Atomic Show #187 – Women In Nuclear (US WIN) 2012
During the period from July 15-18 2012, more than 440 nuclear professionals attended the annual U. S. Women In Nuclear (US WIN) conference held in Orlando, FL. I spoke to three of the attendees – Julie Ezold, Sandy DePirro, and Savannah Fitzwater – about the conference and about the organization.
The women work in three very different parts of the nuclear energy enterprise spread in three geographically separate areas of the country. Julie is the manager of an isotope production program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Sandy is a member of the oversight group at the Crystal River Nuclear Plant, and Savannah is a graduate student specializing in nuclear non-proliferation issues at the Colorado School of Mines.
They told me the the US WIN conference was an “amazing” event filled with incredible networking opportunities and engaging technical sessions. They also told me that the organization has made a significant impact on their lives and on their careers.
Please listen to the show to hear more of the details.
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Very good interview! Too bad none of them got a chance to board a sub (didn’t know such was allowed tho.). I only wish they delved a little more into what inspired them (family or friends) into science generally and to specifically go for nuclear technology against the rest of the herd. BTW, is the reason why females into nuclear space drives weren’t in attendance because they’re all in Russia?? (joke?)
A tidbit; on the cable show “Outted Outtakes”, a stage mom’s cellphone video at a kiddie pageant (“Miss Preteen America” I think) caught a frilly little girl telling judges she wanted to be a nuclear engineer (daddy must be one!). The punchline is the only girls who made their local news were baton twirlers or playing cowgirls. I know the media loves thrashing pageants, so this little nuker wannabe had two strikes against her in their eyes. I hope she she makes her dream tho’, and I wish there was some kind of scholastic support to encourage kids who haven’t bought the Greenpeace evil-atom line and are interested in nuclear power before peer and popularity pressure squashes it out. As I long said, here in NYC, for a long time the number of atomic energy exhibits in school science fairs total up to the number of fingers a copperhead has.
James Greenidge
Queens NY
@James
Your comment reminded me of an article I read last year about Brittany (Nikki) Poteet, a Dominion Resources nuclear engineer who was the reigning Miss Virginia and competed in the Miss USA pageant.
As the father of daughters, I was always a bit uncomfortable with pageants, but who am I to tell women what they should and should not do? One of my daughters was a state champion cheerleader and is now a registered nurse in a trauma ward. The other was a competitive swimmer through high school and earned a letter rowing at USNA. She also has an MS in mechanical engineering and has been serving as a naval officer for the past 8 years.
It would be an interesting study to be able to monitor the health impacts and any genetic changes these women and you, Mr. Adams, will undergo with time as you continue to work in the nucelar field. Or do you never go into NP facilities or nuclear submaries anymore? If not, why?
Better yet, would you allow your child to drink milk that came from cows raised near a nuclear power plant? I wouldn’t and the reason because the June 2011 U.S. G.A.O. report states that all nuclear plants in the U.S. have leaked tritiated water into the groundwater.
Two survivors from Hiroshima are currently in New Zealand on a peace mission.
‘Ms Sasamori was aged only 13 when she sustained third degree burns on 25% of her body from the explosion. In 1955, she went to the United States where she received extensive plastic surgery to repair the damage caused by the atomic bomb.’
Without meaning to be flippant, it seems to me if she went through that and is still healthy enough to travel to New Zealand, Rod’s chances are pretty good.
Re:Concerned:
This is not personal or directed at you, I just want to trace sources of info. Please tell me (specifically if possible) where you obtained your views of nuclear energy. I’d really like to know.
James Greenidge
Queens NY