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
Operations & Power
Members focus on the dissemination of knowledge and information in the area of power reactors with particular application to the production of electric power and process heat. The division sponsors meetings on the coverage of applied nuclear science and engineering as related to power plants, non-power reactors, and other nuclear facilities. It encourages and assists with the dissemination of knowledge pertinent to the safe and efficient operation of nuclear facilities through professional staff development, information exchange, and supporting the generation of viable solutions to current issues.
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
Apr 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
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.”
Workshop
Thursday, April 4, 2024|9:00AM–12:00PM EDT|Pattee and Paterno Library Room W003
Session Organizer:
Aamer Bashir (Penn State University)
Presented in partnership with Sara Eskandari and Gabrielle Hoelzle at the University of Michigan, participants will be able to virtually explore fission and fusion facilities developed by Penn State and Michigan researchers through the Penn State Center for Immersive Experiences. Participants will also engage with STAND, a software tool developed at the University of Michigan to apply different criteria for placing a hypothetical advanced reactor in the US. Participants will then give short pitches on why their sites would be perfect for an advanced reactor! Attendees should bring a laptop or internet capable device and request access to the University of Michigan’s FPTZ system.
Speakers
Sara Eskandari
Mx. Sara Eskandari is an XR software developer & adjunct lecturer at the University of Michigan. They specialize in developing VR/AR/MR apps for research, medical, and educational use. Graduated from University of Michigan's STAMPS School of Art & Design with a minor in Computer Science, Dari has spent time working as a programmer for games such as Heart Shaped Games's We are the Caretakers, and lead artist for Chess Heroes Inc's Chess Heroes and 3615 Theatre's Dark City. A passionate interdisciplinary developer and designer, Dari works to increase the accessibility of new technologies to their students while discussing the rapid and undulating effects of immersive technologies on daily life and entrepreneurial pursuits including products, pitches, and production pipelines.
Gabrielle Hoelzle
Ms. Gabrielle Hoelzle is a senior technical project manager and former lead data scientist at the Fastest Path to Zero Initiative (FPTZ) at the University of Michigan’s Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences. She led the development of a series of web applications supporting the rapid and equitable deployment of advanced nuclear reactors in the U.S. and internationally.
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