ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Fuel Cycle & Waste Management
Devoted to all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle including waste management, worldwide. Division specific areas of interest and involvement include uranium conversion and enrichment; fuel fabrication, management (in-core and ex-core) and recycle; transportation; safeguards; high-level, low-level and mixed waste management and disposal; public policy and program management; decontamination and decommissioning environmental restoration; and excess weapons materials disposition.
Meeting Spotlight
ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
Latest Magazine Issues
Feb 2025
Jul 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
March 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
February 2025
Latest News
Colin Judge: Testing structural materials in Idaho’s newest hot cell facility
Idaho National Laboratory’s newest facility—the Sample Preparation Laboratory (SPL)—sits across the road from the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF), which started operating in 1975. SPL will host the first new hot cells at INL’s Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) in 50 years, giving INL researchers and partners new flexibility to test the structural properties of irradiated materials fresh from the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) or from a partner’s facility.
Materials meant to withstand extreme conditions in fission or fusion power plants must be tested under similar conditions and pushed past their breaking points so performance and limitations can be understood and improved. Once irradiated, materials samples can be cut down to size in SPL and packaged for testing in other facilities at INL or other national laboratories, commercial labs, or universities. But they can also be subjected to extreme thermal or corrosive conditions and mechanical testing right in SPL, explains Colin Judge, who, as INL’s division director for nuclear materials performance, oversees SPL and other facilities at the MFC.
SPL won’t go “hot” until January 2026, but Judge spoke with NN staff writer Susan Gallier about its capabilities as his team was moving instruments into the new facility.
December 10, 2019 Update
Dear ANS Member:
I hope this message finds you well headed into the holiday season. As you know, the Board of Directors approved ANS Change Plan 2020 at the November meeting in Washington, DC. Here is the link to the plan, with notes in red detailing the Board's actions. A summary of the plan is also available for viewing.
Guided by the plan, staff and I have begun a thorough review of ANS operations with the goal of creating a more streamlined, less siloed organization that is better equipped to meet our members' needs going forward.
While the review is ongoing, I can say that I am encouraged by our team's willingness to think differently and adopt a more service-oriented and entrepreneurial culture.
I look forward to providing you with more information when we conclude the review in early February.
In the meantime, your continued input is important to us. Please do not hesitate to send comments and suggestions to anschangeplan2020@ans.org.
All the best,
Craig PiercyANS Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer
Advocacy and Fundraising
ANS advocacy activities attract increasing amounts of philanthropic support
Commercial Publications
Commercial Publications redesigned to communicate industry and technical information of value (while minimizing cost)
Communications
ANS internal communications to members are effective (and efficient)
Constituent unit interactions and communications with/to “the world” are aligned with each other and ANS National
Congressional Fellow Program
Congressional Fellow Program establishes ANS as go-to and influential asset for policymakers
Finance
Significant spending decisions align with society priorities
Increased speed for good ideas to be funded and implemented
Improved efficiency in student support
Improved efficiency and flexibility in scholarship administration
Governance
The Board of Directors and Officers are effective as strategic leaders and stewards of the Society
ANS governance is more effective
ANS committee structure is more simple, efficient, and effective
ANS Staff is more influential and accountable
Meetings
Topical Meetings redesigned to attract / reach more members, reduce financial risk, and improve finances
Content of national meetings redesigned to provide increased value to more members
Logistics of national meetings redesigned to reduce financial risk/variance
Membership
Organization membership program is utilized as a strategic vehicle to expand membership and strengthen ANS
Meetings are used to convert more non-ANS member attendees to ANS members.
Increased reliability and amount of revenue through member dues
Organizational Unity (“1ANS”)
Unity, community, and alignment among members at every level and each constituent unit of ANS
Last modified December 11, 2019, 9:47am CST
