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
Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy
The mission of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division (NNPD) is to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology while simultaneously preventing the diversion and misuse of nuclear material and technology through appropriate safeguards and security, and promotion of nuclear nonproliferation policies. To achieve this mission, the objectives of the NNPD are to: Promote policy that discourages the proliferation of nuclear technology and material to inappropriate entities. Provide information to ANS members, the technical community at large, opinion leaders, and decision makers to improve their understanding of nuclear nonproliferation issues. Become a recognized technical resource on nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards, and security issues. Serve as the integration and coordination body for nuclear nonproliferation activities for the ANS. Work cooperatively with other ANS divisions to achieve these objective nonproliferation policies.
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.
November 17–21, 2024
NOW COMES THE HARD PART…
Orlando, FL|Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld
Thank you for participating in the 2024 ANS Winter Conference and Expo!
The Winter Conference TRANSACTIONS are now available to all who registered for the conference. Access to the TRANSACTIONS is linked to the account you used to register for the meeting.
You can also access the TRANSACTIONS by logging in to the ANS website. Then:
Click Subscriber Access from the left-hand navigation bar to go to the publication platform, epubs.
On the epubs platform, click TRANSACTIONS from the navigation bar.
On the next page, the 2024 Winter Conference TRANSACTIONS will be available.
ANS Winter Conference and Expo 2024 photos are available here.
Fireside Chat | Monday, November 18 | 8:00–11:30AM
Opening Plenary PanelMonday, November 188:00–11:30AM EST
Tuesday Plenary:Nuclear Power’s Role in Military Installation ResilienceTuesday, November 198:00–9:45AM EST
Dr. Rian BahranWhite House Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP)
Nancy J. BalkusU.S. Air Force
Walter LudwigU.S. Navy
The Honorable Rachel JacobsonU.S. Army
The excitement over nuclear technology has reached new heights. Not since the 60s have the prevailing winds been so strong at our backs.
A good set of policies driven by historic bipartisan support in Washington and increased interest at the state level. Long term electricity demand growth trends, propelled by AI/data centers and the re-shoring of domestic manufacturing, are real and increasingly appear durable.
Nuclear has finally reached the high ground. The hardest part of the journey, however, still lies ahead.
The industry faces a set of steep challenges as it moves from conceptual designs to detailed engineering, and from First of a Kind (FOAK) to Nth of a Kind (NOAK) costs, while navigating the NRC licensing process, new financing models, fuel availability and waste management issues, and the need for a rapidly growing nuclear workforce.
No challenge is insurmountable, but they will require the collective commitment of the entire U.S. nuclear enterprise—developers, suppliers, national labs, universities, investors, off-takers, high school science teachers—to succeed. Most of all, it will require the knowledge, experience, creativity and fortitude of every man and woman who in some way devote themselves to harnessing the power of the atom.
Kicking off barely two weeks after an historic election, this year’s ANS Winter Conference promises to be a unique opportunity to take stock of the hard technical challenges ahead and see the paths to success. Join us as we roll up our sleeves and get to the hard part.
Enhance your visibility at ANS Winter Conference & Expo by becoming a sponsor. All sponsors are recognized on the conference website, conference communications, at the Opening Plenary and on signage displayed throughout the conference. Sponsorship packages are limited, so reserve your sponsorship package early. View our prospectus for more information.
