Clean Energy Insight - Moving Energy Forward

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The U.S. Department of Energy has recently proposed a change to 10 CFR 810, a regulation that governs the export of peaceful nuclear technology, including for the production of electricity, to the multi-billion dollar global market. This proposed change could:

• Adversely impact competitiveness of U.S. nuclear suppliers
• Disrupt existing commercial arrangements between U.S. manufacturers and their overseas customers
• Create additional administrative burdens

Specifically, the proposed rule would:

• Require an additional bureaucratic authorization (which can take a year or longer to receive) for trade with 73 countries that do not require this export authorization today.
• Significantly expand the numbers of activities which require this type of authorization for export.
• Further bog down an already slow process by increasing the number of authorizations required for export.
• Significantly slow down the number of jobs created and brought in to U.S. manufacturers because of these delays and new bureaucratic requirements.

Please take action and visit the following link to submit a comment to Dept of Energy Secretary Stephen Chu on your thoughts of the measure:

http://consumerenergyalliance.org/calls-to-action/take-action-support-affordable-nuclear-energy/

The comment period closes on December 7th, 2011.

Let’s all support affordable nuclear energy for the future, as well as jobs in the nuclear industry that fuel economic development all over the world.

Remember, as members of NA-YGN, we can all do our part to Move Energy Forward.

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The World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) announced their annual Nuclear Excellence Awards today at the conclusion of their eleventh Biennial General Meeting held in Shenzhen, China.

Susan Reilly Landahl, Chief Operation Officer of Exelon Nuclear and member of NA-YGN’s Executive Advisory Committee was one of the eight recipients this year. The Nuclear Excellence awards identify individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to excellence in the operation of nuclear power plants or infrastructure that supports their operation.

NA-YGN would like to congratulate Susan on her well-deserved award. “She has long been a strong proponent of promoting diversity within the nuclear industry,” NA-YGN Professional Development Chair Erin West said. “NA-YGN is grateful for her generous support and is glad to see her recognized by her peers for her efforts.”

Susan was recognized for her relentless pursuit of excellence, wide variety of key positions in Exelon’s fleet and her significant contribution as a mentor and role model to others in the industry, including through organizations such as U.S. Women in Nuclear and North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN).

The NA-YGN Executive Advisory Council provides guidance to the NA-YGN Board of Directors. WANO established the Nuclear Excellence Awards in 2003.

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Virginia’s policy on uranium mining was one of several featured issues discussed at Governor Bob McDonnell’s second annual Governor’s Energy Conference in Richmond earlier this week.

A break out session was held to discuss the historical, economic and environmental issues surrounding the potential for uranium mining in the state . The panel included State Senator John Watkins, U.S. Energy Information Administration geologist Margaret Coleman, and the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Henry Darwin.

Senator Watkins outlined the history of uranium mining in Virginia going back to the late 1970s when the largest untapped uranium deposit in the U.S. was discovered in Pittsylvania County in southern Virginia. Watkins explained how the General Assembly imposed a temporary moratorium on uranium mining in the early 1980s to allow the state time to conduct a scientific study to determine if it could be done safely in Virginia.

After multiple state studies found that uranium could be mined “with minimal risks” in Virginia, Watkins said the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission recommended that the General Assembly lift the moratorium and draft regulations to oversee the industry in the state. The moratorium was intended as “a first step, not a last step,” Watkins said.

However, Watkins went on to explain that the moratorium was never lifted because in the mid-1980’s, the companies that controlled the deposit decided not to develop it due to a downturn in the uranium market. Today, Watkins told the panel, the global uranium market is booming due to increased demand in the U.S. and major rising economic powers like India, China and Russia. “There is now a global need for uranium for use as nuclear fuel, including in the United States,” said Watkins.

Margaret Coleman from the U.S. Energy Information Administration provided an overall picture of the uranium mining industry in the U.S. and globally.

The U.S. production of uranium was at its peak during the Cold War from the 1950s to the early 1980s, Coleman said, but since then domestic production has trailed off and reliance on foreign imports have skyrocketed. Coleman alerted the panel to the fact that the U.S. now imports 92 percent of the uranium we use to fuel nuclear reactors, with almost a third coming from the Russian government.

She also pointed out that Kazakhstan is rapidly emerging as one of the world’s largest suppliers of mined uranium. Since 2008, Kazakhstan increased its share of the global uranium market from 20 percent to 33 percent. Like Russia, uranium mining in Kazakhstan is largely controlled by sometimes unreliable state-run nuclear companies. The U.S. imports 15 percent of its uranium supply from Kazakhstan.

