For Immediate Release
Contact: Sonya Johnson
Sonya.Johnson@ettp.doe.gov
(865) 574-4349
OAK RIDGE, TN, October 4, 2018 – Nuclear is new again. And more than 100 students and young professionals are expected to meet in East Tennessee this week to chat about nuclear industry growth and America’s energy future. These young visionaries, along with energy experts, will convene for a Millennial Nuclear Caucus, hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), UCOR – an AECOM-led partnership with Jacobs, the University of Tennessee and the East Tennessee Economic Council.
The Caucus, which brings together the next generation of leaders in nuclear innovation, will be held on Friday, October 5, from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Y-12 National Security Complex’s New Hope Center in Oak Ridge. The event is part of Nuclear Opportunities Week in the Knoxville/Oak Ridge area that features tours and workshops on a variety of nuclear-related topics.
Congressman Chuck Fleischmann and Department of Energy Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Ed McGinnis will address Caucus attendees, followed by a series of presentations and discussions with government representatives and industry groups.
“With fresh, creative thinking and a shared commitment to clean energy sources, millennials play an invaluable role in helping to shape our nation’s energy portfolio,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary McGinnis. “And in turn, they too can benefit from exciting careers in nuclear that provide competitive salaries and vast career pathways.”
“There are many career opportunities in the nuclear industry, and events like this Caucus help us develop a steady pipeline of talent to take on the challenging positions we have now and that we anticipate in the future,” UCOR President and Chief Executive Officer Ken Rueter said.
Millennials will moderate three panels at the Caucus featuring speakers from more than a dozen organizations ranging from the DOE and UCOR to the Tennessee Valley Authority, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Y-12, Oak Ridge Associated Universities and the University of Tennessee. Topics include advanced nuclear concepts like the small modular reactor, nuclear security and environmental cleanup of nuclear facilities.
Launched last year by Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, the Millennial Nuclear Caucuses have convened young innovators – those roughly between the ages of 18 and 35 – to share their thoughts on the future of nuclear energy.
In recent months, Caucus sessions have been held at locations throughout the United States, including Argonne National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, Texas A&M University, Atlanta, San Diego and San Francisco. Participants have represented the full spectrum of the nuclear field, including young leaders supporting the existing fleet, those designing small modular and advanced reactors and those advocating for a thriving nuclear future.
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