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At least 721 records · Page 40

Plutonium Pit Production - Savannah River Site (Plutonium Pit Production Mission)

The Savannah River Site (SRS) has been providing strategic materials to maintain the U.S. nuclear deterrent for 70 years. Establishing plutonium pit production capabilities at SRS will leverage existing infrastructure at the site and optimize use of the talented workforce in the region to meet validated national security requirements. This new mission will require a large skilled workforce for decades to come. Savannah River Nuclear Solutions LLC, the management and operating (M&O) partner at SRS, has established teams for both the transition of the Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility and the development of the proposed Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility (SRPPF). In addition, NNSA remains committed to safely and securely removing surplus plutonium from South Carolina in a timely and cost-effective manner by using the dilute and dispose method.

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Glenn's Strategic Partnerships With HBCUs and OMUs

NASA senior management has identified the need to develop a strategy for increased contracting with the historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority universities (OMUs). The benefits to the institutions, by partnering with NASA, include developing their industrial base via NASA-industry partnerships, strong competitive advantage in technology-based research opportunities, and improved research capabilities. NASA gains increased contributed value to the Agency missions and programs as well as potential future recruits from technology-trained students who also constitute a pool for the nation s workforce. This report documents synergistic links between Glenn Research Center research and technology programs and faculty expertise at HBCUs and OMUs. The links are derived, based on Glenn technologies in the various directorates, program offices, and project offices. Such links readily identify universities with faculty members who are knowledgeable or have backgrounds in the listed technologies for possible collaboration. Recommendations are made to use the links as opportunities for Glenn and NASA, as well as industry collaborators, to cultivate stronger partnerships with the universities. It is concluded that Glenn and its partners and collaborators can expect to mutually benefit from leveraging NASA s cutting-edge and challenging research and technologies; industry's high technology development, research and development facilities, system design capabilities and market awareness; and academia s expertise in basic research and relatively low overhead cost. Reduced cost, accelerated technology development, technology transfer, and infrastructure development constitute some of the derived benefits.

Kankam, M. David↗

Master of Engineering Energy Systems Engineering Program: Smart Campus Energy Systems Demonstration DE-SC0005523

Program Purpose and Position: The mission of the Master of Engineering in Energy Systems Engineering program is to invigorate the pipeline of new engineering graduates interested in energy oriented careers and thus produce a new generation of technical leaders for the energy and power industries. Over the next decade, nearly 50% of the skilled workers and technical leaders in the gas and electric utility industries will retire -- a much larger void than the current available and qualified professionals could fill [CEWD, 2012 survey]. The Masters of Engineering in Energy System Engineering program provides an opportunity for cross-discipline education for graduates interested in a career in the energy industry. It focuses on electric power and the challenges and opportunities to develop a sustainable, reliable and resilient system that meets human needs in an increasingly sustainable manner through the use of environmentally sound energy resources and delivery. Both graduates and employers benefit from a well-trained professional workforce that is ready to hit the road running and be immediately productive in meeting these challenges, through this innovative and unique program.

Dodge, Martha↗

Asset - An application in mission automation for science planning

Recent advances in computer technology were used to great advantage in planning science observation sequences for the Voyager 2 encounter with Uranus in 1986. Despite a loss of experienced personnel, a challenging schedule, workforce limitations, and the complex nature of the Uranus encounter itself, the resultant science observation timelines were the most highly optimized of the five Voyager encounters with the outer planets. In part, this was due to the development of a microcomputer-based system, called ASSET (Automated Science Sequence Encounter Timelines generator), which was used to design those science observation timelines. This paper details the development of that system. ASSET demonstrates several features essential to the design of the first expert systems for science planning which will be applied for future missions.

Finnerty, D. F.↗

NASA and Education

President Bush endorsed a package of six goals developed by the governors of the 50 states, among them making the United States first in the world in mathematics and science achievement. The crux of the technical manpower problem is that too few people in the workforce today have the skills required to function in a technologically advanced society. All over the U.S., government, industry and academic organizations, individually and in concert, at the national, state and local levels, are accelerating efforts to find remedies for the educational and training maladies that threaten America's scientific and technological future. NASA is among the leading education promoting organizations and the agency is expanding its effort. In May 1990, NASA and the Department of Energy concluded an agreement for a cooperative program directed at encouraging more U.S. students to pursue careers in science, engineering and mathematics, and at improving the instructional process in those areas at the precollege and university levels.