Henry Darwin, Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, discussed the safety and environmental record of uranium mining and milling operations in his state.

Darwin described the balance Arizona strikes between economic development and environmental sustainability when it comes to the development of the state’s natural resources. Darwin spoke about the positive economic impact and the good environmental performance of mining operations in the state. In particular, Darwin drew attention to the industry’s positive track record for protecting the groundwater and other drinking water sources surrounding mining operations in Arizona.

Like the proposed Coles Hill project in Virginia, Arizona uranium mining is predominantly conducted underground and is “pretty small potatoes” compared to the huge open pit copper and other mineral mines throughout the state, Darwin said.

Darwin said that state water permits ensure that water used on site is not leaked into groundwater or surface water and is stored safely in an impoundment after being treated and tested. The impoundment is a heavily engineered and lined structure that Darwin described as “much more than just a hole in the ground.”

State air permit requirements and advanced industry practices have been very effective at ventilating the mines to protect workers from radon gas, as well as preventing dust dispersion at the sites and in the trucks that transport the ore from the site.

During the question and answer section, Senator Watkins was asked what options the General Assembly has in 2012. “If the [National Academy of Sciences] study affirms that uranium mining can be done safely in Virginia, the moratorium should be lifted, and we should direct state agencies to start writing the regulations,” said Watkins, alluding to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) study due for release in December of this year.

The NAS has been studying the issue of uranium mining in Virginia for 18 months and has held numerous public fact-finding meetings across the state. Watkins mentioned that the General Assembly could first seek guidance from state regulatory agencies before drafting legislation during the 2012 Session.

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On September 21, 2011, the North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN) Durham Chapter partnered with one of Canada’s premier business schools, The Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto to create a special and successful event with Ontario Power Generation’s Chief Nuclear Operating Officer, Mr. Pierre Tremblay.

Zeeshaan Mustafa, Rotman MBA (C’12) co-host and NA-YGN Member welcomes attendees to the Energy Expert Speaker Series @ Rotman.

The NA-YGN Durham Chapter collaborated closely with the Rotman School of Management and the Rotman MBA Energy Club to co-host a special 2011 Energy Expert Speaker Series @ Rotman featuring Mr. Tremblay.  Mr. Tremblay, who has a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) was invited to return to his alma mater and deliver a presentation entitled, “The Future of Nuclear: Lessons from Fukushima Daiichi”.

Mr. Tremblay, OPGN Chief Nuclear Operating Officer addressing the audience at the Fleck Atrium, Rotman School of Management for his presentation, “Nuclear Energy’s Future: Learning from Fukushima-Daiichi”.

The Rotman School of Management routinely offers students, alumni and interested members of the public an opportunity to learn from renowned global experts on a diverse range of topics.  This thought-provoking suite of lecture series is known as the Expert Speaker Series @ Rotman. The goal of the series is to invite “some of the greatest minds in business” to “visit the Rotman School to share their insights” and inform the audience as “global thought leaders”.  The Speakers Series offers a broad diversity of topics, from expected business school topics such as Finance, Strategy, International Business to the more eclectic subjects such as Integrative and Design Thinking, Competitiveness and Prosperity.

Given the tragic events of Japanese earthquake and tsunami of earlier this year, the NA-YGN Durham Chapter felt the need for academics, business community and public at large to be better informed about the events in Japan and what specifically this meant for OPG and the Canadian nuclear industry as a whole.

The Fleck Atrium in the heart of the Rotman School was the venue for Mr. Tremblay’s presentation.  As the event was open to the public, there was a wide-range of participants with over 250 registered attendees.  Several colleagues from within the nuclear Industry and the broader power generation sector were present. OPG Nuclear Senior Vice President, Nuclear Engineering and Chief Nuclear Engineer Mr. Mark Elliott and OPG Vice President Corporate Affairs, Mr. Bruce Boland were in attendance to support the event.  Registrants and attendees also included representatives from the Consulates of Switzerland, Korea, and Britain along with the Consul Generals of Switzerland and UK Trade & Investment.  The audience also included individuals from financial, legal, and consulting firms; as well as, governmental and non-governmental organizations such as the Physicians for the Environment.

Mr. Tremblay delivered an informative and insightful presentation.  He summarized the sequence of events at Fukushima, measures undertaken following the accident and the use of remote technology to stabilize the situation.  Mr. Tremblay also broadly described the defining moments in the nuclear industry and outlined how the nuclear power industry emerges stronger after adversity, “by working together to assess, benchmark and improve performance through mutual support, exchange of information and emulation of best practices”[1].

