Out to WIN
The United States Women in Nuclear (U.S. WIN) Conference is an annual event hosted by the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), the nation’s leading nuclear policy and technical organization. Each year, NEI competitively selects 40 students from across the country for sponsorship, awarding them free conference registration and hotel accommodations
This year, the NEI sponsored two students in the University of Tennessee’s Tickle College of Engineering (TCE): Sudarsini “Suda” Prasanna, a junior in the Department of Nuclear Engineering (NE), and Katelyn “Kate” Cohen, a junior in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Prasanna and Cohen traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana at the end of July for the three-day conference, where they attended panels, professional development sessions, community discussions, and keynote presentations by leaders in the nuclear industry.
“Suda and Kate’s selection was based on their strong academic performance, articulated plans for future careers relevant to the nuclear industry, and alignment with the opportunities available at the conference itself,” said Professor Jamie Coble, the associate department head of the Department of Nuclear Engineering, which further supports sponsored students by covering their transportation costs to and from the conference.
This was not Prasanna’s first time attending the U.S. WIN conference; she was also a sponsored student attendee in 2024.
“It would have been really difficult to attend the conference without the sponsored student program and the department’s help,” said Prasanna. “I am really grateful to have received the opportunity again this past summer.”
Making Future Connections
Prasanna was originally drawn to nuclear engineering because of its broad applications and high impact. She has been a member of UT’s chapter of WIN since coming to Rocky Top and served as the chapter’s secretary her sophomore year.
This summer, after sophomore-level classes brought her past NE fundamentals, Prasanna was excited to notice a shift in her conference experience.
“It was amazing to realize I could connect my coursework with industry conversations,” she said. “One of my favorite things about the conference is the ability to converse with professionals in so many different areas.”
The networks Prasanna and Cohen established this summer could last well into their future careers. Someday they may find themselves going through student applications for U.S. WIN sponsorships.
“We have several alumni who are very involved in U.S. WIN,” Coble said. “Amanda Bachmann (BS/NE ’19, MS/NE ’20) and Price Collins (BS/NE ’12, MS/NE ’14), in particular, are very involved members of the U.S. WIN leadership and have regularly served as conference mentors to sponsored students.”
Prasanna urged her fellow Engineering Vols to join student organizations like WIN to supplement their coursework and build connections.
“I would 100 percent recommend the Women in Nuclear organization because I think that it’s been instrumental in my passion for nuclear engineering,” said Prasanna. “This organization has helped me build my professional networks and skills, attend conferences, and network with my peers in the nuclear department—and it helped me build friendships as well.”
Contact
Izzie Gall (egall4@utk.edu)