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Event Helps Empower Girls to Pursue Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

AIKEN, S.C. – More than 60 eighth grade students from schools across the Central Savannah River Area participated in the Savannah River Site’s (SRS) “Introduce a Girl to Engineering-STEM Like a Girl” event held at the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center.

The all-girl event, sponsored by SRS management-and-operations contractor Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS), connected the students with 50 volunteers from across the site. Participants explored science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) career paths through industry-specific activities in celebration of Nuclear Science Week.

“The excitement seen on the faces of the girls today made it all worth it.”

-Taylor Rice, education outreach specialist, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions

“At Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, females make up around 20% of our engineering workforce and 31% of our IT professionals,” said Taylor Rice, SRNS education outreach specialist. “This event is one way SRNS aims to create new perspectives and innovative ideas at our site, break gender barriers and introduce new opportunities to female students who’ve shown interest in these fields.”

The students participated in female-led activities that included coding practice, design, electrical, civil and mechanical engineering, building techniques, and robotics. Participants also watched engineering come alive during a DuPont Planetarium show.

Savannah River National Laboratory Analytical Chemist Katy Broadwater volunteered to lead activities you can’t always find in a traditional classroom setting.

“My job does not stop when I clock out of work,” said Broadwater. “Volunteering gives me the opportunity to get out in the community and advocate for the Savannah River Site — an organization that supports safety, creativity, innovative ideas and job growth for all. I will always encourage girls to take the leap into a very attainable STEM career and I hope to have inspired at least one student today.”

Braelin Elmore, an eighth grade student at Scofield Middle School in Aiken, was surprised to see what the event was all about.

“I felt very special and seen to be one of the two girls invited from my school,” said Elmore. “I am considering a career in STEM after the building activity, which allowed our group to become engineers tasked with creating the strongest structure. It felt like art; bringing together our creative ideas into one.”

Sinclaire Candreva, advanced engineering mechanical engineer at SRS, believes the exposure to women in the field is incredible for this age group.

“Whether they go home today enjoying this field or not, we have created a lasting positive impression on their future,” said Candreva. “When I was in middle school, I was never exposed to these types of activities, and it took me until college to realize that I wanted to be a mechanical engineer. This event was a fun and interactive opportunity for the girls to see that they can be highly successful in a male-dominated field early on.”

Rice recognized the volunteers who made the event a success.

“We couldn’t have accomplished this event without the help and dedication from the 50 volunteers who chose to spend their Saturday mentoring the next generation of our workforce and impacting the trajectory of their future,” said Rice. “The excitement seen on the faces of the girls today made it all worth it.”

Click here for more information about SRNS Education Outreach initiatives.

-Contributor: Mackenzie McNabb

While the yellow-legged hornet is no more harmful to humans than other hornets, it can be devastating to bee populations.

Credit: Clemson University

CLEMSON, S.C. — After yellow-legged hornets were found in Savannah, officials at Clemson University wants beekeepers and the general public to be on the lookout for the invasive species. While this species of hornet is no more harmful to humans than other hornets, the yellow-legged hornet can be devastating to managed and wild bee populations.

On August 9, the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the University of Georgia's identification of a found insect as a yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina). Because of its coloring, the yellow-legged hornet is often confused with cicada killer wasps, bald-faced hornet, paper wasps, queen yellowjackets, wood wasps and robber flies, but is distinguished from these other stinging insects by its larger size.

Yellow-legged hornet queens measure about 1.2 inches long, workers about 0.8 inches. The hornets have a dark head, mostly dark thorax, and yellow-tipped legs. They build large egg-shaped paper nests above ground, often in trees, and can house an average of 6,000 workers.

This particular hornet is native to Southeast Asia and has established itself throughout most of Europe and areas of the Middle East and Asia.

Brad Cavin, program director of Clemson University's Department of Plant Industry Apiary Inspection Program, urges beekeepers and the public to stay vigilant.

“While we are spearheading a robust trapping protocol in the South Carolina Lowcountry, beekeepers, and the public both play an important role in our efforts to minimize any potential impact from this invasive pest. That’s why we are asking for public assistance with monitoring for and reporting unusual hornet activity, especially around honeybee hives,” said Cavin.

People who suspect they have found a yellow-legged hornet are urged to report their findings to www.clemson.edu/public/regulatory/plant-industry/invasive/ylh.html.

Clemson will work with federal officials to confirm suspected specimens and respond to active hornet colonies if they are located.

GEORGIA — Gov. Brian Kemp activated Monday the State Operations Center ahead of possible Tropical Storm Idalia impact.

The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency oversees the center. Kemp said statewide response agencies are monitoring storm activity as Idalia is forecast to make landfall Wednesday morning along Florida's Big Bend as a Category 3 hurricane.