He highlighted OPG’s response to events in Japan,  including OPG CEO Tom Mitchell’s appointment to chair a special World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) commission; launch of special communications initiatives to keep Ontarians informed and assured about the safety of OPG’s nuclear facilities; and submission to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission on lessons learned from Fukushima.

Mr. Tremblay explained how OPG, other Canadian nuclear operators and the global nuclear industry is responding to the lessons learned from Fukushima-Daiichi.  The four key learnings which Mr. Tremblay delineated were the importance of preventing fuel damage and maintaining containment; anticipating and planning for the “unexpected”; verifying defences and systematically carrying out all emergency functions; and considering ways to partner with other operators and the community.   Mr. Tremblay concluded his remarks with the environmental, economic and operational value offered by nuclear energy and how safety, for the public, environment and employees is a fundamental value for nuclear energy professionals.

The presentation was followed by an engaging discussion with members of the audience. Attendees were interested in asking Mr. Tremblay about the specifics of the accident sequence at Fukushima.  Some participants also wanted to learn about a broad range of topics including the possibility of changing regulatory requirements, the status of emergency preparedness plans, alleged incidences of cancers near nuclear facilities and the role of nuclear security.  Mr. Tremblay effectively and eloquently addressed each question by presenting evidence-based research and facts which were well received by audience.

Sunny Mustafa, NA-YGN Durham Vice President, thanking Mr. Tremblay, Rotman and attendees in his closing remarks.

The NA-YGN Durham Chapter was pleased to create this special Energy Expert Speaker Series @ Rotman.  Mr. Tremblay’s presentation highlighted key actions undertaken by OPG, the global response of the nuclear industry and how lessons from Fukushima were are being incorporated in maintaining safe and secure nuclear facilities. The event was an overwhelming success as it educated, informed and promoted an engaging dialogue with the public about the paramount importance of nuclear safety for nuclear energy professionals.  This dialogue and the public’s appreciation of it is the basis for the social license which is required for the continued future of nuclear energy both in Ontario, Canada and abroad.

Some NA-YGN members at a networking session following the event (left to right): Sinéaid Lagan, NA-YGN Durham President, Sunny Mustafa, Vice President; Lianne Lees; Mark Bosley, NA-YGN Durham members; Andrew Ali, NA-YGN AMEC NSS Chapter Communications Chair and Mayur Upadhyay NA-YGN Durham Professional Development Chair.

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There are many intelligent, caring and dedicated mothers in the nuclear industry. In order to share their experience about the nuclear world, NA-YGN has managed to capture the perspectives of four of these women. Their stories are humorous and insightful, and provide proof that you can be a nuclear professional while having a home life at the same time. Hope you enjoy the stories.

Nursing Mothers in the Nuclear Industry

By: Kristin Murray Zaitz, Vice President, NA-YGN

Breasts are not usually mentioned in polite conversation in the nuclear industry. And since I’m writing about breastfeeding, this isn’t the only time I’m going to mention them in this article—go ahead and get your giggles out now.

Before I dive into the unique challenges of being a nursing mother in the nuclear industry, let me take a moment to explain the importance of breastfeeding and its challenges for working mothers. Infants under 4-6 months of age get their nutrition entirely from breastmilk or formula for those families who choose not to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is the healthiest option for both mothers and babies, and employers also benefit from the corresponding reduction in health care costs and decreased absenteeism. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least the first twelve months of life, and there are laws protecting nursing mothers in the United States and Canada.

Even with all of the benefits of breastfeeding, it is still difficult for a working mother to continue nursing her infant after she returns to the workplace. For those who are unfamiliar with the plight of the working and nursing mother, it is truly a labor of love. In order for a nursing mother to maintain her milk supply and comfort, she must pump breastmilk every 2-4 hours. This gets even more complicated if, like me, your workplace happens to be a nuclear power plant.

Issue #1: Getting a breastpump through security. Need I say more? The situation was usually comical, but one special day stands out in my mind. After what seemed like the hundredth time passing my breastpump through security, a well-meaning guard asked me to open the “mechanism.” The breastpump itself is sealed for sanitation and functional purposes, so opening the “mechanism” was a tall order. After a few minutes of trying to explain this to him, he was saved by a coworker who took over the search and muttered an apology to me without ever raising his eyes. Embarrassing, yes. Unexpected, not really.

Issue #2: Washing breastpump components in the break room. The nuclear industry doesn’t pose anything unique about the need to wash breastpump components after their use, but my predominantly male engineering office made it a little bit more interesting. I stopped counting the number of times I was asked, “What are you making for lunch?” or “What’s that for?” At first I would explain, but then after seeing the typical reaction, I resorted to, “You don’t want to ask that question, trust me.”

