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Division Spotlight
Reactor Physics
The division's objectives are to promote the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the fundamental physical phenomena characterizing nuclear reactors and other nuclear systems. The division encourages research and disseminates information through meetings and publications. Areas of technical interest include nuclear data, particle interactions and transport, reactor and nuclear systems analysis, methods, design, validation and operating experience and standards. The Wigner Award heads the awards program.
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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Feb 2025
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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.
2023 CONTE Virtual Meeting Plenary Session Speaker
Mike Sovinsky is currently the Deputy Chief of the Training Branch in the Flight Operations Directorate at NASA Johnson Space Center. His branch oversees the training to prepare astronauts on the missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and the Artemis missions heading back to the moon. They also conduct the high-fidelity simulations to perform the assessments for flight controller certifications to perform their duties in the Mission Control Center (MCC).
Additionally, Mike is the Chair of the International Training Control Board. This board contains members from the Russian, Japanese, European and Canadian Space Agencies that discusses and decides the overall strategic plan to achieve successful training of the astronauts and flight controllers as they train around the world.
Mike has a master and bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University. He has written a total of one journal article. He lives in League City, Texas with his wife Terra and two children, Ella and Tyler.
Last modified January 24, 2023, 10:36am EST
