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
Isotopes & Radiation
Members are devoted to applying nuclear science and engineering technologies involving isotopes, radiation applications, and associated equipment in scientific research, development, and industrial processes. Their interests lie primarily in education, industrial uses, biology, medicine, and health physics. Division committees include Analytical Applications of Isotopes and Radiation, Biology and Medicine, Radiation Applications, Radiation Sources and Detection, and Thermal Power Sources.
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
Mar 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
May 2025
Nuclear Technology
April 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
El Salvador: Looking to nuclear
In 2022, El Salvador’s leadership decided to expand its modest, mostly hydro- and geothermal-based electricity system, which is supported by expensive imported natural gas and diesel generation. They chose to use advanced nuclear reactors, preferably fueled by thorium-based fuels, to power their civilian efforts. The choice of thorium was made to inform the world that the reactor program was for civilian purposes only, and so they chose a fuel that was plentiful, easy to source and work with, and not a proliferation risk.
2025 topic
Secure digital control systems for advanced reactors / Advancement of enabling technologies for advanced reactors.
VIEW RECIPIENTSSUBMIT NOMINATION
Nomination Deadline
March 1
Presented at the
Annual Conference
Monetary Award*
$1,000
The Special Award recognizes an individual or group for outstanding achievements in a specific area of work. The Board of Directors selects a different topical area for the award each year on the recommendation of the Honors and Awards Committee.
2025 Special Award Description:
Instrumentation and Control (I&C) serves as the central nervous system of most industrial processes. Digital I&C will be crucial to operation and safety of new generation of nuclear reactors because it would facilitate autonomous operation and hands-off maintenance of plants augmented by Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. The current generation of nuclear power plants have benefitted from digital I&C for both safety and non-safety related services through gains in efficiency and versatility. This experience will help solidify the foundation for implementation of digital I&C systems in advanced reactors.
Nominees may be from any nation, but they must not be deceased at the time the awardee is selected. The nominee need not be an ANS member.
The award may be presented to one or more individuals at the ANS Annual Conference. It consists of a plaque, $1,000 monetary award*.
*In lieu of a cash award, recipients can opt for travel reimbursement up to the award amount.
The Special Award was established in 1962 and has been awarded each year when eligible candidates are nominated and selected. The topics for the awards have come from the many varied areas of nuclear science and engineering fostered by the Society.
The selection of the topics should continue to reflect the wide variety of subjects in which ANS members are prominent contributors. Future awards should be made in areas different from those in which previous Special Awards have been given. The award topic should be of timely interest to the Society and should reflect current Society affairs and activities. The topic should not be tailored to suit a particular individual or team who would undoubtedly receive that award.
With the extensive collaboration on many projects by groups of people ranging from two or three up to several, nominations of teams or small groups can be expected and are certainly appropriate for many areas that might be selected for the award. Possible restrictions of the nominees for the award to individuals or to small groups are left to the discretion of the Honors and Awards Committee.
The criteria for selection of an award topic for the ANS Special Award is left up to the judgment of the Honors and Awards Committee. The basic criteria for the selection of an awardee can generally be outlined as follows:
Nominations must include the completed nomination form accompanied by the following supporting documents:
View Award
