On March 28th, 2024, Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy welcomed the newest members of its leadership network: Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) Associate Laboratory Director for National Security Sciences, Dr. Moe Khaleel. Khaleel became the 87th leader of a nuclear policy organization to join the Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy network.

“It is truly an honor to join the Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy,” said Khaleel. “As we’ve been celebrating Women’s History Month, it is important that we also look to the future and ensure we are actively including all voices as we seek to reduce nuclear risk around the globe.”

As a Gender Champion, Dr. Khaleel will uphold the Panel Parity Pledge, and implement three SMARTIE commitments:

• Ensure ORNL National Security Sciences Directorate (NSSD) tours and visits will be comprised of a gender diverse set of briefers
• Provide NSSD funding to the Women’s Alliance Council (WAC) organization at ORNL to strengthen its engagement opportunities across ORNL
• Ensure that delegations of authority through the fiscal year for NSSD line management (Associate Lab Director, Division Directors, Section Heads, Group Leaders) consist of a gender diverse set of delegates

“I’m thrilled to see Moe join to this network and make such an important commitment,” said ORNL Director Dr. Stephen Streiffer. “This is another great example of ORNL’s continued efforts to enhance inclusion and build talented teams to take on the nation’s toughest scientific challenges.”

 

ORNL’s National Security Sciences Directorate rapidly advances science-based solutions for the national security community. The Directorate’s core missions include:

• reducing nuclear risk and enabling the peaceful use of nuclear materials globally
• securing critical infrastructure from multi-faceted threats
• advancing human security in communities around the world
• accelerating manufacturing innovation for defense applications, and
• solving emerging challenges in a dynamic, evolving threat environment

February 11 marked the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In recognition of this day, Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy welcomed a new member to its leadership network on February 12: Ramzi Jammal, acting Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).

As a Gender Champion, Mr. Jammal will uphold the Panel Parity Pledge, and implement 3 SMARTIE commitments at the CNSC:

 

1. Increase overall representation of women in the professional category by 13% from the 2020-21 data by 2025.
2. Maintain a representation of women in management to a minimum of 48.2% to align with the Canadian Labour Market Availability of women.
3. Conduct at least 2 activities by January 2025 that encourage girls to pursue education in STEM.

 

 

“In honour of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, I reaffirm the CNSC’s steadfast commitment to advocate for balanced representation of women in the nuclear sector at home and abroad. As a nuclear regulator known for its excellence worldwide, the CNSC has a responsibility to push for a vital gender-based culture change,” said Mr. Jammal.

The CNSC is Canada’s nuclear regulator. Its mandate under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act involves 4 major areas:

• regulation of the development, production and use of nuclear energy in Canada to protect health, safety and the environment
• regulation of the production, possession, use and transport of nuclear substances, and the production, possession and use of prescribed equipment and prescribed information
• implementation of measures respecting international control of the development, production, transport and use of nuclear energy and substances, including measures respecting the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and nuclear explosive devices
• dissemination of scientific, technical and regulatory information concerning the activities of CNSC, and the effects on the environment, on the health and safety of persons, of the development, production, possession, transport and use of nuclear substances

 

Find the CNSC on Twitter: @CNSC_CCSN

On December 14th, 2023, Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy welcomed the newest member of its leadership network: United Nations Association – UK (UNA UK) Chief Executive Officer, Marissa Conway. Conway became the 85th leader of a nuclear policy organization to join the Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy network, having previously served as a Gender Champion during her tenure at the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy.

As a Gender Champion, Conway will uphold the Panel Parity Pledge, and implement three SMARTIE commitments:

• Provide transparency to relevant stakeholders about progress the organisation is making towards inclusivity and diversity through quarterly reporting.
• Avoid participating in or hosting all-male panels.
• Ensure all applicant pools for recruitment of new positions within the organisation are not single-gender.

Founded in 1945, United Nations Association – UK, or UNA-UK, is a charity that builds movements, provides expert insight, and designs campaigns dedicated to promoting human rights, peace and security, and UN reform. Their work links the local, the national, and the global and centres grassroots power at the heart of all we do.

You can find United Nations Association UK on Twitter @UNAUK Facebook @UNAUK, and LinkedIn @United-Nations-Association-UK

On November 28th, 2023, Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy welcomed the newest member of its leadership network: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL) Director, Dr. Steve Ashby. Dr. Ashby became the 84th leader of a nuclear policy organization to join the Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy network, joining the Directors of Los Alamos, Idaho, and Sandia National Laboratories.