Issue #3: Workplace conditions. Not many jobs require one to don anti-contamination clothing and spend hours at a time in a radioactive field. Every time I needed to do an inspection in a radiologically controlled area, it was a race against the clock. By the time the pre-job brief was done and I gained access to the area, it was almost always time to exit the area and pump again. This was frustrating, but I learned excellent time management skills.

Issue #4: Refueling outages. Power plants are extremely inconsiderate of one’s personal time. When my son was six months old, I had to work to support a 35-day-long refueling outage. That’s not so bad in itself, except my shift was 13 hours long, and I only got two days off during the entire thing. Even though I had to be away from him for so long, I felt much better knowing that I was providing him with the most nutritious and beneficial food possible.

Issue #5: Location. Nuclear power plants are usually isolated, so it’s not easy to just stop on by and nurse a baby during a break from work. I live 40 minutes away from my workplace, and that’s fairly common in this industry. The isolation was challenging, but it just made it more rewarding to come home at the end of the day. After he was about eight months old, my son would greet me with an ecstatic “Mama!!!” and reach for me while using his sign language to say “MILK!”

Issue #6: Facilities for pumping. When I returned from maternity leave, there was not a good setup or precedent for accommodation of nursing mothers. Pumping breastmilk requires access to a clean, private room with a lockable door and 15 minutes of solitude to accomplish the task. The first day back on the job I was nearly frantic by hour three when the private room that had been promised (and required by law) was not available. Not available? What was I supposed to do, wait and pump another day? Fortunately the situation was remedied and I was soon given access to a private room. Just say the word “breast” enough and people will spring into action to avoid the embarrassment of you mentioning it anymore. At least that’s what worked for me.

Somehow through all of this, my son and I made it through his first year without the need to supplement his diet with formula. I know that he would have been fine if nursing didn’t work out, but I feel deeply blessed that we were able to continue breastfeeding after my return to work. And while a nuclear power plant may not be headlined in the next working mother’s survey of family-friendly workplaces, the challenges were not insurmountable.

So what’s my advice to other nursing mothers in the nuclear industry? You can do it! And keep a sense of humor, you’ll need it.

Does Mickey Go In The Front? Or the Back?

By: Elizabeth McAndrew-Benavides, Past President, NA-YGN

Parenting via Skype isn’t a chapter in “What to Expect”. This is a new parenting phenomenon that I would be happy to ghost-write for that popular parenting book series.

My first opportunity to parent via Skype occurred almost two years ago. Both my husband and I are required to travel moderately for our nuclear careers. It just so happens that we both had overnight business trips on the same day when my daughter was one year old.

Being a two nuke family, we had an advance plan for how to manage child care. My cousin offered to babysit on a work night. Our nanny would stay late until he arrived at the house after work and would be ready early the next morning so he could go to work.

Things seemed to work out perfectly. My cousin was a 20 something recent college grad, so as long as he skipped happy hour, he didn’t have any evening responsibilities. He had babysat my daughter before and lived nearby.

Things seemed great. Both my husband and I went our separate ways at the airport and my nanny and cousin had our daughter covered for a 24 hour period.

I decided to call and check-in with my cousin before I set out for dinner that evening. He told me he had been at the house for about an hour and had already fed my daughter dinner. We chatted for a few minutes, but we ended the call when my cousin had to change my daughter’s diaper.

I was about to walk out of my hotel room to head to dinner when my cousin called back. He didn’t know which way the diaper went on. This was hilarious to me. I asked him how he managed to babysit before without changing a diaper and he responded that he usually had his girlfriend with him. After I stopped laughing, I told him how to put on the diaper.

Once again, I was just about to walk out the door of my hotel room to head to dinner when my cousin called back. He didn’t think the diaper looked right and asked me if Mickey went in the front or in the back? This question threw me, because the diapers I had purchased had Disney characters on the front and the back. I couldn’t remember where Mickey was on the diaper.

You’d think this would be something that could be resolved on the phone, but it wasn’t. I had to log into my work computer to Skype with my daughter and cousin. If at all possible, I would suggest you never attempted to teach someone how to virtually put a diaper on a baby. Even though this method of communication worked, it was not ideal. I could see the diaper and reassure my cousin that everything was placed properly, but I could show him how to make sure the diaper was snug, but not too tight. My daughter survived and didn’t seem disturbed by the situation.

My advice to nuclear mothers who travel would be to ensure you have access to Skype. You never know when your child is going to need a little love and care, even when you are half way across the country.