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Southeast Regional CO 2 Utilization and Storage Acceleration Partnership (SECARB-USA): Regional Commercialization Plan (Final): Work Products 4.4.b (Regional Commercialization Plan) & 4.3 (Socioeconomic Impacts of CCUS and Workforce Readiness)

Commercialization of carbon capture and storage (CCS) within the SECARB-USA region is scaling up and will continue as governments and private companies expand on current decarbonization efforts. The Inflation Reduction Act (2022) enhanced 45Q tax credits beyond the 2018 Bipartisan Budget Act levels by incentivizing previously uneconomic projects to develop CCS plans and infrastructure. Additionally, the continued interest and support for CCS mitigates the relative risk of commercial-scale projects that are seeking long-term viability to develop capture facilities to accommodate their emissions reduction goals. This multifaceted Commercialization Plan provides an overview of the current status and potential for CCS in the Southeast and the pathways to achieve emissions reduction goals in the region by 2050. Specifically, the study addresses: • The current status of CCS activities in the SECARB region, • Assessment of buildout pathways for CCS projects and carbon transport infrastructure development opportunities, • Estimation of CCS job creation and economic impacts, and • The social justice considerations and public benefits associated with CCS activities in the SECARB-USA region.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Growing the NASA Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) Workforce of Tomorrow

The NASA Safety Center (NSC) was established in2006 in response to Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) recommendations to strengthen NASA’s safety program. The NSC supports all NASA centers and facilities. The NSC fosters world-class Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) support for NASA programs and projects through professional development activities and the advancement of the following SMA technical disciplines: - Aviation Safety - Operational Safety - Quality Engineering - Reliability and Maintainability - SMA Technical Leadership - Software Assurance - System Safety The NSC’s Technical Excellence Office (TEO) is charged with encouraging technical excellence in NASA’s SMA community primarily through professional development products and services. TEO’s first initiative was the SMA Technical Excellence Program (STEP). STEP is a career-oriented, professional development roadmap for safety professionals, which is designed for the employee to learn specific knowledge and skills to improve performance in their current role.

Safety and Mission Assurance↗

Tribal Renewable Energy: Bishop Paiute Tribe Youth Solar Job Training Development (Final Report)

This Project provided workshops and hands on opportunities for young tribal adults to gain education,training,and employment in the solar industry; including 1 youth to meet the eligibility requirements for the NABCEP Solar Installer Exam. 10 tribal youth, ages 16-24, attended workshops focused on learning solar fundamentals and then applied those learned skills to hands on training, installing solar on 2 tribal homes. GRID provided certificates authenticating their volunteer hours and skills learned. This program of youth training really excited the tribal leadership as well as the tribal youth. This opportunity was in alignment with the tribe’s Strategic Energy Plan, and supported tribal self-sufficiency, a path to economic development and for the youth it also represented the environmental stewardship the tribe believes in.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

D-Side: A Facility and Workforce Planning Group Multi-criteria Decision Support System for Johnson Space Center

"To understand and protect our home planet, to explore the universe and search for life, and to inspire the next generation of explorers" is NASA's mission. The Systems Management Office at Johnson Space Center (JSC) is searching for methods to effectively manage the Center's resources to meet NASA's mission. D-Side is a group multi-criteria decision support system (GMDSS) developed to support facility decisions at JSC. D-Side uses a series of sequential and structured processes to plot facilities in a three-dimensional (3-D) graph on the basis of each facility alignment with NASA's mission and goals, the extent to which other facilities are dependent on the facility, and the dollar value of capital investments that have been postponed at the facility relative to the facility replacement value. A similarity factor rank orders facilities based on their Euclidean distance from Ideal and Nadir points. These similarity factors are then used to allocate capital improvement resources across facilities. We also present a parallel model that can be used to support decisions concerning allocation of human resources investments across workforce units. Finally, we present results from a pilot study where 12 experienced facility managers from NASA used D-Side and the organization's current approach to rank order and allocate funds for capital improvement across 20 facilities. Users evaluated D-Side favorably in terms of ease of use, the quality of the decision-making process, decision quality, and overall value-added. Their evaluations of D-Side were significantly more favorable than their evaluations of the current approach. Keywords: NASA, Multi-Criteria Decision Making, Decision Support System, AHP, Euclidean Distance, 3-D Modeling, Facility Planning, Workforce Planning.

