Chancellor appoints Roane State's Teresa Duncan as Nuclear Workforce Lead Strategist for TBR System

Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Chancellor Flora W. Tydings has appointed Roane State Community College’s Teresa Duncan as nuclear workforce lead strategist. In addition to remaining in her current role as vice president of workforce development at Roane State, Duncan will help lead the College System of Tennessee’s nuclear strategy to continue building a highly-skilled nuclear workforce in Tennessee. 

“Tennessee is experiencing a nuclear renaissance, and we must be ready to meet immediate, emerging, and long-term demands in this growing industry,” said Chancellor Tydings. “Teresa Duncan is the ideal leader to strengthen our workforce pipeline because she has forged effective partnerships with industry leaders. I am confident Teresa’s expertise will benefit the System’s workforce development efforts to enhance the nuclear development and manufacturing ecosystem already established in our great state.”

Throughout her career, Duncan has focused on workforce training and development, with a particular emphasis on supporting the region’s unique economic landscape. Roane State operates a campus in Oak Ridge, a city widely recognized as a hub for the nuclear industry and central to the college’s service area. Thanks to the location of this important campus, Duncan has been able to work closely with businesses large and small to develop programs tailored to meet critical workforce demands.

“Experience has shown me that a strong, collaborative workforce ecosystem is essential to effectively serve industry needs,” Duncan said. “This must include K–12 schools, higher education, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, organized labor, professional industry groups, state and federal agencies and most importantly, industry itself. The System is proud to continue producing highly qualified workers with the credentials necessary to meet industry needs.”

Duncan holds an Associate of Science degree in Business Administration from Roane State, a Bachelor of Science in Business Education and Business Management from Tennessee Wesleyan University, and a Master of Science in Curriculum Development from Tennessee Technological University. Prior to joining Roane State, she served as a national corporate trainer for the Avery Dennison Corporation.

Colleges within the System support the specialized nuclear industry through various programs. As examples, Chattanooga State Community College and Roane State offer nuclear technology programs, while Pellissippi State Community College has added a chemical radiation technology program. Roane State is also cross-training more than 100 Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) students in nuclear energy, the fuel cycle, radiation measurements, safety and other career opportunities through its introduction to nuclear technology program.

Additionally, TCAT campuses bolster the state’s nuclear workforce through programs that include cybersecurity, construction, machining, trucking and welding. These programs all support the construction and operation of current and future nuclear facilities in Tennessee.

For more information on the College System of Tennessee’s initiatives that prepare students to build careers in nuclear energy and other high-demand fields, visit tbr.edu.