What began as a student competition with fast-paced questions about Earth science, energy and other topics has evolved into a talent pipeline, molding the next generation of scientists and engineers at the Savannah River Site. June 3, 2025
Office of Environmental Management
June 3, 2025
minute read time
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions Associate Engineer Braden Lewis, second from right, competed in the 2020 U.S. Department of Energy Savannah River Regional Science Bowl competition. The team from Greenbrier High School, Evans, Georgia, placed third.
AIKEN, S.C. — What began as a student competition with fast-paced questions about Earth science, energy and other topics has evolved into a talent pipeline, molding the next generation of scientists and engineers at the Savannah River Site (SRS).
Some of the newest hires at SRS took part in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) events such as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Regional Science Bowl while in school, and now they give back as volunteers.
“The journey from student participant to professional mentor exemplifies the profound impact of our education outreach initiatives,” said Cindy Hewitt, Education Outreach specialist with Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS), the DOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) contractor that hosts the site’s Science Bowl. “We’ve found that several of our newest hires can trace their career paths back to this very event they now help facilitate.”
“I will always remember the clickers and how my heart raced with every question,”
-Savannah River Nuclear Solutions engineer Parth Patel, reflecting on the Savannah River Regional Science Bowl
Recently hired SRNS engineers Parth Patel, Sarah Bass and Braden Lewis embody this full-circle narrative through their involvement in Science Bowl.
“It was a defining moment for me,” said Patel, a fire protection design authority engineer who competed in the Science Bowl while at Westside High School in Augusta, Georgia. “The energy of the competition and the celebration of STEM made me realize I wanted a career with that same excitement.”
The Science Bowl supports a long term workforce development strategy for SRNS. With the recent transition of site management from EM to the National Nuclear Security Administration, SRS aims to hire 9,000 additional recruits over the next five years.
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions Fire Protection Engineer Parth Patel, second from right, seated in front of the television, volunteers as timekeeper during the 2025 U.S. Department of Energy Savannah River Regional Science Bowl competition.
Bass recognized the value of competitive academic programs while a junior at Greenbrier High School in Evans, Georgia.
"It was rewarding to witness the small victories when a team buzzed in first or correctly answered a toss-up question,” Bass said.
"We don’t just want to hire the best engineers and STEM leaders — we want to help create them by planting those seeds early,”
-Cindy Hewitt, Education Outreach specialist with Savannah River Nuclear Solutions
Lewis, an associate engineer hired in March, built the Science Bowl team at Greenbrier High from the ground up and mentored new members.
“My experience culminated in a third place finish in my junior year,” said Lewis. “Science Bowl provided an outlet for my passion for STEM and helped me realize my strengths in math and physics, ultimately leading to a career in mechanical engineering.”
SRNS intends to expand its student outreach efforts with Central Savannah River Area schools.
“Programs like Science Bowl are not just good community service — they’re good business,” said Kim Mitchell, SRNS Education Outreach lead. “We are building relationships that begin in elementary school and continue into fulfilling careers at SRS. This strategy is incredibly powerful for retention, culture and innovation.”
-Contributor: Mackenzie McNabb
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