Tavana, Madjid↗

Energy Systems Test Area (ESTA) Pyrotechnic Operations: User Test Planning Guide

The Johnson Space Center (JSC) has created and refined innovative analysis, design, development, and testing techniques that have been demonstrated in all phases of spaceflight. JSC is uniquely positioned to apply this expertise to components, systems, and vehicles that operate in remote or harsh environments. We offer a highly skilled workforce, unique facilities, flexible project management, and a proven management system. The purpose of this guide is to acquaint Test Requesters with the requirements for test, analysis, or simulation services at JSC. The guide includes facility services and capabilities, inputs required by the facility, major milestones, a roadmap of the facility s process, and roles and responsibilities of the facility and the requester. Samples of deliverables, facility interfaces, and inputs necessary to define the cost and schedule are included as appendices to the guide.

Hacker, Scott↗

R&D Needs for a US Fusion Magnet Base Program

Significant technology maturation efforts are underway by privately funded fusion startups with the goal to demonstrate mature HTS magnet technology. To support the private sector development effort and the DOE milestone based program, a U.S. Fusion Magnet Community Workshop was held on March 14-15, 2023 in Princeton, NJ. This was the first U.S. community workshop focused on fusion magnet technologies aimed at determining the structure and technical direction for a public program designed to complement the private fusion industry landscape. Based on the wide range of different contributions, a set of general themes and fusion magnet R&D needs were identified and discussed. Feedback received to the workshop charge questions highlighted critical magnet R&D gaps such as availability of existing large cable and coil test facilities, a magnet education program that can generate a trained and essential workforce by leveraging R&D capabilities of universities, U.S. national labs, and fusion industry. Other opportunities synergistic and complementary with high energy physics, high field magnets that are open for a broad range of science drivers. The defined R&D gaps underpin the need for a mid-term and long-term public program in fusion magnet development, which reflects the purpose of the workshop in developing the rationale and consent for such a base program. A self-consistent, fusion specific U.S. fusion magnet program will complement and de-risk fusion pilot plants (FPPs) of promising magnetic configurations developed by private companies on a timeline consistent with the NASEM report on bringing fusion to the U.S. grid. We describe the magnet challenges presented and R&D needs discussed in the workshop. In conclusion, these challenges and R&D needs provide focus for the development of U.S. mid-term and long term roadmaps on enabling HTS for high field fusion.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

NASA's Ares I and Ares V Launch Vehicles -- Effective Space Operations Through Efficient Ground Operations

The United States (U.S.) plans to return to the Moon by 2020, with the development of a new human-rated space transportation system to replace the Space Shuttle, which is due for retirement in 2010 after it completes its missions of building the International Space Station and servicing the Hubble Space Telescope. Powering the future of space-based scientific exploration will be the Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle, which will transport the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle to orbit where it will rendezvous with the Lunar Lander. which will be delivered by the Ares V Cargo Launch Vehicle. This new transportation infrastructure, developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), will allow astronauts to leave low-Earth orbit for extended lunar exploration and preparation for the first footprint on Mars. All space-based operations begin and are controlled from Earth. NASA's philosophy is to deliver safe, reliable, and cost-effective solutions to sustain a multi-billion-dollar program across several decades. Leveraging 50 years of lessons learned, NASA is partnering with private industry, while building on proven hardware experience. This paper will discuss how the Engineering Directorate at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center is working with the Ares Projects Office to streamline ground operations concepts and reduce costs. Currently, NASA's budget is around $17 billion, which is less than 1 percent of the U.S. Federal budget. Of this amount, NASA invests approximately $4.5 billion each year in Space Shuttle operations, regardless of whether the spacecraft is flying or not. The affordability requirement is for the Ares I to reduce this expense by 50 percent, in order to allow NASA to invest more in space-based scientific operations. Focusing on this metric, the Engineering Directorate provides several solutions-oriented approaches, including Lean/Six Sigma practices and streamlined hardware testing and integration, such as assembling major hardware elements before shipping to the Kennedy Space Center for launch operations. This paper provides top-level details for several cost saving initiatives, including both process and product improvements that will result in space transportation systems that are designed with operations efficiencies in mind. The Engineering Directorate provides both the intellectual capital embodied in an experienced workforce and unique facilities in which to validate the information technology tools that allow a nationwide team to collaboratively connect across miles that separate them and the engineering disciplines that integrate various piece parts into a whole system. As NASA transforms ground-based operations, it also is transitioning its workforce from an era of intense hands-on labor to a new one of mechanized conveniences and robust hardware with simpler interfaces. Ensuring that space exploration is on sound footing requires that operations efficiencies be designed into the transportation system and implemented in the development stage. Applying experience gained through decades of ground and space op'erations, while using value-added processes and modern business and engineering tools, is the philosophy upon which a new era of exploration will be built to solve some of the most pressing exploration challenges today -- namely, safety, reliability, and affordability.

