NRC chairman addresses U.S. Women in Nuclear conference

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Stephen Burns spoke about the impact and the role that women play within NRC in his speech at the 2015 U.S. Women in Nuclear Conference in Austin, Texas, on Monday.

During his speech , Burns also spoke about NRC efforts in nuclear regulation and ensuring that nuclear reactors are operating safe, specifically with the lessons learned following the Fukushima Daiichi accident in 2011.

Burns said the NRC employs approximately 3,700 people and approximately 1,500 of those are women. Women also represent approximately 20 percent of the commission's technical positions and approximately 30 percent of supervisory positions.

"It is the policy of the NRC to foster equal opportunity for all employees and to promote principles of diversity management that will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of our programs," Burns said. "The agency has eight Equal Employment Opportunity Committees to assist agency management in accomplishing diversity objectives; this includes the Federal Women's Program Advisory Committee. I am very pleased with the strong representation of women at the NRC and support the advancement of women in all ranks at the agency. My personal staff, in case you’re curious, consists of eight individuals. Six of them are women, including my legal counsel and both of my technical assistants."

Burns said one of the more rewarding aspects of this job is facilitating education programs in nuclear law, specifically those aimed toward future generations that will one day take posts in the nuclear field.

Burns closed the speech with reaffirmations that the NRC is doing whatever is possible to ensure that the nuclear industry in the U.S. is safe and efficient and to maintain confidence in the commission as a regulating body.

Prior to his appointment as NRC chairman, Burns worked with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development after working at the NRC for 34 years.