“Thanks to our response partners on both the state and local levels, Georgia will be prepared for whatever Idalia will bring,” Kemp said in a news release. “Rest assured, though the system will likely weaken before crossing our border, we’re not taking anything for granted. As the week progresses, I will work closely with GEMA/HS, the weather service, public safety organizations and others to ensure we leave nothing to chance."

Kemp said meteorologists predict Idalia will weaken to a Category 1 hurricane as its core moves Wednesday into far southeast Georgia.

"Tropical storm force winds will begin to move into south Georgia around mid-morning. Winds and heavy rainfall will increase throughout the morning and continue through Wednesday evening. Tropical storm force winds (at least 40 mph) are expected across southeastern Georgia and hurricane force wind gusts (at least 75 mph) will be possible in extreme southern Georgia, as well as along the entire immediate coastline late Wednesday morning through the afternoon," read Kemp's release.

Find out what's happening in Savannahwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

At its 10 a.m. Monday update, the National Hurricane Center said Idalia has triggered a storm surge warning for Florida's Tampa Bay and Big Bend due to an inundation of 7-11 feet along Florida's Gulf coast. As Idalia makes landfall, destructive winds are forecast to occur at the coast while strong winds are expected to move inland across parts of north Florida.

The National Weather Service told Patch early Monday weather officials are monitoring current tropical storm activity and its potential impact on metro Atlanta.

The NHC said south Georgia could get flash and urban flooding Tuesday into Wednesday. The NHC predicted Idalia's flooding impacts could spread into parts of the eastern Carolinas Wednesday into Thursday.

A weather graphic illustrating Idalia's cone shows the storm possibly passing through the Savannah area Wednesday night before targeting South Carolina.

An NHC graphic Monday showed south and coastal Georgia could get between 4 and 6 inches of rainfall. The chances for heavy rainfall decrease close to Augusta.

The weather service told the Savannah Morning News the area has a 40 percent chance of flash flooding.

Tropical storm force winds are expected to enter Georgia between 60 and 70 mph, according to the NHC.

The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency on its website offers hurricane preparedness tips.

"Gov. Kemp and GEMA/HS are closely monitoring the status and path of Tropical Storm Idalia and will provide updates when appropriate. In the interim, Georgians are encouraged to remain weather aware by keeping a close eye on weather forecasts and media reports on the storm system and to make any necessary preparations," read Kemp's release.

Patch will continue to follow Idalia's forecast and its Georgia impact.

AIKEN, S.C. – In 2019, North Augusta High School student Kathryn McGee volunteered for an EM contractor’s outreach program that introduces female students to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

She’s now a newly hired Savannah River Site (SRS) engineer and recently volunteered to serve again for the next Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) “Introduce a Girl to Engineering” program event.

In her first time partaking in the program, McGee and her two friends represented the 2019 North Augusta Robotics Club and demonstrated how to build and operate robots. The event was held at the Ruth Patrick Science Center on the University of South Carolina Aiken (USC Aiken) campus.

“I really enjoyed it,” said McGee. “And it was there that I realized that explaining the importance of engineering as a career, particularly for women, was very rewarding. In fact, during my final years at Clemson (University), I gave tours to prospective students around campus that promoted engineering.”

The North Augusta, South Carolina, native confirmed her lifelong desire to be an engineer through an internship and then an apprenticeship at SRS.

During fall 2021, McGee began working with Savannah River Tritium Enterprise (SRTE) Engineering as an apprentice. Shortly thereafter, she accepted an offer with SRTE’s Reservoir Systems Engineering group as a full-time employee.

“It’s been a great experience learning about the missions of SRS throughout my internship and apprenticeship opportunity,” said McGee. “The Savannah River Site is a totally different world than most companies and is unlike anything else in the U.S. I’m grateful I had this opportunity as a student to get my foot in the door. I understand so much more than if I had just hired on. It made that transition from student to employee much easier.”

McGee said she always knew that one day she would join the workforce at SRS.

“I don’t see myself working anywhere else,” she said.

The Introduce a Girl to Engineering program encourages eighth grade girls to consider careers in engineering, science and technology. In celebration of Nuclear Science Week, SRNS Education Outreach is coordinating this year’s event on Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center, USC Aiken.

“Statistically, females are highly underrepresented in STEM fields. This event provides an opportunity for local eighth grade girls to be mentored by female engineers, scientists and information technology professionals from the Savannah River Site through a variety of hands-on activities to showcase all the exciting career paths that we have to offer,” said SRNS Education Outreach Specialist Taylor Rice.

-Contributor: Mackenzie McNabb

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