Juggling Pregnancy & Motherhood in Nuclear Power

By: Ariadna Clark, NA-YGN Member

How do you feel about reading the words “pregnancy”, “motherhood” and “nuclear” in the same sentence? Did it make you cringe a little? Did you raise your eyebrows and think “yikes…!”? Well… that’s me: a woman (Puerto Rican for that matter!), a mother and… oh yes, an engineer at a Nuclear Power Plant.

Since I was very little, I always dreamed of having a family and a career. Following my dreams, I went to college, studied my butt off to graduate with a Mechanical Engineering degree, and left my tropical Puerto Rico to come to the United States to begin my career as a Systems Engineer in a nuclear power plant. That is how I met nuclear power. While working at the power plant, I also managed to meet the love of my life and got married. My husband is also an engineer at the power plant and he currently works in the Operations department as a Shift Manager.

After more than a couple of happy years of DINK (Dual Income No Kids), my husband and I decided to start a family. To be honest with you, I had no idea how this would work. A career in nuclear power can be exhausting by itself, and try to imagine how it is when BOTH parents are “nukes”! Basically, after almost seven years of being a professional nuclear worker, I had no idea how I was going to manage both. My hands without a baby were full enough.

Another thing that made me nervous about the “Baby + Nuclear Experience” was that I did not know a single female that had “recently” (for the purpose of this blog “recently” is defined as within 7 years) gone through this experience in the industry. I did not have anybody that I could relate to or anybody to ask for advice, opinions or insight. But that wasn’t going to stop me; I was about to figure this out by myself. Better said, WE (me, my husband and our careers) were going to figure out how to do this!

Well… in January of 2009 I found out I was pregnant. Needless to say, my husband and I were ecstatic. At the time, I was a Supervisor in the I&C (Instrumentation & Controls) department. In case you are not too familiar with it, “Maintenance Supervisor” in a nuclear industry is equal to long hours, frequent calls in the middle of the night, and a non-stop kind of job. A couple of weeks after I formally announced my pregnancy to my manager at the time, I was placed in a different job position, a more “desk friendly” job. I became the PM (Predefined Maintenance) Coordinator at my plant. I confess that this new job was a little bit like a “career sacrifice” in my eyes, but my pregnancy needed something like this… something that will provide me the environment and the flexibility that I needed at the time, while giving me the opportunity to greatly contribute to my organization.

In September of that year we had our son, Marco. He has changed my life and made it a million times more meaningful. I have to admit that the “desk friendly” job was a savior in many instances, however, after two years of performing that “desk friendly” function, I was aching to return to my more technical roots. Just a few months ago, I interviewed and received an offer to be a Work Week Manager at my site. This position is much more my style… it’s demanding, complicated, stressful and extremely rewarding. Just the way I like it! (haha- yes, you can call me CRAZY, others think the same too!!!) It also provides me the opportunity to grow and develop my career.

Two things that help me juggle motherhood and nuclear are ORGANIZATION and LOOKING AHEAD. Sounds easy, right? Remember that my husband works shifts, so he has a different schedule every single week. For this reason, I always carry with me my husband’s shift rotation schedule and try to schedule projects, special assignments and personal appointments around that. I quickly found out how being creative is crucial in my situation. For example, my husband and I were doing “baby turnover” in the main parking lot last year during a refueling outage. I negotiated with the daycare that my son attends to have earlier opening hours that support my work hours. When I accepted the Work Week Manager position I worked out with a peer to swap work weeks to ensure my assigned work weeks will line up with the one week in my husband’s shift rotation that fully supports my schedule! But don’t think that I’m the only one working double duty here; my husband works his butt off too. He’s the chef of the house (thank God because I don’t cook) and he also helps me out with Marco and the house chores. My husband’s help and support is essential to our success.

As I move forward trying to balance motherhood and my career I ask myself: Can I do this? How can I do this? How far can I go in my career while having a baby? Can I have a baby AND a career in nuclear power, with the demands both entail? I have recently found out that I am not the only mother or mother-to-be that is asking herself these same questions.

Unfortunately, I do not have all the answers for these questions YET. All I know is that so far it is working for me. I cannot tell you the key for your success, because there is not a single right answer. But I can certainly tell you that IT IS POSSIBLE.

I am not going to sugar coat it, nor going to tell you what you may want to hear…It is not easy, but it is extremely rewarding, no doubt. Both family and career are full of demands all of the time, and I don’t always know how I will fulfill those demands. I am looking ahead all the time, thinking through how I am going to manage this, planning down to the details, and setting the wheels in motion. And guess what? Just when you think it works perfectly, something will get in the way. This is why I learned I have to be open-minded and flexible. This is when creativity comes to bear!

