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Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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Aug 2026
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2026
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2026
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
August 2026
Latest News
The transformation of the NRC: 50 years of commissioners
The dust is beginning to settle following the whirlwind of changes at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission over the past year, and 2025 ultimately may be viewed as a transformative year, as well as the year the NRC celebrated its golden anniversary. The 12 months of that milestone year brought more change to the agency in its composition, its mandate, and its relationship to the executive branch than any comparable period in the preceding four decades.
Now at 51 years and counting, the NRC is working with a full commission and issuing new rulemakings to both regulate and support the next round of nuclear deployments. With the turbulence of 2025 still fresh in our minds, Nuclear News decided it was a good time to revisit the professional backgrounds of all 42 NRC commissioners who have served over the agency’s 50-year history to see how the composition of the commission has evolved over time.
Nunzio J. Palladino
University of Maryland (First Place)Iowa State University (Second Place)Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Third Place)
Mohamed A. Abdou
Richland Washington (Best Overall)Oak Ridge (Public Information)Virginia (Public Information)Missouri/Kansas (Public Information and Educational Activities)Savannah River (Educational Activities and Awards)
Mark L. Kantrowitz
Russell L. Heath
Glenn T. Seaborg
Allison M. Platt and team of R. BonniaudN. Jacquet-FrancillonA. JouanF. Laude and C. Sombret
GraduateUniversity of TennesseeMartin Stutzke, Michael Bentley, Amir Mobasheran, Guy Regan, Meraj Rehimi, Der-Jhy ShiehUndergraduateUniversity of TennesseeKaren M. English Yokoyama, Joe C. Mayes, III, Cesar Rapposelli, N. Douglas WoodyHonorable Mention - UndergraduateUniversity of California-Santa BarbaraJeffrey Fint, Russell Wheller
MFTF-B Magnet Team; led by J. Bulmer, C. Henning and T. Kozman
Hans K. Fauske
John W. Simpson