“I am honored to represent PNNL as a Gender Champion in Nuclear Policy,” said Director Steve Ashby. “We must be intentional about valuing and engaging all perspectives, and I appreciate the opportunity to exemplify PNNL’s commitment to actively promote gender equity in our important work.”

As a Gender Champion, Dr. Ashby will uphold the Panel Parity Pledge, and implement three SMARTIE commitments:

• PNNL will strive to increase professional development and technical leadership opportunities for women.
• PNNL will endeavor to increase representation of women in leadership roles, all levels of management, all job families, and in all directorates.
• PNNL will promote a culture of inclusiveness for women where their voices are valued, and their accomplishments recognized.

PNNL advances the frontiers of knowledge, taking on some of the world’s greatest science and technology challenges. Distinctive strengths in chemistry, Earth sciences, biology, and data science are central to their scientific discovery mission. Their research lays a foundation for innovations that advance sustainable energy through decarbonization and energy storage and enhance national security through nuclear materials and threat analyses. PNNL collaborates with academia in fundamental research and with industry to transition technologies to market.

You can find Pacific Northwest National Laboratory on Twitter @PNNLab, Facebook @PPNLgov, and LinkedIn @Pacific-Northwest-National-Laboratory.

On May 30th, 2023, Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy welcomed a new member to its leadership network: Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN) Executive Director Shatabisha Shetty. Shetty became the 83rd leader of a nuclear policy organization to join the Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy network, and APLN is the network’s first partner based in East Asia.

As a Gender Champion, Shetty will uphold the Panel Parity Pledge, and implement four SMARTIE commitments:

• Actively enhance diversity within the Network by recruiting and engaging more women and individuals from underrepresented countries in the Asia-Pacific region, aiming to bring the membership gender ratio to at least 40/60 by the end of 2024, and 50/50 by the end of 2025. This will be accomplished through specific recruitment strategies, increased opportunities for involvement and leadership roles, and monitoring progress towards diversity goals.
• Engage and foster the next generation of experts and leaders in the field of nuclear policy. This will be achieved by creating mentorship programs, providing more opportunities for early-career experts to participate in events and research projects, and building partnerships with emerging leader initiatives.
• Improve the gender balance in our research commissioning practices and publication record, aiming to have women as 45% of our authors every year by the end of 2023, and 50% by the end of 2024. This will ensure that a greater proportion of women are invited to contribute as authors, reviewers, and editors. We will establish and adhere to targets for gender balance in our research publications, and conduct regular reviews to monitor progress and identify areas for improvement. By doing so, we hope to promote greater gender diversity and inclusion in the nuclear policy community, and inject fresh ideas into trite policy debates.

“I am proud to be a Gender Champion in Nuclear Policy. It rests on us – as leaders, as decision makers, as influencers – to do everything in our power to encourage women to consider pursuing a career in nuclear. Gender equity is more than a priority for the CNSC, it is a core value that helps to define our organization.” said President Velshi.

APLN strives to not only address nuclear weapons risks but also challenge structural and systemic biases in traditional security debates across our region and the wider nuclear community. They recognize that diversity, equality, and inclusion are essential in ensuring comprehensive and effective policy outcomes.

You can find the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission on Twitter @APLNofficial

On March 8th, 2023, Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy marked International Women’s Day by welcoming a new member to its leadership network: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) President Rumina Velshi. President Velshi became the 82nd leader of a nuclear policy organization to join the Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy network, and stands alongside the Chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in advancing gender equity among nuclear regulators.

As a Gender Champion, President Velshi will uphold the Panel Parity Pledge, and implement four SMARTIE commitments:

• Increase overall representation of women in the professional category by 13% from the 2020-21 data by 2024.
• Maintain a representation of women in management to a minimum of 48.2% to align with the Canadian Labour Market Availability of women.
• Continue to give capable and qualified women a fair chance to compete for leadership positions by broadening talent pools, having diverse interview board panels, removing gendered language in job advertisements, and encouraging women to apply.
• Strengthen the Women in STEM pipeline by conducting activities aimed at youth and students.

“I am proud to be a Gender Champion in Nuclear Policy. It rests on us – as leaders, as decision makers, as influencers – to do everything in our power to encourage women to consider pursuing a career in nuclear. Gender equity is more than a priority for the CNSC, it is a core value that helps to define our organization.” said President Velshi.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission regulates the use of nuclear energy and materials to protect health, safety, security and the environment; to implement Canada’s international commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy; and to disseminate objective scientific, technical and regulatory information to the public.

