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In the national spotlight: Our Women in Nuclear (WIN) Pittsburgh Chapter

August 3, 2021 by Westinghouse Electric Company

This is the chapter’s third national recognition in the last decade.

With operations in 19 countries, Westinghouse’s expansive global footprint affords us the potential to positively impact communities from all over the world – from Richland, Washington (U.S.) to Beijing, China.

We see that not only as an opportunity for us to do good and create a positive, lasting impact on these communities, but as a responsibility to do our part to help these people and places progress.

Helping us lead the way on our public outreach efforts in one corner of the world where we operate – Western Pennsylvania (home to our global headquarters in Cranberry Township) – is our Women in Nuclear (WIN) Pittsburgh Chapter.

We’re excited to announce that Westinghouse’s WIN Pittsburgh Chapter, with its 63 active members, formally accepted the 2020 U.S. WIN Public Outreach Award for a Large Chapter at WIN’s 2021 National Conference today for its engagement with students across Western Pennsylvania on Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM).

Engaging and interacting with elementary, middle school and high school students on STEM remains one of the WIN organization’s central focuses.

This is the third time that the chapter has won this award in the last 10 years.

The WIN Global organization was established in 1993 by a small group of women working in a variety of nuclear fields across the U.S. and Europe.

Today, the organization has more than 2,000 members – both women and men – in 60 countries.

Westinghouse employees around the world participate in WIN and currently lead four WIN chapters in the U.S.: Pittsburgh; Columbia, South Carolina; Shoreview, Minnesota; and Windsor, Connecticut.

As one of several of Westinghouse’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), WIN’s vision is to make the public – and especially women – aware of the benefits of nuclear energy and technology in our communities.

ERGs, such as WIN, enable our employees to come together around a shared interest and support one another, while promoting a diverse and inclusive culture that offers opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Melanie Joseph, chair of the WIN Pittsburgh Chapter and fuel delivery market development manager, said that this year’s award is particularly noteworthy given how quickly and effectively the chapter’s members adapted their in-person outreach events at regional schools to a new virtual format given the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are humbled to receive this national recognition from U.S. WIN,” Joseph said. “The truth is that we’re passionate about sharing our STEM knowledge with students in the region and highlighting related career paths that they could consider exploring in the future.”

“Our members felt strongly that it was important to continue with our outreach work in spite of the pandemic, which led us to reinventing the way in which we could reach these students,” she said. “We did so – and effectively – thanks to the dedication and efforts of our members.”

Click here to learn more about Westinghouse’s Women in Nuclear (WIN) Chapters.


Award acceptance video featuring members of Westinghouse’s Women in Nuclear (WIN) Pittsburgh Chapter that aired at WIN’s 2021 National Conference held on Aug. 2-3.