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
2027 ANS Winter Conference and Expo
October 31–November 4, 2027
Washington, DC|The Westin Washington, DC Downtown
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
Nov 2024
Jul 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
December 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
November 2024
Latest News
Gail H. Marcus—ANS member since 1973
I like to say that I ended up at Massachusetts Institute of Technology because of my father. He saw that I seemed intimidated by the prospect of going there, so he dared me, figuring I would take the bait. And I did.
I graduated with a bachelor’s and master’s in physics in 1968, and two days later I married my classmate, Mike Marcus. After a summer at Ft. Monmouth, where I studied radiation damage to semiconductors, we spent the next few years back at MIT in grad school—Mike in electrical engineering and I in nuclear engineering. It was Mike who steered me toward nuclear engineering, noting that my interest was radiation damage to materials, and the nuclear engineering department was doing more of that than the physics department.
Nuclear science is the study of one of the smallest things we know—the atomic nucleus. But, even though it’s 100,000 times smaller than an atom, the tiny nucleus has a huge impact on our world. Nuclear science and technology bring us cancer treatments, power for space missions, new crop varieties, safer medical supplies, and some of the cleanest and greenest ways of generating electricity.
Come with us to explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Nuclear Science 101
The study of nuclear science begins when the atom was first imagined more than 2,000 years ago. But the nucleus, the foundation of nuclear science and technology, wasn't discovered until 1909. Learn about nuclear nuclear science, its history and the processes behind technologies from the past, present and into the future.
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear binding energy holds the atoms that make up our universe together. This energy is released when atoms split apart, undergoing fission, and when smaller atoms combine together through fusion. Fission and fusion create abundant energy without releasing harmful pollutants--including carbon dioxide--into the atmosphere, making nuclear a clean, green solution for our energy future.
Navigating Nuclear: Energizing Our World
Engage students with curriculum for grades 3 through 12 backed by the expertise of leaders in nuclear science—the members of the American Nuclear Society and the Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy. Resources include STEM project starters, digital lesson plans, nuclear industry career profiles, and exciting Virtual Field Trips!
K-12 Programs
Our programs serves educators and students through a suite of resources, including classroom visits by nuclear science professionals and researchers, career exploration opportunities, teacher training and out-of-school programs for students.
K-12 Resources
Along with our Navigating Nuclear curriculum and activities, ANS has many other resources that help create engaging experiences in the classroom or out of school for students of all ages. Make sure to check out our Scouts Patch, 'Get to Know Nuclear'.
Browse our activities and other resources
Get to Know Nuclear
Last modified August 31, 2023, 9:31am CDT
