ANS names Annual Meeting award winners, five new Fellows

Fellows

Avramova

Maria N. Avramova, ANS member since 2004 and professor at North Carolina State University, for her internationally recognized research innovations and sustained scientific leadership in development of core thermal hydraulics and multiphysics modeling and simulation, verification and validation, and uncertainty quantification for nuclear reactor design and safety analyses. Her efforts have been vital for providing predictive accuracy with quantified confidence and computational efficiency.

Manera

Annalisa Manera, ANS member since 2013 and professor at the ETH Zurich, for her research demonstrating exceptional and sustained contributions to the thermal hydraulics field with a particular focus on the application of thermal hydraulics to nuclear reactor safety. Her significant and original contributions to the field include novel contributions to high-resolution thermal hydraulics experiments and the development of innovative multiphysics and multiscale computational fluid dynamics–based tools for nuclear applications.

Ougouag

Abderrafi M. Ougouag, ANS member since 1983 and a directorate fellow at Idaho National Laboratory, for developing leading state-of-the-art design/analysis methods and computational tools; for inventions that enhance performance and safety of performance-based regulations; for first-of-a-kind innovative applications to quantitatively predict in-reactor graphite dust production and pebble bed reactor response to earthquakes; and for sustained mentoring of colleagues and students to the completion of advanced degrees.

Smith

Curtis L. Smith, ANS member since 1991 and director of the INL Nuclear Safety and Regulatory Research Division, for his outstanding leadership in research, technical support, and education in the area of nuclear systems reliability and risk assessment. His contributions as a director, researcher, software developer, trainer, and advanced research program leader have enabled the current and future use of reliability applications and risk-informed thinking and approaches within the nuclear industry.

Wilson

Paul P. Wilson, ANS member since 1992 and professor at University of Wisconsin–Madison, for groundbreaking research in computer-aided design–based tools for simulating particle transport, acceleration of Monte Carlo codes, simulation of transmutation and activation, and fuel cycle analysis.

Awards

Distinguished Public Service Award

Cojuangco

Hon. Mark O. Cojuangco, district representative in the Philippines House of Representatives, in recognition of his advocacy of nuclear power in the Philippines for over a decade. He has been a visionary leader for his country.

Landis Young Member Engineering Achievement Award

Erickson

Anna S. Erickson, ANS member since 2005 and associate professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, for establishing the foundation for novel high-precision instrumentation for safety and security remote monitoring that enabled successful development, deployment, and commercialization of advanced reactors with operational autonomy.

Sooby

Elizabeth S. Sooby, ANS member since 2018 and professor at the University of Texas–San Antonio, for her leadership in developing novel light water reactor fuel forms and understanding degradation modes of nuclear fuels under accident conditions.

Shirvan

Koroush Shirvan, ANS member since 2007 and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for his engineering and scientific contributions to the economic viability of safe nuclear power through novel design and broad understanding of the field.

Mishima Award

Andersson

David Andersson, ANS member since 2019 and materials scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, for advancing our understanding of nuclear fuel performance through fundamental studies of defect properties and their integration in performance models.

Special Award for the Role Nuclear Power Plays in Meeting State Energy and Environmental Objectives)

Burkhart

Paes-Barreto

Rep. Donald E. Burkhart Jr. (R., Wyo. Dist. 15) and Marcio Paes-Barreto (director of industrial development for the Wyoming Energy Authority), for their vision, dedication, and strategic leadership in the state of Wyoming, resulting in nuclear energy–driven economic security for Wyoming and the United States.

Arthur Holly Compton Award in Education (ETWDD)

Erickson

Anna S. Erickson, associate professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, for pioneering academic achievements and extensive outreach endeavors in the field of nuclear engineering education; and for seamlessly integrating traditional classroom instruction, innovative experimentation, and cutting-edge distance education techniques to create a truly multidisciplinary, multiplatform educational experience for the 21st century.

Walter H. Zinn Medal

Arafat

Yasir Arafat, ANS member since 2021 and a nuclear engineer at INL, for his outstanding contributions to the creation and advancement of two novel microreactors, one of which is under construction in the United States.

Presidential Citations

Fanning

Thomas A. Fanning, president and chief executive officer of Southern Company, for his steadfast dedication to the proposition that new nuclear is both possible and necessary to provide the nation with reliable carbon-free power. His leadership during the construction of the first new nuclear units in the United States in over three decades has demonstrated his unwavering support of nuclear power and the benefits it will bring to our country.

Al Hammadi

H.E. Mohamed Al Hammadi, CEO of Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and president of the World Association of Nuclear Operators, for his visionary leadership in leading ENEC in the development of the Barakah nuclear energy plant, and for his demonstration to policymakers around the world that nuclear energy is a viable clean energy solution. His management has been instrumental in the delivery of the Barakah units and the nuclear infrastructure needed to support them.

Wharton

W. A. “Art” Wharton III, ANS member since 2004, outgoing two-term ANS treasurer, and acting president/CEO of Studsvik Scandpower, for his steadfast support to ANS and the nuclear industry. In addition to his significant responsibilities in executive leadership within the industry, Wharton made the commitment to serve as ANS treasurer for the past four years, leading the Society through the financial challenges of the pandemic, market volatility, and the sale of ANS headquarters in La Grange, Ill. His devotion to the Society through these difficult times has set an example for others to follow.

Nesbit

Steven P. Nesbit, ANS member since 1989, ANS past president (2021–2022), and founder of LMNT Consulting, for ongoing support of the mission of ANS and for leading several key initiatives while serving as immediate past president. His leadership in ANS’s efforts to develop recommendations on a new generic spent fuel repository standard, the Society’s observations on the National Academies report on different nuclear fuel cycles and technology options, and numerous other special projects has gone well beyond the call of duty.

Steinman

Rebecca L. Steinman, P.E., ANS member since 1994 and senior regulatory engineer at Constellation Generation, for her outstanding dedication to the American Nuclear Society and for her leadership in numerous important key roles, including as chair of the Professional Engineering Examination Committee, member of the Board of Directors, and chair of the Special Committee on Certification. She has selflessly devoted herself to the mission of ANS and to the nuclear profession.







Correction: An earlier version of this article listed four Fellows. It has been updated to reflect the names of all five new ANS Fellows who will be recognized at the Annual Meeting.