEO Andy Page (third from left). (Submitted photo)

Oak Ridge Associated Universities was recently recognized for its continued support of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Tennessee Science Bowl, an annual competition to encourage high school students to excel in science and math and pursue careers in those fields.

Johnny Moore, DOE’s site office manager at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, presented a commemorative plaque to ORAU for its support of the science bowl.

In a letter to ORAU President and CEO Andy Page, Moore emphasized that coordinating the event—which in 2012 hosted more than 300 students, coaches, and volunteers over a two-day period—was a “huge undertaking and (ORAU) staff performed in an incredible manner to make it happen.”

[Read more…]

ORAU again donates more than $100,000 to United Way, Community Shares

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ORAU Annual Giving

John Huppmann, second from right, chair of the 2012 ORAU Annual Giving Campaign and co-chair Sarah Roberts, right, are pictured with ORAU President and CEO Andy Page, second from left, and East Tennessee Economic Council President and former United Way Chairman Jim Campbell during a ceremony announcing ORAU had raised about $140,000.

For the fifth year in a row, Oak Ridge Associated Universities has exceeded $100,000 in donations as part of its annual campaign to raise money for United Way and Community Shares, a press release said.

The total amount raised, about $140,000, includes roughly $100,000 for the United Way and close to $40,000 to Community Shares.

ORAU President and CEO Andy Page announced the total for the 2012 Annual Giving Campaign during a Nov. 7 ceremony at Pollard Auditorium, the press release said.

The ceremony was attended by Rick Morrow, executive director of United Way of Anderson County; Shelley Wascom, director of the Community Shares of Knoxville; and special guest Jim Campbell, president of the East Tennessee Economic Council and former United Way of Anderson County chairman.

ORAU is a university consortium leveraging the scientific strength of 105 major research institutions to advance science and education by partnering with national laboratories, government agencies, and private industry. ORAU manages the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education for the U.S. Department of Energy.

ORAU seeks applicants for Extreme Classroom Makeover

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Oak Ridge Associated Universities has set a Sept. 7 deadline for local teachers who intend to apply for an Extreme Classroom Makeover contest.

Teachers within 50 miles of Oak Ridge can compete in the fifth annual contest, which awards $25,000 worth of new educational technologies as well as training and support.

This year, eligible teachers include those who teach math and science to public school children from 3rd grade to 10th grade.

[Read more…]

ORAU grant buys new technology for Pigeon Forge classroom

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ORAU Extreme Classroom Makeover

Fifth-grade students showcase their technology skills in a Pigeon Forge Middle School classroom outfitted with new equipment using a $30,000 grant from Oak Ridge Associated Universities. (Photo submitted by ORAU)

A $30,000 grant from a federal contractor in Oak Ridge filled a Pigeon Forge classroom with new technology this summer.

Heather Burkhart, a fifth-grade math and science teacher at Pigeon Forge Middle School, received the grant from Oak Ridge Associated Universities in that nonprofit’s fourth annual Extreme Classroom Makeover competition.

An ORAU press release said the grant supports educators who use technology in the classroom to inspire more students to pursue math and science-based careers.