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Division Spotlight
Decommissioning & Environmental Sciences
The mission of the Decommissioning and Environmental Sciences (DES) Division is to promote the development and use of those skills and technologies associated with the use of nuclear energy and the optimal management and stewardship of the environment, sustainable development, decommissioning, remediation, reutilization, and long-term surveillance and maintenance of nuclear-related installations, and sites. The target audience for this effort is the membership of the Division, the Society, and the public at large.
Meeting Spotlight
Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo (UWC 2024)
August 4–7, 2024
Marco Island, FL|JW Marriott Marco Island
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!
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Latest News
NRC engineers share their expertise at the University of Puerto Rico
Robert Roche-Rivera and Marcos Rolón-Acevedo are licensed professional engineers who work at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. They are also alumni of the University of Puerto Rico–Mayagüez (UPRM) and have been sharing their knowledge and experience with students at their alma mater since last year, serving as adjunct professors in the university’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. During the 2023–2024 school year, they each taught two courses: Fundamentals of Nuclear Science and Engineering, and Nuclear Power Plant Engineering.
Laila El-Guebaly
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 79 | Number 8 | November 2023 | Pages 919-931
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2022.2151820
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In recent decades, fusion designers have become increasingly aware of the large amount of mildly radioactive materials that fusion generates in comparison to their fission counterpart, which is a problem that was overlooked in early fusion studies. This radioactive waste (radwaste) problem could influence public acceptability of fusion and will certainly become a significant issue in the immediate future as fusion moves forward toward commercialization. There is a growing appreciation to revisit the 1960s decision that relegated all radwaste to the back end as only a disposal issue. In light of the challenges facing fusion in the 21st century, a thoughtful alternate approach that promotes recycling and clearance of all fusion radioactive materials is considered to stress the environmental value of fusion in utilizing natural assets efficiently, assert the fundamental premise of fusion as a nuclear energy source with minimal environmental impact, and gain public acceptability for fusion. This strategy helps to reach the common goal of several organizations that recommend recycling and clearing as much radioactive material as practically possible to reduce final radwaste burdens/risks and to maximize the use of natural resources. Recognizing the relatively early stages of commercial fusion maturity, lessons learned and worldwide industrial experiences from other nuclear fields are valuable resources for the fusion recycling/clearance approach. To make such an approach a reality, the global fusion program should be set up to accommodate the new strategy at an early stage of fusion designs and address the identified issues and needs with directed research and development programs. The absence of official fusion regulatory guidelines has been recognized for several decades, but some progress has been made in recent years, recognizing that fusion is different from fission and has a different radionuclide profile.