Under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, CNSC’s mandate involves four major areas:

• regulation of the development, production and use of nuclear energy in Canada to protect health, safety and the environment
• regulation of the production, possession, use and transport of nuclear substances, and the production, possession and use of prescribed equipment and prescribed information
• implementation of measures respecting international control of the development, production, transport and use of nuclear energy and substances, including measures respecting the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and nuclear explosive devices
• dissemination of scientific, technical and regulatory information concerning the activities of CNSC, and the effects on the environment, on the health and safety of persons, of the development, production, possession, transport and use of nuclear substances

You can find the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission on Twitter @CNSC_CCSN

On August 25th, 2022 the Outrider Foundation became the 78th organization to join the Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy network. As a Gender Champion, President & CEO Robert Elder will uphold the Panel Parity Pledge, and implement three SMARTIE commitments:

• Amplify diverse thought leaders and orgs on social media
• Increase publishing of underrepresented points of view (authors & subjects)
• Find and promote the voices of future leaders in nuclear and climate

“Participating in Gender Champions is an enormous opportunity to leverage Outrider’s programs to elevate diverse points of view previously absent from the nuclear policy community,” said Robert K. Elder, Outrider’s President, and CEO. We’re committed to providing a platform for new voices and perspectives.”

Outrider is a nonprofit media group that publishes commentary on security issues, public policy, and social justice. They partner with creators, thought leaders, and advocacy organizations to provide accessible information about how we can build a brighter future together.

You can find Outrider on Twitter @OutriderFdn

On August 8th, 2022 the Center for Political-Military Analysis became the 77th organization to join the Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy network. As a Gender Champion, Director Richard Weitz will uphold the Panel Parity Pledge, and implement three SMARTIE commitments:

• Provide transparency to relevant stakeholders about achieving goals in inclusivity.
• Ensure that all opportunities for new positions, fellowships, and publication are not single-gender.
• Actively support telework and flextime options for staff.

As Director of the Center for Political-Military Analysis, Richard’s research includes regional security developments relating to Europe, Eurasia, and East Asia, as well as U.S. foreign and defense policies.

 

You can find Richard on Twitter @RichardWeitzDC.

On July 18th, 2022 Deep Isolation became the 76th organization to join the Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy network. As a Gender Champion, Founder and Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Muller will uphold the Panel Parity Pledge, and implement three SMARTIE commitments:

• Ensure that selection panels and applicant pools for new positions in the organization are not single-gender
• Actively encourage womxn in senior management positions to speak at events, whether industry or non-industry focused (target 1-2 events per year)
• Annually, produce at least one podcast, blog or public presentation with a gender inclusive lens, and retweet at least 10 gender inclusive posts on social media to show our company support to these issues

Deep Isolation offers nuclear waste storage and disposal solutions using directional drilling technology and community partnerships.

 

You can find Good Energy Collective on twitter @DeepIsolation.

On July 8th, 2022 Good Energy Collective became the 75th organization to join the Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy network. As a Gender Champion, Co-Founder and Executive Director Jessica Lovering will uphold the Panel Parity Pledge, and implement three SMARTIE commitments:

• Ensure that events Good Energy Collective hosts or co-hosts feature at least 50% women panelists/speakers and at least 30% people of color. Additionally, to the best of our ability, ensure that invitations made to in-person events that Good Energy Collective organizes match the demographics of the region where the event takes place.
• Create, publish, and enforce a code of conduct and a policy on respectful behavior for meetings we host that emphasizes mutual respect, encourages thoughtful listening, and facilitates participants’ ability to bring their whole selves to the conversation.
• Ensure that early-career experts employed with Good Energy Collective, including women and people of color, are single authors on at least one product or publication per year.

Good Energy Collective is a policy research organization. They’re building the progressive case for nuclear energy as an essential part of the broader climate change agenda and working to align the clean energy space with environmental justice and sustainability goals.

 

You can find Good Energy Collective on twitter @GoodEnergyColl.

A safer world can’t exist without justice. Like many of you, we spent this weekend horrified by the police violence in response to protests of George Floyd’s murder and their calls for ending racist practices targeting African American communities.

While the work that we do together seeks to make gender equality a working reality in our community, the values behind GCNP – respect, fairness, valuing diverse perspectives – hold a deeper meaning. We stand firmly against discrimination, inequity, xenophobia, bigotry, and racism in any form. Our values are in direct opposition to any systemic or systematic oppression that debases the personhood of our fellow human beings.

Working together as allies in our efforts to create equity in an inequitable world, we will continue to strive toward a goal of realizing these values. It is up to each of us, as individuals and as a collective, to instill our work and our daily lives with these values, motivated by the conviction that doing so is just, democratic and essential to building a peaceful and secure future.

Black Lives Matter.

Laura, Michelle, and Jack