Chalk River, ON – August 11, 2022 – Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology organization, is pleased to announce that the Chalk River chapter of the North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NAYGN) has been selected as “Top Chapter” overall in North America by the NAYGN Awards Committee.
The award was presented in front of industry peers at the Nuclear Energy Institute’s (NEI) annual National Energy Assembly (NEA) in Washington, D.C., on June 21, 2022. This conference brought together industry leaders, government stakeholders and professionals from all areas of the nuclear energy industry and related fields.
The Chalk River chapter was recognized as the Top Chapter across the entire organization, beating out nearly 200 other chapters based on their significant contributions to the local community, the professional development of their members, and their efforts to educate and advocate for nuclear technology to the broader public. They are the first Canadian chapter to win this award in the 23 year history of the organization.
Founded in 2018, the Chalk River chapter has continued to stand out amongst industry peers and were previously recognized as best Chapter for Public Engagement in 2020, Top Club in Canada 2020 and 2021, and earlier this year a team from the Chalk River chapter was selected as the winner of the first North America Innovation for Nuclear (I4N) contest.
With a membership of just over 100 people, nearly all of whom work at the Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) campus, the local organization’s public engagement activities stood out among the 195 chapters which make up NAYGN’s total membership of over 100,000 people.
The Chalk River chapter was represented in Washington by Denys Elliot, Chapter President, and Dylan Verburg, Professional Development Chair.
“On behalf of all of our membership, we are grateful for this award, and to be recognized amongst our peers, who represent a world class industry,” said Denys Elliot, President, Chalk River chapter, NAYGN. “I’d also like to thank the leadership at CNL for supporting the next generation of nuclear advocates as we fight to overcome the challenges faced by the industry, and to realize the incredible potential of nuclear technologies. This support lets us go above and beyond in our engagement efforts, for which we have been recognized with this award.”
“It is clear that the adoption of clean, non-emitting nuclear energy is paramount to addressing climate change and powering the economy that will be key to these young people’s futures” said Joe McBrearty, CNL’s President and CEO, “which is why we need their voices to carry this message forward, and why I’m so proud of our young professionals for taking this on and leading the way.”
North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NAYGN) is a non-profit organization which provides opportunities for a young generation of nuclear enthusiasts to develop strong leadership and professional skills, create lifelong connections, engage and inform the public, and inspire today’s nuclear technology professionals to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
NAYGN was established in 1999 and now consists of 195 chapters across North America. For more information on NAYGN’s Chalk River chapter, please visit https://www.cnl.ca/about-cnl/in-the-community/naygn/.
About CNL
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories is a world leader in nuclear science and technology, offering unique capabilities and solutions across a wide range of industries. Actively involved with industry-driven research and development in nuclear, transportation, clean technology, energy, defence, security and life sciences, we provide solutions to keep these sectors competitive internationally.
With ongoing investments in new facilities and a focused mandate, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories is well positioned for the future. A new performance standard reinforced with a strong safety culture underscores every activity.
For more information on the complete range of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories services, please visit www.cnl.ca or contact communications@cnl.ca.
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