WIN is a Win: U.S. Women In Nuclear’s Initiatives and Tactics
- Nuclear energy is growing in prominence with increased policy support, integration with renewables, and technological advancements, impacting carbon footprints and energy legislation.
- The nuclear workforce is predominantly male (83% male, 17% female); the United States Women in Nuclear Organization (WIN) aims to support women in the industry through networking, advocacy, and annual conferences.
- WIN’s GROW Mentoring Program connects experienced professionals with mentees to foster career growth and knowledge sharing, enhancing recruitment and diversity within the nuclear sector.
It’s no secret that nuclear energy is becoming a more prominent industry in our lives day by day. Between increased policy support in the United States, integration with renewable energy sources, and technological advancements with SMR’s, nuclear energy is changing our carbon footprint, legislation, and overall ways of life in terms of energy as we know it.
With nuclear energy becoming this preeminent in our lives, it is vital that we keep in mind who makes up this industry. According to the National Library of Medicine, as of 2022, the nuclear workforce was 83% male and 17% female. With diversified minds, comes diversified information. The United States Women in Nuclear Organization was created to create a supportive and encouraging environment for women around the world working in the nuclear industry. The non-profit NGO has been operating since 1993, in over 109 countries, and currently has over 35,000 active members.
WIN strives to attract diverse backgrounds of women to pursue careers in the nuclear sector, creating networking opportunities, and inspiring advocacy and public support for nuclear technology. Annually held national conferences provide networking and learning opportunities and attract several hundred attendees and presenters from major utilities, vendors, universities, and government agencies. Members also participate in local and regional chapters, meetings, and activities.
With over 12 committees, WIN delegates its leadership powers to various sectors ranging from Awards & Recognitions Committee, an Executive Advisory Committee, to a DEI Committee, WIN leaves no room for unanswered questions. WIN is led by a Steering Committee which drives the national agenda and programming and sets the national strategic and policy goals for WIN. Additionally, the Steering Committee organizes the annual national conference.
One of their predominant initiatives, the Growth, Relationships, and Opportunities through WIN (GROW) Mentoring Program provides a plethora of resources for members. The Development Committee works here to dispense knowledge and tools for mentees and mentors to successfully leverage relationships that foster career and personal growth for people in the nuclear field. The goals of the initiative are to (1) Create pairings of experienced nuclear professionals with less experienced professionals or students (2) to share tutelage, experience, or any relevant nuclear information with their mentee (3) to set up and complete goals using a tracking system for accountability and progress sharing and (4) collect functional feedback from participants to enhance the program for future benefits. The GROW program was piloted in 2021 and launched as an official program in the U.S. WIN 2022 Annual Conference.
The Nuclear Energy Institute published an article about WIN and its successes thus far. It interviews Marilyn Thompson Moore, a chemistry supervisor at Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Browns Ferry plant and WIN member, on her nuclear career and the importance of mentorship, opportunity, and never giving up. She discusses her role as a chemistry supervisor, what it’s like being a woman in a predominantly male industry, and how we can recruit more young people to the industry.
“…really going to the school and introducing [students] to the nuclear field…Letting them know, yes, you can be an engineer, but just look into nuclear and just see, are there any interests that you want to do? For some things, you don’t need a four-year degree. You think about maintenance, you think about home, chemical maintenance, instrumentation and electrical. I mean, they are so beneficial within the nuclear industry because they are the people that keep our plant running like it’s supposed to, and they amaze me every day, especially in the machine shop.
We volunteered at some colleges and there was one person that said, ‘well, I just have a physics degree.’ And I told them, ‘do you know how much you can do in physics?’ You can be in the engineering department, the chemistry department, operations, and just a lot of things that they did not know. And there was one young lady in psychology, and I said, ‘well, have you ever thought about working in employee concerns or HR?’ Because that side is needed, so to have that degree in that background is very beneficial. And join WIN! You meet so many different professional women and you get to learn about their backgrounds.”