Dumbacher, Daniel L.↗

Cognitive Aging as a Human Factor: Effects of Age on Human Performance

Nuclear power plant (NPP) control room operators must make ongoing computations and decisions that maximize production and ensure safety, which places a high cognitive burden on the operators. How cognitions such as attention, visuospatial ability, and working memory interact with socio-technical systems to achieve optimal operations is well studied. However, there is an absence of research that examines how cognitive functioning within the NPP control room environment is moderated by developmental aging processes. This is of critical importance because different types of cognitive actions are known to develop and peak at different times across the adult life span, and it is becoming increasingly clear that there is no age at which all cognitive faculties operate at maximum capacity. Thus, given that NPPs are experiencing an aging workforce, it is vital to identify how mission critical cognitions change with age. This paper reviews implications of aging on reactor operators in the current and new fleet. We highlight lessons that can be learned from state-of-the-art human factors research that considers aging, lessons from the large cognitive aging literature, and lessons from aging workers in other industries that use sophisticated socio-technical systems, such as aviation. We also consider the important subject of aging effects versus expertise and present preliminary data that support the premise that age of operator is linked to effective and efficient operations but that this relationship may be moderated by level of operations expertise. In conclusion, we apply these lessons to future considerations for aging research in current nuclear operations and with the advent of advanced modernized control rooms.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

MO-DE-304-01: The Abt Study of Medical Physicist Work Values for Radiation Oncology Physics Services: Round IV

The Abt study of medical physicist work values for radiation oncology physics services, Round IV is completed. It supersedes the Abt III study of 2008. The 2015 Abt study measured qualified medical physicist (QMP) work associated with routine radiation oncology procedures as well as some special procedures. As before, a work model was created to allow the medical physicist to defend QMP work based on both routine and special procedures service mix. The work model can be used to develop a cost justification report for setting charges for radiation oncology physics services. The Abt study Round IV was designed to empower the medical physicist to negotiate a service or employment contract with providers based on measured national QMP workforce and staffing data. For a variety of reasons, the diagnostic imaging contingent of AAPM has had a more difficult time trying estimate workforce requirements than their therapy counterparts. Over the past several years, the Diagnostic Work and Workforce Study Subcommittee (DWWSS) has collected survey data from AAPM members, but the data have been very difficult to interpret. The DWWSS has reached out to include more AAPM volunteers to create a more full and accurate representation of actual clinical practice models on the subcommittee. Though much work remains, through hours of discussion and brainstorming, the DWWSS has somewhat of a clear path forward. This talk will provide attendees with an update on the efforts of the subcommittee. Learning Objectives: Understand the new information documented in the Abt studies. Understand how to use the Abt studies to justify medical physicist staffing. Learn relevant historical information on imaging physicist workforce. Understand the process of the DWWSS in 2014. Understand the intended path forward for the DWWSS.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Contingency Contractor Optimization Phase 3 Extension Quick Start Guide: Contingency Contractor Optimization Tool - Engineering Prototype (Release 2.3)

This Quick Start Guide is an abbreviated version of the Contingency Contractor Optimization Phase 3, User Manual for the Contingency Contractor Optimization Tool engineering prototype. It focuses on providing quick access instructions to the core activities of the two main user roles: Planning Manager and Analyst. Based on an electronic storyboard prototype developed in Phase 2, the Contingency Contractor Optimization Tool engineering prototype was refined in Phase 3 of the OSD ATL Contingency Contractor Optimization to support strategic planning for contingency contractors. The tool uses a model to optimize the total workforce mix by minimizing the combined total costs for the selected mission scenarios. The model will optimize the match of personnel types (military, DoD civilian, and contractors) and capabilities to meet the mission requirements as effectively as possible, based on risk, cost, and other requirements.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Contingency Contractor Optimization Phase 3 Quick Start Guide Contingency Contractor Optimization Tool Prototype - Release 2.2

