( By Christina Haviland ) [Approx. Read Time: 2 minutes]
What better way to capture the attention of our nation’s elected officials than with a room full of women with zeal? Last week approximately 500 women came together for the 2009 combined U.S. Women in Nuclear (WIN) and WiN Global conference in Washington, D.C. The theme of the conference was Enhancing Our World Through Nuclear Technology and was a message unmistakably demonstrated throughout the week.
The global event started out with educational tours of various nuclear power plants and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Operations Center. The official conference began with welcoming introductions by Cheryl Boggess, President of Win Global, and other industry leaders. General speaker sessions highlighted diverse topics ranging from “Perspectives on Nuclear Technology” to “Ensuring Nuclear Safety Around the World” and “Managing Nuclear Risks.” Breakout sessions gave participants the opportunity to focus on technical subjects such as used fuel management and developing new nuclear technologies, as well as topics such as career development, communication, and leadership roles. All in all, there was something of interest for everyone.
The speaker series came to it’s conclusion with a special appearance from AREVA’s Chief Executive Officer and Forbes 2009 ninth-most powerful woman in the world, Anne Lauvergeon. Bringing together all the key messages of the conference, Lauvergeon expressed her outlook on the future of the nuclear industry and the steps we all must take to ensure the advancement of nuclear power on a global scale. Eager to take those first steps, WIN members made their way Thursday afternoon to the Capitol to meet with their state elected officials and discuss the important role nuclear technologies will play in our nation’s future carbon-free energy generation!
As a fourth time attendee, I can say with experience that each year WIN is making a larger and longer lasting impression on the industry as a whole. So what did I learn from a week filled with technical discussions, networking galore, community outreach, and a whole bunch of estrogen? It just goes to show you that the most important role we play as advocates to enhancing our world through nuclear technology is being present for the discussion!
Women In Nuclear (United States)
