Today, the North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NAYGN) announced that, in 2014, its members volunteered a record number of hours, over 100,000! These volunteer hours were in areas of professional development, networking, public outreach, and community service. Further bolstering this impressive accomplishment is the fact that in their efforts, NAYGN members engaged over 65,000 members of the public.
“This is truly a historic accomplishment for the organization. 2014 was a tough year for the industry, but our members persevered. They volunteered to develop themselves and their peers professionally, served the community, and engaged the public to inform them about the nuclear energy industry.” said Felix Meissner, President of NAYGN. “This 8% growth rate in membership volunteer hours as compared to 2013 clearly shows that the young generation, through NAYGN, remains committed, engaged and passionate about nuclear science and technology.”
And while member involvement grew, so did the number of total members, climbing to over 13,000 currently. Several new local chapters were founded in 2014 as well.
The record level of growth in 2014 would not have been possible without the numerous additions to NAYGN’s already powerful lineup of initiatives. For instance, a postcard push day, nicely completing the existing Nuclear Science Week initiatives, was rolled out. Thousands of postcards were sent, from members to their local and state government officials. Our signature poster drawing contest was continued and inspired our local chapters to reach out to science classes at all grade levels and teach them about the benefits of nuclear science. Also new for 2014 was NAYGN’s participation at the USA Science and Engineering expo, where the organization sponsored a booth dedicated to educating teachers and students about nuclear science.
NAYGN is a professional society with over 13,000 members and 110+ local chapters with a vision to Develop Leaders to Energize the Future of Nuclear. They provide opportunities for a young generation of nuclear enthusiasts to develop leadership and professional skills, create life-long connections, engage and inform the public, and inspire today’s nuclear technology professionals to meet the challenges of the 21st century.