Miss America: Challenging Misconceptions About Nuclear Energy

Grace Stanke is all about challenging misconceptions. Misconceptions about nuclear energy and misconceptions about what it’s like to be a 20-year-old female nuclear engineering student from Wisconsin who has recently been crowned Miss America 2023.

In many ways, she is a lot like other girls her age. She loves her sleep, believes peanut butter makes anything taste better, and she occasionally defies her father. However, Grace brings a passion to the title of Miss America that is bound to break down barriers, and she is blazing a new trail into nuclear energy advocacy with her social impact initiative Clean Energy, Clean Future.

On a recent tour of our GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy facility in Wilmington, NC, Grace was able to experience something she wished every engineering student had the opportunity to do. She explored the inside of our BWRX-300 small modular reactor using our Nuclear Virtual Reality Technology, got up close and personal with the under vessel of a nuclear reactor in our training facility, and witnessed, first-hand, how fuel bundles are produced and assembled in our manufacturing facility.

Speaking to a room full of our nuclear industry professionals, Grace exuded confidence and conviction, encouraging the industry to do better at addressing common nuclear misconceptions, inciting a thought-provoking discussion about workforce training, talent acquisition and the power of diverse teams, and ultimately making a heartfelt plea for everyone to actively advocate for nuclear energy, even if that meant starting the family fight at Thanksgiving dinner.

The highlight of the day for many of our employees was hearing Grace inspire our young daughters. She spoke with honesty about the challenges of balancing academics with her role as Miss America. She shared how playing her violin each day helps her to express her emotions. She also explained how she continually examines her own fears and weaknesses so that she can develop the knowledge she needs to improve herself. She credits this process with helping her build her confidence, which was a wonderful message for our young audience.

Throughout the day, Grace’s curious nature, insightful questions and transparent conversations were a constant reminder that she is much more than the current reigning Miss America 2023. This accomplished violinist, water-skier and expert pesto chicken pasta maker is also an intelligent and inquisitive engineer who encourages everyone to find their passion, and then decide how they are going to pursue it.

It may sound cliché, but there is nothing cliché about this Miss America. She is funny and frank. Charming and sarcastic. Playful and poised. She inspires others with her story and exemplifies how small actions have the power to accomplish big things.

Grace was clear that her goal is not to change the world, but to make the connections that will change one person’s world.

Or to put it in her witty way, she wants to be “the neutron that starts the fission reaction".

As we wrap up Women’s History month, we were honored to have our GE Hitachi Women’s Network host Grace Stanke - a young woman who has not only made history as Miss America, but who is bound to continue making history as a nuclear engineer.

At GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy we work hard to fulfill our mission to provide reliable carbon-free power to the world. After meeting Miss America, we're happy to know that she is out there working hard too, and doing her best to shine a light on the promise of nuclear energy.

We can’t wait to see all the ways Grace Stanke will bring her passion and energy into the nuclear industry in the years ahead.  

With sincere appreciation, The GE Hitachi Women's Network

#STEM #NetZeroNeedsNuclear #MissAmerica #WomenWhoLEAD