Jennifer Bergeron
Jennifer Bergeron of Athens, Tn., was awarded a $2,500 NEED Scholarship for Community College and Trade Schools by the American Nuclear Society (ANS). This award is for students in a two-year program who are planning a career in nuclear science, nuclear engineering, or a nuclear-related field and are enrolled or planning to enroll in a college or university located in the United States, but need not be a U.S. citizen. Up to four awards by ANS are made per year. Ms. Bergeron carries a 4.0 GPA. She is a sophomore in the Engineering Technology Radiation Protection program at Chattanooga State Community College and will be graduating in May 2015.
Established in 1954, the core purpose of ANS is to promote the awareness and understanding of nuclear science and technology. Scholarship recipients receive their awards in late August. Assistant Professor Lisa Miller, of the Nuclear Power Engineering Technology program encouraged Ms. Bergeron to apply, and she was the one who notified Ms. Bergeron of her award.
According to Ms. Bergeron, the scholarship represents hope. As a former genetics cancer research specialist in New Orleans who developed pancreatic cancer, Ms. Bergeron lost her health insurance coverage. She made the decision to move closer to her parents so she could try to get health insurance coverage as a student. She then enrolled in the Chattanooga State Radiation Protection program that was part of a larger journey to obtain information about her own experiences with radiation as a cancer patient.
Following graduation, Ms. Bergeron will begin an internship as a health physics technician in various local nuclear power plants. “I hope to use my experiences with radiation protection in scientific research. I believe my background in medical biology, combined with my cancer experience, gives me a unique perspective of the medicinal/biological applications of radiation,” she said. “I plan to initiate an outreach program, where both scientists and patients can agree on a common nomenclature that takes away some of the ambiguity of radiation dose received by patients."
For more information about a career in engineering technology, visit http://www.chattanoogastate.edu/engineering-technology.