This Quick Start Guide is an abbreviated version of the Contingency Contractor Optimization Phase 3, User Manual for the Contingency Contractor Optimization Tool engineering prototype. It focuses on providing quick access instructions to the core activities of the two main user roles: Planning Manager and Analyst. Based on an electronic storyboard prototype developed in Phase 2, the Contingency Contractor Optimization Tool engineering prototype was refined in Phase 3 of the OSD ATL Contingency Contractor Optimization to support strategic planning for contingency contractors. The tool uses a model to optimize the total workforce mix by minimizing the combined total costs for the selected mission scenarios. The model will optimize the match of personnel types (military, DoD civilian, and contractors) and capabilities to meet the mission requirements as effectively as possible, based on risk, cost, and other requirements.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Research and Technology 1997

NASA Lewis Research Center is responsible for developing and transferring critical technologies that address national priorities in aeropropulsion and space applications in partnership with U.S. industries, universities, and Government institutions. As NASA s designated Lead Center for Aeropropulsion, our role is to develop, verify, and transfer aeropropulsion technologies to U.S. industry. As NASA s designated Center of Excellence in Turbomachinery, our role is to develop new and innovative turbomachinery technology to improve the reliability, performance, efficiency and affordability, capacity, and environmental compatibility of future aerospace vehicles. We also maintain a science and technology development role in aeropropulsion, communications, space power and onboard propulsion, and microgravity fluid physics and combustion. We are committed to enabling non-aerospace U.S. industries to benefit directly from the technologies developed through our programs to maximize the benefit to the Nation and the return on each taxpayer s investment. In addition, we are aggressively pursuing continuous improvement in our management and business practices and striving for diversity in our workforce as together we push the edge of technology in space and aeronautics. The Lewis Research Center is a unique facility located in an important geographical area, the southwest corner of Cleveland, Ohio. Situated on 350 acres of land adjacent to the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Lewis comprises more than 140 buildings that include 24 major facilities and over 500 specialized research and test facilities. Additional facilities are located at Plum Brook Station, which is about 50 miles west of Cleveland. Over 3700 people staff Lewis, including civil service employees and support service contractors. Over half of them are scientists and engineers, who plan, conduct or oversee, and report on our research tasks and projects. They are assisted by technical specialists, skilled workers, and an administrative staff. Our end product is knowledge. This report is designed to help us make this knowledge fully available to potential users the aircraft engine industry, the energy industry, the automotive industry, the aerospace industry, and others. It is organized so that a broad cross section of the community can readily use it. Each article begins with a short introductory paragraph that should prove to be a valuable tool for the layperson. These articles summarize the progress made during the year in various technical areas and portray the technical and administrative support associated with Lewis technology programs. We hope that the information is useful to all. If additional information is desired, readers are encouraged to contact the researchers identified in the articles and to visit Lewis on the World Wide Web (http://www.lerc.nasa.gov/). This document is available on the World Wide Web (http://www.lerc.nasa.gov/WWW/RT).

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Contingency Contractor Optimization Engineering Prototype – Release 2.3 (Phase 3 Extension – Training Examples)

This document provides training examples to provide users practice in using the tool. Detailed instructions on how to use the tool can be found in the User Manual (SAND2015-6028).The Contingency Contractor Optimization project is intended to address former Secretary Gates’ mandate in a January 2011 memo and DoDI 3020.41 by delivering a centralized strategic planning tool that allows senior decision makers to quickly and accurately assess the impacts, risks, and mitigation strategies associated with utilizing contract support. Based on an electronic storyboard prototype developed in Phase 2, the CCOT-P engineering prototype was refined in Phase 3 of the OSD ATL Contingency Contractor Optimization project to support strategic planning for contingency contractors. CCOT-P uses a model to optimize the total workforce mix by minimizing the combined total costs for the selected mission scenarios. The model will optimize the match of personnel groups (military, DoD civilian, and contractors) and capabilities to meet the mission requirements as effectively as possible, based on risk, cost, and other requirements.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