AIKEN, S.C. – Proposing to increase efficiency at H Canyon and attract job candidates, early-career professionals for the Savannah River Site’s (SRS) management and operations contractor put their ideas to the test before judges at an inaugural innovation event recently. 

   Drawing parallels to the Shark Tank reality television show, in which entrepreneurs get a chance to bring their dreams to fruition, the first-of-a-kind competition for the Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) Leaders Emerging Among Professionals (LEAP) group was designed to pulse the contestants for ideas to improve SRS.

   The five teams that made it to the competition’s final round had been developing their ideas since February.

   “Early-career employees have a lot to bring to the table,” SRNS President and CEO Carol Johnson said. “The idea for LEAP into the Shark Tank came to me after thinking about the large number of recent graduates we’re bringing into the company. The more we can tap into their creativity and innovative thinking, the more it will benefit the Savannah River Site as a whole.” 

   In their five-minute presentations, the groups showed how their ideas apply to at least one of the SRNS strategic goals, which include delivering results safely and securely; meeting DOE national needs; advancing the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL); and making SRS a compelling place to work.

   Each team answered questions from the judges, who evaluated presentations on the feasibility of the ideas for implementation, overall impact to SRNS, description of the project plan, creativity and originality of the ideas, and how the ideas apply to at least one of the SRNS strategic goals. The competition also required submissions to include budget estimates and demonstrate consultation with appropriate subject-matter experts.

   The judges awarded first place to H Canyon Electrical/Instrumentation & Controls Engineer Jeff Bickley for his idea to deliver results safely and securely and meet DOE national needs by improving rotameters at H Canyon, which is the only hardened nuclear chemical separations plant still in operation in the U.S. The rotameters are instruments used to measure and control airflow into vessels to prevent hydrogen buildup.

   Bickley proposed replacing the existing rotameters in H Canyon with high-volume rotameters. That change would reduce the number of worker hours spent maintaining the system that uses the rotameters by 75 percent and provide more flexibility in facility operations. 

   “To be given an opportunity like this to go before the company executives and show what kind of innovative ideas the young employees of this company can come up with was a great experience,” Bickley said. “The judges took the ideas seriously, but had some fun with the contestants and with each other as well. Overall, it was a good event.”

   Receiving second place was Lindsey Sexton, senior scientist at SRNL, and Christopher Cable, associate quality assurance engineer, SRNL Quality Assurance, for their idea to provide employees with access to green spaces, including well-maintained outdoor areas and green buildings. The team proposed an initiative to make SRS a more compelling place to work through site-wide green spaces. An employee-driven program, “Project Greenspace” would strive to foster creativity, teamwork and pride in the SRS work environment.

   Third place was awarded to Connie Yung, senior engineer at SRNL, and Jamie Thompson, tritium process engineer, who presented an idea to make SRNS a more compelling place to work by implementing a host program for job interview candidates. In their plan, an SRNS host would meet a candidate at the airport, provide a driving tour of Aiken, take the candidate to dinner at a local restaurant and provide transportation to the interview.

   The judges included SRNS Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dave Eyler; Technical Services Senior Vice President Rick Sprague; K and L Area Facility Manager Janice Lawson; and SRNL Research Operations Director Freddie Grimm.

   LEAP is a peer-led organization whose members are full-time employees at SRNS and have earned, at a minimum, an associate’s degree within the past seven years. LEAP focuses on professional development and business awareness specific to SRS. In addition, it provides employees with career development tools through monthly lunch-and-learns, networking opportunities, increased visibility and overall engagement specifically within the company.