The 2012 ANS Student Conference in Las Vegas wrapped up last weekend.  Thanks to all attendees and to the host University of Nevada Las Vegas Student Section of the American Nuclear Society for making the event such a success!  News coverage of the conference from ABC TV Channel 13 KTNV:

More starts than stops

The American Nuclear Society's Fusion Energy Division submitted a statement on April 10 to the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. The statement addresses certain proposed fiscal year (FY) 2013 appropriations for the U.S. Department of Energy.

 Mark your calendar: April 19

The Nuclear Literacy Project is a new website and outreach initiative geared toward reaching young, non-technical audiences with information about nuclear energy. You can check out the site at http://www.nuclearliteracy.org/.

Commitments kept across time and space result in recognition of a growing number of voices

A triple feature for your viewing pleasure! Here we go:

American Nuclear Society President Eric Loewen visited the ANS student section at the University of Illinois on Tuesday, March 27, followed by dinner with the Central Illinois ANS local section. This event was part of Loewen's "March Madness" speaking tour, building toward the 2012 ANS Student Conference (which begins today in Las Vegas).  The occasion gave ANS Nuclear Cafe a chance to catch up with Valentyn Bykov, president of the ANS student section at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, to discuss the section and its activities.

Digital control room simulator at US NRC

With all the justifiable excitement about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's granting licenses to Southern Company to build two 1,100-MW Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear reactors, it also is worth noting the progress the utility is making to train operators to run the new plants.

Plymouth, Massachusetts, "America's Home Town," is the place where the pilgrims landed, and is also the home of the Pilgrim nuclear power plant. On March 29, a forum was held in Plymouth to discuss a non-binding ballot question for the town election in May. The question is whether or not to freeze the plant's relicensing process until all the Fukushima fixes are completed.

This week's carnival is up at NEI Nuclear Notes

Part II: Electric propulsion and fission power generation in space

Tamil Nadu provincial government support pulls rug out from under protest groups

The National Academy of Science (NAS) has released phase one of a study titled Analysis of Cancer Risks in Populations Near Nuclear Facilities. The release officially opened a 60-day public comment period in which stakeholders can provide their inputs to help guide the next phases of the study. The project email address that should be used for submitting comments is crs@nas.edu.

American Nuclear Society Vice President/President Elect Michael Corradini-co-chair of the ANS Special Committee on Fukushima-discusses the findings of the ANS Special Committee report and other Fukushima-related matters in this news clip, filmed in conjunction with a March speaking engagement at an Oak Ridge/Knoxville ANS Local Section dinner meeting.

On Friday, March 30, American Nuclear Society President Eric Loewen submitted outside written testimony on behalf of the American Nuclear Society to the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. The testimony addresses on Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 appropriations for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and other relevant agencies under the Subcommittee's jurisdiction-in particular, funding for nuclear programs under DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on March 30 voted to clear the way for its Office of New Reactors to issue two licenses for two new AP1000 reactors at the V.C. Summer site in Parr, S.C. This marks the NRC's second approval of nuclear units to be built in the United States in two months. In February, the NRC approved a license for Atlanta-based Southern Company's Vogtle project, in Waynesboro, Ga. The NRC had not issued any new reactor licenses since 1978.

This video takes the stance that climate change and sustainability of the global human enterprise are two of the most critical issues of the 21st century. If we are to tackle these problems effectively, we need to make prudent, evidence-based choices about energy. This is the story told in this short animated video-the first to be featured in the ANS Nuclear Cafe "Friday Matinee" series.

Free industry webcast: Setting a new standard for quality in nuclear power