ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
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Division Spotlight
Nuclear Installations Safety
Devoted specifically to the safety of nuclear installations and the health and safety of the public, this division seeks a better understanding of the role of safety in the design, construction and operation of nuclear installation facilities. The division also promotes engineering and scientific technology advancement associated with the safety of such facilities.
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!
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Apr 2025
Jan 2025
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
May 2025
Nuclear Technology
April 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
General Kenneth Nichols and the Manhattan Project
Nichols
The Oak Ridger has published the latest in a series of articles about General Kenneth D. Nichols, the Manhattan Project, and the 1954 Atomic Energy Act. The series has been produced by Nichols’ grandniece Barbara Rogers Scollin and Oak Ridge (Tenn.) city historian David Ray Smith. Gen. Nichols (1907–2000) was the district engineer for the Manhattan Engineer District during the Manhattan Project.
As Smith and Scollin explain, Nichols “had supervision of the research and development connected with, and the design, construction, and operation of, all plants required to produce plutonium-239 and uranium-235, including the construction of the towns of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Richland, Washington. The responsibility of his position was massive as he oversaw a workforce of both military and civilian personnel of approximately 125,000; his Oak Ridge office became the center of the wartime atomic energy’s activities.”
VIEW RECIPIENTSSUBMIT NOMINATION
Nomination Deadline
August 1
Presented
Winter Conference
Award
$5,000* and a Bronze Medallion
The E. Gail de Planque Medal recognizes exemplary accomplishments by a woman in the fields of nuclear science and engineering. This award is intended to recognize outstanding lifetime or singular achievements by women that have resulted in tangible benefits to the field of nuclear science and engineering. The award is to be given to a woman whose work in the field of engineering, education, research or public policy meets one or more of the following criteria:
Nominees may be from any nation, but they must not be deceased at the time the awardee is selected and need not be ANS members, but should be affiliated with the nuclear community in some manner.
The award may be presented to one or more individuals at the ANS Winter Conference. It consists of a bronze medallion, $5,000 monetary award*, and compensation (up to $1,500) for travel expenses incurred in attending the award presentation.
*In lieu of a cash award, recipients can opt for travel reimbursement up to the award amount.
This award has been established in honor of the late E. Gail de Planque, former NRC commissioner and first female president of the American Nuclear Society, who achieved many firsts for women in nuclear science. Dr. de Planque was actively involved in a variety of organizations for the peaceful advancement of nuclear energy and was the recipient of several national awards in honor of her visionary leadership in nuclear science, including ANS Fellow, the Outstanding Woman Scientist of the Year award from the New York Metropolitan Chapter of the Association for Women in Science in 1991 and the ANS Henry DeWolf Smyth Award for Nuclear Statesmanship in 2003. Dr. de Planque served as a commissioner of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and was later Director of the United States Department of Energy's Environmental Measurements Laboratory. Her strong scientific background was key in influencing and understanding public policy on nuclear and environmental issues. The award is funded by a contribution from the trust of E. Gail de Planque in 2011.
Nominations must include the completed nomination form accompanied by the following supporting documents:
View Award
