Being a Critical Member of Nuclear Industry
Spring is always an exciting time for the American Nuclear Society's Young Members Group (YMG) and Student Sections Committee (SSC), as years of work by some of our brightest members culminates in the ANS Student Conference. This year, after more than three years of work and refining a previous proposal, the ANS Student Chapter at the University of Wisconsin-Madison beat out stiff competition from several other universities to win the honor to host the ANS Student Conference. At the end of this month, more than 400 students and 100 professionals will converge on Madison, Wisc., to witness the best and the brightest of the next generation of nuclear and what they have to offer. As an attendee, speaker, and the YMG vice chair, I am extremely excited to be flying to Madison to participate in what is sure to be a great conference.
Students and other young professionals stand the most to gain from attending the student conference but the event is also of value to established professionals and all those involved in the nuclear industry. From career fairs to innovation panels to professional development sessions, the conference offers attendees the opportunity to act as mentors and to be mentored by experts and giants in our field. These events, along with a diverse selection of other panels, workshops, and tours, explore what "Being a Critical Member of the Nuclear Industry" means for students and professionals.
The UW-Madison Student Conference Career Fair will feature more than 30 employers from both academia and industry and will offer students and young professionals a great opportunity to get their resumes in front of some of the premiere employers in their fields. Internships and co-op opportunities also abound at the career fair and offer some students their first chance to get a foot in the door. I personally received my first internship because of connections I made at a student conference in 2007 and my first full-time employment from networking at the 2009 student conference.
While employment is of high concern to students and young professionals, understanding where their place is in the rich tapestry of the nuclear industry is also very important. The conference's technical sessions and panels help educate and direct those who may not have a firm grasp of their future plans or goals. For instance, the public policy panel will allow attendees to interact with those who help frame ANS public policy and get a better idea of where their ideals fit within the society. In addition, the innovation panel will allow attendees to pick the brains of experts who are currently pushing the boundaries of our industry and the status quo.
As a student, and an established professional, I have attended the majority of the student conferences over the past decade and find more and more value in each one I attend. I strongly encourage all students to attend and advocate for more professionals to attend to help direct the next generation and ensure that they achieve success. It is my firm belief that the ANS Student Conference helps contribute to the stellar quality of nuclear professionals produced in the United States and is something we should all support.
Brett Rampal is a nuclear engineer for NuScale Power in Charlotte, NC. Brett received his master's and bachelor's degrees in nuclear engineering from the University of Florida. He is the current vice chair of the ANS Young Members Group, a member ANS's Student Section, and the Professional Development Coordination and Membership Committees.