PIKE COUNTY, Ohio - The EM Portsmouth Site’s ninth annual Science Alliance event recently drew a record number of participants from southern Ohio schools.
Nearly 1,900 high-school juniors from 32 schools visited the site during the three days of interactive demonstrations on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to learn about associated careers and educational pathways.
“The Science Alliance event continues to grow because it’s not a typical science fair," said Greg Simonton, who oversees the project for EM’s Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office. “Students and educators get unique and valuable information, and this event allows EM to showcase the kinds of STEM-related careers we have available, which is a national priority."
About 75 volunteers help with the annual event, which provides 10 demonstrations on a range of STEM subjects, including the science of sound, the nuclear fuel cycle, plant history, robotics, and engineering. Regional universities also meet with students to let them know how their curricula align with their STEM-related interests.
Sarah Crabtree, a 16-year-old junior at Waverly High School, said the event showed students potential careers in science that were unknown to them.
“I think Science Alliance is a good opportunity to see what’s here (at the Portsmouth Site) and is a fun way to get involved in sciences," said Crabtree, who said she is evaluating her career and educational options. “I’ll certainly keep a lot of this in mind."
Garrett Humphrey, another 16-year-old, is a junior at the Scioto County Career Technical Center in Lucasville, Ohio. He said the event provided information on industrial jobs at the site.
“This is pretty fun, and it’s cool to learn about all this stuff out here I didn’t know that much about," Humphrey said. “I liked learning that they have different types of jobs here, like for welders."
Barb Bazler teaches biology, anatomy, and physiology at Portsmouth West High School. She said the event is not only popular with students, but provides them a historical perspective important to their understanding of the Portsmouth Site’s integral role in the Cold War.
“The kids love it because it is very hands-on. It’s very educational and it’s good for the students to see how important this area was when it came to dealing with world issues," Bazler said. “This event allows students to see what they have learned in the classroom and see how it is applied in a real-world setting. It reinforces what they have been taught."
The Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant was constructed from 1952 to 1956. Uranium enrichment operations occurred from 1954 to 2001 for national security purposes and the commercial nuclear fuel industry. The site is now in its eighth year of a decontamination and decommissioning project to prepare portions of the site for economic development and other uses.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
