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Division Spotlight
Thermal Hydraulics
The division provides a forum for focused technical dialogue on thermal hydraulic technology in the nuclear industry. Specifically, this will include heat transfer and fluid mechanics involved in the utilization of nuclear energy. It is intended to attract the highest quality of theoretical and experimental work to ANS, including research on basic phenomena and application to nuclear system design.
Meeting Spotlight
Conference on Nuclear Training and Education: A Biennial International Forum (CONTE 2025)
February 3–6, 2025
Amelia Island, FL|Omni Amelia Island Resort
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
Jan 2025
Jul 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
February 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
A series of firsts delivers new Plant Vogtle units
Southern Nuclear was first when no one wanted to be.
The nuclear subsidiary of the century-old utility Southern Company, based in Atlanta, Ga., joined a pack of nuclear companies in the early 2000s—during what was then dubbed a “nuclear renaissance”—bullish on plans for new large nuclear facilities and adding thousands of new carbon-free megawatts to the grid.
In 2008, Southern Nuclear applied for a combined construction and operating license (COL), positioning the company to receive the first such license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2012. Also in 2008, Southern became the first U.S. company to sign an engineering, procurement, and construction contract for a Generation III+ reactor. Southern chose Westinghouse’s AP1000 pressurized water reactor, which was certified by the NRC in December 2011.
Fast forward a dozen years—which saw dozens of setbacks and hundreds of successes—and Southern Nuclear and its stakeholders celebrated the completion of Vogtle Units 3 and 4: the first new commercial nuclear power construction project completed in the U.S. in more than 30 years.
2020 ANS Virtual Winter Meeting Plenary Session Speaker
Dr. John G. Gilligan is Distinguished University Professor of Nuclear Engineering at North Carolina State University and Executive Associate Dean for the College of Engineering (Chief Operating Officer for the College). In addition, Dr. Gilligan serves as the first and only Director of the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) Integration Office for the US Department of Energy since 2008. The NEUP competitively awards contracts to universities to conduct peer-reviewed research in support of the development of commercial nuclear energy. In the most recent year, awards were made at the level of about $60M to over 50 universities and included equipment grants and support for university nuclear reactors and student scholarships and fellowships.
Professor Gilligan has authored over 120 peer reviewed publications in areas such as high power density plasmas and launchers, plasma-material interactions, nuclear systems, nuclear fusion, computational transport methods and engineering education. He has chaired or co-chaired 17 Doctoral committees and many Master’s committees. Dr. Gilligan has edited and published the Nuclear Science and Engineering Education Sourcebook since 1986 on behalf of the American Nuclear Society and the US DOE, and has served on a number of external Boards of Directors including the American Society for Engineering Education, UT-Battelle (Oak Ridge National Lab), Battelle Energy Associates (Idaho National Lab), the National Institute for Aerospace (NIA), and the Research Triangle Institute-International (RTI). He was also the founding Education Director for the US-DOE Nuclear Modeling and Simulation Hub for the Design of Light Water Reactors (CASL). Dr. Gilligan currently serves on advisory boards for Purdue University and the Oak Ridge National Lab.
Professor Gilligan has served on the faculty at the University of Illinois-UC, and held research positions at Princeton University and Argonne National Laboratory. Dr. Gilligan has held leadership posts in the American Nuclear Society and the American Society of Engineering Education. He has been awarded the Alcoa Foundation Engineering Research Achievement Award and the 2017 ANS Arthur Holly Compton Award. Dr. Gilligan has given numerous invited lectures at universities and conferences.
Professor Gilligan is the former University Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies at NC State University. Previously Dr. Gilligan had served at the Dean level in the 11,000 student NCSU College of Engineering and also as NCSU Interim University Vice Chancellor for Extension and Engagement.
Professor Gilligan earned his B.S. in Engineering Sciences Engineering from Purdue University and his M.N.E and Ph.D. degrees in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
Last modified October 20, 2020, 1:58pm EDT
