Nuclear chemist Kara McCullough wins Miss USA

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Newly crowned Miss USA Kara McCullough will have a lot of royal responsibilities. But the crown might be even heavier at her day job - the 25-year-old scientist works for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, where her duties are no stroll down a catwalk.
A spokeswoman at the NRC explained what McCullough does as an "emergency preparedness specialist" in the agency's Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response: basically, she reviews emergency plans for nuclear power plans to determine if they meet regulators' muster (glittery gown and bikinis are obviously not part of the dress code). A radio chemist by education who has worked for the agency for four years, she is also on a team that would rush to the agency's operations centre if something were to go south at a nuclear facility.
"The NRC is proud of Kara not just for winning the Miss USA pageant, but for her hard work and dedication to regulating nuclear facilities as an emergency preparedness specialist in the agency, " executive director for operations Vic McCree said in a statement.

DAVID BECKER/ REUTERS

Kara gets emotional after being crowned 2017 Miss USA.

"We are pleased that such a multi-talented young woman is part of our dedicated and excellent staff."
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DAVID BECKER/ REUTERS

Kara with the other five finalists, Miss New Jersey Chhavi Verg, Miss District of Columbia Kara McCullough, Miss South Carolina Megan Gordon, Miss Illinois Whitney Wandland and Miss Minnesota Meredith Gould.

McCullough, who grew up in Virginia Beach and studied nuclear chemistry at South Carolina State University, says she's making encouraging women and girls to enter the STEM fields part of her platform.
Her serious cred on the topic earned raves from the judges: "If you would have been my science teacher, I would have paid more attention in class!" gushed actor Terrence Jenkins, who co-hosted the pageant with Dancing With the Stars judge Julianne Hough.
But McCullough's background as a government worker also came into play during one of her answers in the interview portion that has stirred controversy on social media.

NRC

Kara McCullough on the job at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Asked whether health care was a right or a privilege, she invoked her own experience: "I'm definitely going to say it's a privilege," she said.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/beauty/92618226/nuclear-chemist-kara-mccullough-wins-miss-usa