Would I do it all over again? Absolutely! My son is almost 2 years old now and I am proud as I see him developing as a person and I continue to grow in my career. As I look around in the “nuclear world” I see more and more women that are trying the “Baby + Nuclear Experience”. It is nice to know that I can be there to help them thru the process, provide advice if they need it, and help them to visualize that YES, IT IS POSSIBLE….nuclear women can be MOMs!!

Nuclear Engineer, Three Children and the Wonders of Having a Work-From-Home Husband

By: Shannon Bragg-Sitton, Past-President, NA-YGN

A few months ago I was flying home from a business trip, anxious to see my kids after a few days away. I spoke with my husband during the first layover of a 3-leg trip, fully expecting to have some delay. Everything was going well on the home front, and my flights even appeared to be on time. I turned on my phone during my second layover to find an MMS message from my husband. Shock set in when I realized that it was a photo of a fluorescent green cast … on my 3-year-old’s arm. What could possibly have happened in the last 3 hours as I flew across the country???

As it turns out, my son had actually broken his arm about 6 days prior (he fell off the bed while playing), and my husband had assured him that he was fine. Whining and complaining is normal for a 3-year-old, right? The regular wrestling matches with his brother still continued during the 6-day window, occasionally broken up by whining. Well, Dad finally gave in and took him to see a doctor when his baby sister managed to make him cry for 20 minutes just by touching his arm… Such is the life in a family when Dad is the primary care giver, I suppose. No softies here!

We all know that being a mom in a challenging technical field isn’t easy. My name is Shannon Bragg-Sitton, and I have a doctorate in nuclear engineering. I currently work in the Space Nuclear Systems and Technology Division at the Idaho National Laboratory, but I have enjoyed a diverse career thus far, having recently left a coveted tenure-track position at Texas A&M University in order to gain a bit of my sanity back via more reasonable work hours. My husband, Michael, and I have been married for 14 years (wow!) and have three kids – Caleb, 5; Ryan, 3; and Avery, 1.

Things have been busy for the past few years as we have juggled careers and raised a young family. Until a couple years ago I was balancing on the brink of insanity and was well into the effects of severe sleep deprivation. Michael was working as a consultant in information technology, meaning that he was on travel at least half the time. I found myself with two kids that had to go to two different daycare centers (finding infant care can be tough!) and a new job that demanded much more than the 40 hours per week advertised, basically functioning as a single mom half the time. The teary-eyed drop-offs in the mornings were never fun; when a fever spiked, I scrambled to find someone to teach my class so I could resume full-time Mom duty. Thankfully, my kids have been reasonably healthy and I only had to beg a colleague to cover my class a couple times.

The evenings weren’t much easier as I raced to pick up the boys, feed all of us, and get the boys to bed before my patience gave way. It was then that we began to consider a new approach: What if one of us were to stay home with the boys? We had discussed the benefits of homeschooling in the future, so why not start the stay-at-home culture early? I wasn’t interested in leaving my career after all those years in school, nor do I believe that I have the patience necessary to effectively teach my own children (without tears from all of us, that is). But Michael was excited to leave IT behind to begin a new venture in property management and take on the role of a stay-at-home dad and primary home school teacher.

We are now a couple of years into this decision, and we couldn’t be happier in the choice. We’ve even had to move to zone defense now that we’ve added a daughter to the equation, but things seem to work for us. If you have a strong, supportive husband willing to stay home with the kids, count yourself as a lucky woman. Buck the cultural norm. It’s great for the kids, and it can be great for Mom and Dad too.

Last weekend I received a flyer for a MOPS – Moms of Preschoolers – meeting. I passed it to my husband, suggesting that it was only called “MOPS” because “DOPS” just didn’t sound as good. Surely Dads are also welcome to come, right? Yeah… he didn’t believe me either. Such is the case for a counter-cultural family with a work-from-home, primary-care-giving, and homeschool teacher Dad. Odd looks from the Moms at the park are a common occurrence, and I’m sure that many wonder if the “flipped” roles were selected by choice. Finding a comfortable social circle hasn’t been easy, but my husband has been pretty resilient and we’ve found a decent support network of other homeschool families (even though Mom is the one home teaching the kids!).

I admit that what works so well for us wouldn’t work for everyone, but it can be a great option if it’s available. This isn’t your June Cleaver household where all the laundry is done, the house sparkles and a hot dinner is on the table each night. Far from it. In fact, with the kids home during the day, there tends to be a lot more toys strewn about (that may have attributed to that broken arm, but that hasn’t been proven!), but I’ll take the trade-off for happier kids and happier parents. Who cares about having a spic-n-span house when you can say that?

