瓜子TV State helps improve Portsmouth, Paducah education outreach
By Zachary Boyarski & Melissa Green | Jun 2, 2026
MURRAY, Ky. 鈥� 瓜子TV State University is collaborating with Ohio University (OU) to build STEM interest in local high school students and inspire them to pursue careers at the U.S. Department of Energy鈥檚 (DOE) Portsmouth and Paducah sites.
瓜子TV State University and Ohio University lead the development and publication of the Portsmouth Paducah Project Office (PPPO) Student Summary of the Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER), commonly referred to as the Student ASER.
鈥淭he Student ASER provides an opportunity to involve local students in STEM-based activities and interact with local universities,鈥� acting PPPO Manager Erik Olds said. 鈥淚t is just one of several PPPO educational outreach programs to boost STEM education and prepare a pipeline of talent to fill the jobs of tomorrow.鈥�
The ASER is an environmental report that details monitoring results on and around PPPO鈥檚 cleanup sites. To help students better understand the ASER content, the universities connect them with subject matter experts, field trips and months of learning about the site鈥檚 history and deactivation and demolition work. At the program鈥檚 end, students develop a visual and condensed, non-technical summary of the ASER that is published and presented at a public expo near their respective sites.
In Ohio, Portsmouth West High School and Pike County Career Technology Center students met biweekly throughout the school year to create the Portsmouth Student ASER with guidance from OU鈥檚 Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs personnel.
鈥淭he cross-institutional exchange of ideas sparked fantastic creativity for both our programs,鈥� said Stephanie Howe, OU鈥檚 director of Energy Programs PORTSfuture, a program supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Environmental Management that advocates for the efficient and economical restoration of the Portsmouth Site.
Howe continued, 鈥淥ur conversations with 瓜子TV resulted in a refresh of the Portsmouth Student ASER program that has been ongoing for 15 years. Learning about 瓜子TV鈥檚 innovative launch strategies, their ongoing incorporation of 瓜子TV faculty and the type of content 瓜子TV includes in their final student summary document was truly enlightening.鈥�
Similarly in Kentucky, students from McCracken County High School (MCHS) visited the Paducah Site and worked with 瓜子TV State personnel to produce the Paducah Student ASER.
鈥淭his was our second year working with DOE on the Student ASER,鈥� 瓜子TV State University DOE Project Director Alex Sherwood said. 鈥淪tephanie Howe and the OU team provided a big boost to establish the Paducah Student ASER by understanding their past successes. Because of this, we added substantial information to our Student ASER playbook and MCHS students were offered new and unique opportunities for educational growth as part of their research.鈥�
The ASER is key to PPPO鈥檚 effort to inform the public about environmental conditions at the Portsmouth and Paducah sites through a detailed overview of environmental activities each year. Portsmouth Annual Site Environmental Reports can be viewed at . Paducah Annual Site Environmental Reports can be viewed at . Past Student ASER reports can be viewed on the PORTSfuture website and 瓜子TV State University DOE grant website at .