At the start of autumn, the beauty queen is meeting at the Paris headquarters of the OECD, on the sidelines of an international summit on energy. That day, Grace Stanke is not wearing her crown or her sash of Miss America 2023. However, it is impossible to miss her: perfect figure, long blonde hair, red sheath dress, the 21-year-old American easily outshines the civil servants and diplomats regulars of the place.
It was here that a few minutes earlier, the winner of the competition for the most beautiful woman in the United States spoke before an assembly of energy specialists and politicians from around the world. “It was incredible,” comments a guest, spellbound. She recounted her journey and discussed the importance of diversifying profiles in the nuclear industry. All with ease and professionalism.”
A perfect synthesis between Barbie and Oppenheimer? In any case, Grace Stanke is the first Miss America to have studied engineering and to campaign for atomic energy. “At the start, I was mainly interested in nuclear power to contradict my father who did not see a future in this sector,” confides the person concerned, born in the state of Wisconsin, in the Great Lakes region. Then, my studies scientists showed me the importance of this energy which produces 20% of electricity in the United States and 10% in the world. And she added, suddenly looking very serious: “Why don’t we capitalize more on this technology? It is safe, reliable and effective.” We could even add “cool” and “trendy” since Miss Stanke promotes it on social networks.
In a video addressed to her fans, she is enthusiastic about the omnipresence of radioactivity which we find – in small doses – in bananas, planes, or smoke detectors. In another sequence, she returns to the story of her father, who overcame two cancers thanks to nuclear medicine. Each time, his explanations trigger an avalanche of positive messages.
Dispel negative images
The nuclear industry could not hope for a better standard bearer. Because despite the billions of dollars injected in recent years to develop small innovative reactors, and the support of personalities like Bill Gates or Elon Musk, Americans remain divided on the subject. Certainly, 57% of them today say they are in favor of the construction of new power plants (compared to 43% in 2020), according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. But the population remains clearly more favorable to wind and solar energy than to nuclear power.
This reluctance is quite logical. In the recent period, the shale gas revolution has taken everything, ruining the profitability of atomic power plants. In addition, the United States remains marked by the accident at the Three Mile Island power plant, which occurred in 1979. Finally, the television adventures of Homer Simpson, making a series of blunders in a nuclear power plant of dubious safety, do not help matters. on the case in a country nourished by pop culture. “I spend a lot of time trying to dispel the negative image of the industry,” says Grace Stanke, who leads her crusade on television sets, in schools and at international conferences. “Since her election in December 2022, the Miss has attended conferences, visited power plants or even participated in events linked to nuclear energy, at the rate of three or four times a month, explains Liz Brown, responsible for planning the “elected. These appearances related to this theme represent the majority of requests we receive for Miss America this year.”
In September, Grace Stanke traveled across Europe, preaching the good word. First at the annual conference of the World Nuclear Association, in London; then to that of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna and finally to the “Roadmaps to the new nuclear power” in Paris. Between now and the end of the year, her busy schedule will take her to Japan where she will visit several installations, at the invitation of the country’s Federation of Electric Power Companies. Then, she will make an appearance again in Paris, during the World Nuclear Expo. Then, she will go to the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP-28) scheduled for the end of November, in Dubai (United Arab Emirates). “Grace Stanke is the rock star of nuclear power!”, summarizes Paul Rodi, one of the managers of the Vogtle power plant in the United States, in the American media.
A scientist at heart, a talented violinist, gifted in water skiing, she can do it all. Which does not prevent her from drawing inspiration from other women with well-established careers. His models? Sama Bilbao y León, head of nuclear technology development at the OECD. “An incredible, positive woman,” she says. Or even Susan Eisenhower, a renowned political analyst. Listening to Grace Stanke talk about the granddaughter of a former president of the United States, we can already imagine her having a career in politics.
However, the beauty queen hesitates to take sides. “When it comes to politics, I am rather neutral. The media often portrays the opposition between Donald Trump and Joe Biden but, like the majority of Americans, I educate myself by looking at both camps,” she says. cautiously. His professional future, on the other hand, is all mapped out. It will be done in nuclear power. Next year, Grace Stanke is expected to join the communications team at Constellation Energy, the country’s largest producer of carbon-free energy. And for nothing in the world, the Miss wouldn’t trade her places. Hooked studies question.