Being a working mom is a balancing act. You have to start by setting your priorities—family first, in my opinion—and sticking to them. Our extended family didn’t respond enthusiastically when we first talked about our plan of becoming a one-income household with my husband holding down the home front. But they now see how much it has benefitted the kids and the family as a whole. All moms will eventually find the equation that works best for them. Being a good mom does not mean that you have to sacrifice your career and upward mobility, but it may mean that you need to modify your approach from time to time. I wish you all the energy you will need as you find the right balance for your family!

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Nuclear Misinformation

In the wake of the earthquake in Japan and the resulting accident at the Fukushima power plant, misinformation and fear-mongering about nuclear energy, which has always been present, has really been soaring. Reports of radiation plumes hitting the Pacific coast of the United States or milk with high radiations levels invaded the news and soon people everywhere were discussing the best sources of iodine pills to combat radiation sickness. It may be understandable, given a generation who grew up in the shadow of the Cold War, with the constant thought of helplessly hiding under a desk when the bomb sirens went off.

How can we prevent future generations from living with this kind of fear? Better nuclear education from elementary schools to online college classes is the necessary place to start. Nuclear energy has been widely misunderstood practically since it first came into being. With public schools educating students on the actual workings of a power plant and providing a better understanding of the science behind nuclear energy and radiation, we could be raising informed kids who are less likely to panic and better able to intelligently assess the merits of nuclear power.

Part of the challenge of educating students lies in educating the educators. After all, most teachers today are either from the Cold War generation themselves or are children of that generation, raised with a fear of nuclear energy and radiation poisoning. Like anyone else, teachers aren’t immune to misinformation and misunderstanding. However, they are in the unique position of having strong influence on what information gets passed down to the next generation.

One program designed to educate the educators is currently taking place outside of Chicago, at the Braidfield Nuclear Generation Station. NA-YGN’s Nuke 101 is intended to teach middle and high school instructors about nuclear power, including learning how power plants work, how nuclear power is generated, and the benefits of nuclear energy as a clean and renewable source of electricity. This kind of teacher education is needed nationwide, and even internationally.

To make nuclear education more personal, teachers near power plants can contact them to make arrangements for the students to get a tour, then build an entire unit on nuclear power around the visit. Some topics that would be appropriate to include are:

What is Radiation?

Students can look at measurements of radiation, such as microsieverts and millirems, and compare them to common everyday sources of radiation such as x-rays, CT scans, and even normal background radiation. This can then be compared to dangerous doses of radiation, allowing students to critically analyze information provided by news programs and other media.

How is Radiation Used?

By exploring uses of radiation in science, medicine, and other industries, and discussing what happens when radiation reaches dangerous levels, students can learn to perform risk-benefit analyses and apply them to all areas of their lives. For instance, many students are probably familiar with the concept of radiation therapy as a medical treatment and may even know someone who went through the process. A better understanding of how radiation therapy works can help students understand the positive effects that radiation can have on our lives.

How does a Nuclear Reactor Work?

If taking a tour of a power plant isn’t a possibility, students can take a virtual power plant tour and then discuss the process of the production of energy in different types of reactors. Additionally, they can discuss safety regulations and how they’re enforced.

What Happens to Radioactive Waste?

Most people are aware that radioactive waste is produced by a power plant, but have no idea what happens to it next. Students can consider the actual laws and regulations dealing with the delivery of radioactive materials, their handling and storage, and learn about the regulations in place and the agencies involved.

Hands-on activities to cement concepts and give students a real feel for nuclear science and technology could include learning to handle and read a Geiger counter and calculating their own personal yearly dose of radiation. Students will probably be surprised to find out how much radiation they’re actually exposed to every year, and that perspective will help put highly publicized radiation leaks into perspective.

Additionally, teachers can have students look for radiation in the news. After listening carefully to a story, they should research the incident and find out about the actual amount of radiation released into the atmosphere. They might be surprised at how much many reports are blown out of proportion in the interest of titillating viewers and getting ratings.

The key to fighting back against sensationalism is education. If nothing else, once students understand the concept of actually measuring radiation and can relate those measurements to everyday sources of radiation, they’ll no longer live in fear of nuclear energy and the promise it holds. Being able to think critically about nuclear power will staunch unfounded panic and the spread of nuclear misinformation.

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Clean. Sustainable. Renewable. Green.

These are the words that Dr. Patrick Moore used to describe the ideal energy source during a recent talk at an evening event at the brand new UNC-Charlotte Center City building in uptown Charlotte, NC.  He was quick to point out that no single source meets all of these adjectives.  This was one of the many topics Dr. Moore covered during his hour-long discussion with an audience of about one hundred on September 16^th.  The event was hosted by CASEnergy and the North American-Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN), with additional assistance from the local chapters of American Nuclear Society (ANS) and Young Professionals in Energy (YPE).

