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On moving fast and breaking things
Craig Piercycpiercy@ans.org
So much of what is happening in federal nuclear policy these days seems driven by a common approach popularized in the technology sector. Silicon Valley calls it “move fast and break things,” a phrase originally associated with Facebook’s early culture under Mark Zuckerberg. The idea emerged in the early 2000s as software companies discovered that rapid iteration, frequent experimentation, and a willingness to tolerate failure could dramatically accelerate innovation. This philosophy helped drive the growth of the social media, smartphones, cloud computing, and digital platforms that now underpin modern economic and social life.
Today, that mindset is also influencing federal nuclear policy. The Trump administration views accelerated nuclear deployment as part of a broader competition with China for technological and AI leadership. In that context, it seems willing to accept greater operational risk in pursuit of strategic advantage and long-term economic and security objectives.
2024 ANS Annual Conference
Craig serves as the CEO of the American Nuclear Society, a position he has held since November 2019. He has over 25 years of experience in nuclear policy as a congressional chief of staff, associate staff for the House Appropriations Committee, and public affairs advisor for corporations, labs and universities.
During his time on Capitol Hill, Craig led efforts to preserve federal nuclear R&D funding and to accelerate cleanup of the U.S. Department of Energy’s defense nuclear sites. As ANS Washington Representative, Craig played a central role in several high-profile policy victories, including the creation of the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) and Integrated University Program (IUP) and defeating legislation that would have banned the commercial use of 14 radioisotopes.
Craig has a bachelor’s degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and is a graduate of the Public Affairs Institute. He lives in Bethesda, Maryland, with his wife Clare and is an avid skier, canoeist, and Formula One fan.
Last modified February 21, 2024, 12:40pm PST
