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
Radiation Protection & Shielding
The Radiation Protection and Shielding Division is developing and promoting radiation protection and shielding aspects of nuclear science and technology — including interaction of nuclear radiation with materials and biological systems, instruments and techniques for the measurement of nuclear radiation fields, and radiation shield design and evaluation.
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
Feb 2025
Jul 2024
Latest Journal Issues
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 ANS Student Conference Speaker
Julie Ezold has 30 years’ experience in the nuclear sciences and is currently the Californium-252 Program Manager; a multi-million-dollar enterprise that includes the production of Berkelium-249, Einsteinium-253, and other trans-curium products. These trans-curium products have been used in the discovery of a new element, Element 117, aptly named Tennessine. Previously she was the Radioisotope Production and Operations Section Head; responsible for managing the production and optimization of all radioisotopes that are in a continuing and sustained state of demand and production beyond the research and development phases. Ms. Ezold has actively supported nuclear science educational activities through the Nuclear Science and Engineering Directorate’s Educational Outreach Committee, K-2 Science Club, Mentor Program, and others. Ms. Ezold holds a BS, Nuclear Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Masters, Nuclear Engineering, from North Carolina State University. Her master’s research, “Determination of Iodine-129 Production in Light Water Reactors”, was conducted at the High Flux Isotope Reactor at ORNL. After completing her master’s, she joined the staff at ORNL and has held positions in engineering, waste management, criticality safety, and isotope production. Ms. Ezold has been an active ANS member since 1988; where she is currently serving on the Board of Directors and is Chairperson of the Scholarship Policy and Coordination Committee.
Last modified March 24, 2023, 9:27am EDT