Dr. Moore has a very impressive resume, including a Ph.D. in ecology and career highlights such as co-founding Greenpeace and serving as a current co-chair of CASEnergy. He left Greenpeace due to many differing views, which he discussed during the presentation. One of the overlying reasons was Greenpeace’s adamantly narrow viewpoint on ecological issues and how they failed to notice the benefits of some advances in science. He used genetic engineering as an example.  In many countries around the world the staple of their diet is white rice, Dr. Moore explained.   However, white rice lacks the nutrients of other staples (such as wheat). People have found a way to genetically enhance white rice into brown rice, which contains those necessary nutrients that white rice lacks. However, since Greenpeace is against any form of genetic engineering, they fight to prevent the implementation of brown rice as thousands of adults and children continue to die every year due to malnourishment.

Another interesting topic Dr. Moore covered dealt with the idea behind the word “green.” After introducing it in his ideas about the ideal source of energy, he went on to say that unlike the other words he used (clean, sustainable, and renewable), “green” does not have a clear definition.   It has become a commercial term and therefore lacks the meaning that it once had to him when he co-founded Greenpeace.

Naturally, he discussed the topic of nuclear energy and his change to the other side (having previously been an opponent). The idea behind his switch was simple; all he needed to do was separate nuclear weapons from nuclear power. Having started Greenpeace by protesting against nuclear missile testing, all things nuclear were the same in Dr. Moore’s mind - unequivocally bad. However, as he thought more about the topic and discussed it with people around the industry, he began to understand that there was a clear difference between nuclear weapons and nuclear power. Nuclear power was being used to help society by providing a safe source of energy, which is completely different than the destruction caused by nuclear weapons. He realized the error in his previous thought process, and he is now a proponent of nuclear energy.

Another notable fact he mentioned about nuclear were the studies which have linked low levels of radiation to healthier individuals.  He noted that there have been a number of studies about people that were around the nuclear industry, whether that was commercial operations or mining. The results have shown that these people are actually healthier than the average individual. Researchers have postulated that similar to how the body fights illness and comes out stronger afterwards, cells being broken down due to low levels of radiation must be rebuilt, thus helping the body grow stronger and healthier.

During the Q & A discussion, Dr. Moore explains some challenges to the conventional wisdom on global warming.  Plants and aquatic life typically thrive with a higher concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere.  Using the population of Canada vs. the US as an example, Dr. Moore suggested warmer temperatures may make the planet more habitable for humans in the long run.

The discussion was very insightful and filled with interesting facts.  Dr. Moore has a perspective shaped by his unique experiences and is certainly not one to shy away from controversial topics.  This approach rewards the audience with many new ideas to share and topics to learn about for many days following the event.

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This letter is in response to: http://berkeley-nj.patch.com/articles/petitioners-to-nrc-shut-down-all-fukushima-like-nuclear-plants

I am a Chemical Engineer that works at a Mark I plant.  I choose to live within ten miles of the plant knowing that the operations of the facility are safe and reliable.  I love the community at which I live and I am very confident telling my neighbors and family that I am keeping them safe and providing them with reliable power everyday.

I can tell you that the information in this article is incorrect.  The nuclear utilities in the US are working very closely with Japan to learn from their event and help them recover.  We have world class nuclear professionals from the US in Japan right now working along side them.  Due to some of the retrofits from September 11th we have some modifications in our plants that would mitigate a similar event along with more robust response plans for loss of power.

There are a lot of incorrect facts in this article but the one I want to address particularly is that this article incorrectly states that radioactive fuel fragments were found scattered around the Fukushima site.  While there was core damage, the fuel remained in containment.  This article suggests a lot of things that are not true such as operating outside of our license from the NRC which is our “contract”.  If we do not follow our license, we break the law and there are serious consequences for the company and even the individual plant worker.  This is definitely not something we take lightly.  It also suggests that we “experiment” with our plant with installing vent systems.  I have no idea where this came from but nuclear power is special and unique and we do not experiment with our plants.  Every design change or change in operations is carefully reviewed by multiple scientists and engineers internally and externally to ensure that the change is safe.  On top of that we have to prove to the NRC and other government agencies that we are operating safely on a daily basis.

I am asking that if you are reading this article and you are interested in this issue that you reach out and find the facts.  Please reminder that most facts do not include absolutes (always, never, etc.).

Please listen to all sides of the arguments and make your own judgment.