The Scholarship
Bob Maher spent his 48-year career at the Savannah River Site in technical and managerial assignments. He was a tireless and able manager who died September 14, 2002. At the time of his death, he was Vice President and General Manager of Strategic Planning and Mission Development for Washington Savannah River Company. Bob Pedde, President of WSRC said, “Bob Maher was a phenomenal resource to me and to everyone who preceded me.” Early in 2002, Mr. Maher was awarded the Order of the Silver Crescent by the South Carolina Governor at the time, Governor Jim Hodges.
Starting in 2003, CNTA has awarded college scholarships in memory of Bob Maher. Winners are honored at one of CNTA’s many fall events.
Purpose
To award annually a $5,000 scholarship to a student who demonstrates outstanding college level academic achievement in nuclear science/engineering or a related field.
Eligibility
- Candidate must be enrolled as a junior or senior in a university or college within the states of South Carolina or Georgia.
- Candidate must have a “B” average overall grade and a “B” average in science/engineering and mathematics for college level course work.
- Candidate must be pursuing a B.S. degree in nuclear science, nuclear engineering, or an engineering or science discipline, with coursework and/or research directly related to the nuclear field. Examples include: nuclear applications associated with chemistry or chemical engineering, environmental science or environmental engineering, materials science, mechanical engineering, etc. The candidate may also demonstrate their interest and involvement in the nuclear field by describing a summer research project or their junior/senior thesis topic (see page 3 of application).
- Candidate must be a U.S. Citizen.
Application Process
The application (including transcripts, letter of recommendation, and answers to questions on page 3 of the application) must be received by Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness, Inc. (CNTA) by July 26, 2024.
Application Materials
2024 CNTA Maher Scholarship Application has information on the award, the process, & the information students must send to office@cntaware.org by July 26th.
Financial Need
Financial need will be considered. The candidate may submit evidence of unmet need as part of the application.
2024 Maher Memorial Scholarship Winner
Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness (CNTA) and Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC) have announced Kennesaw State University (KSU) student Micah Holston as the winner of the 2024 Robert Maher Memorial Scholarship.
The $5,000 scholarship is sponsored by SRMC, the liquid waste contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy at the Savannah River Site (SRS).
Holston, a senior from Marietta, Georgia, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree at KSU in physics and political science with minors in nuclear engineering, math, and international affairs. CNTA Executive Director Allison Hamilton Molnar said CNTA is proud to award this scholarship to such a deserving student.
“Micah is unique, talented, and driven to pursue nuclear research, teaching, and decision-making in the political world, which is refreshing and exciting,” Hamilton Molnar said. “CNTA is pleased to present him with financial support to continue his education. No doubt he will be an exemplary addition to the nuclear industry’s future.”
This past school year, Holston served as the Kennesaw Nuclear Society (American Nuclear Society student chapter) co-president. He is also the founding vice president of KSU’s new North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NAYGN) chapter.
In his NAYGN role, he solidified involvement from the engineering majors and broadened the appeal of their work to encompass political science/international affairs majors, imbuing America’s next generation of leaders with a pro-nuclear outlook.
“Ultimately, nuclear power’s future will be determined by politicians and bureaucrats, not scientists and engineers,” Holston wrote. “Therefore, pre-emptively educating future U.S. government officials on nuclear power’s capabilities and securing their buy-in is paramount to fission’s future – and perhaps even fusion’s future.”
In his post-undergrad career, he said he wants to engage in particle accelerator research.
Then, once he finishes a master’s degree in either Nuclear or Electrical Engineering, he wants to pursue graduate internships, then employment at a national/military laboratory, and finally complete his PhD in Physics.
“Ultimately, nuclear power’s future will be determined by politicians and bureaucrats, not scientists and engineers,” Holston wrote. “Therefore, pre-emptively educating future U.S. government officials on nuclear power’s capabilities and securing their buy-in is paramount to fission’s future – and perhaps even fusion’s future.”
In his post-undergrad career, he said he wants to engage in particle accelerator research.
Then, once he finishes a master’s degree in either Nuclear or Electrical Engineering, he wants to pursue graduate internships, then employment at a national/military laboratory, and finally complete his PhD in Physics.
His plans include a stint at a national lab, followed by teaching at a university. Then, he said that rather than retire after a couple of decades in a national lab and academia, he wants to pivot to a political career, where he would like to be elected to a state/national office.
“I stridently advance vitalization of the nuclear industry, paving the way for additional plants to be constructed in the U.S., especially along the Eastern seaboard,” Holston said. “I will focus legislative efforts on modernizing the electrical grid structured around nuclear plants (perhaps small modular reactors) and promote public education on nuclear power’s numerous advantages.”