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Division Spotlight
Fusion Energy
This division promotes the development and timely introduction of fusion energy as a sustainable energy source with favorable economic, environmental, and safety attributes. The division cooperates with other organizations on common issues of multidisciplinary fusion science and technology, conducts professional meetings, and disseminates technical information in support of these goals. Members focus on the assessment and resolution of critical developmental issues for practical fusion energy applications.
Meeting Spotlight
ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
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
El Salvador: Looking to nuclear
In 2022, El Salvador’s leadership decided to expand its modest, mostly hydro- and geothermal-based electricity system, which is supported by expensive imported natural gas and diesel generation. They chose to use advanced nuclear reactors, preferably fueled by thorium-based fuels, to power their civilian efforts. The choice of thorium was made to inform the world that the reactor program was for civilian purposes only, and so they chose a fuel that was plentiful, easy to source and work with, and not a proliferation risk.
Larissa Shasko, Michaela Neetz, Margot Hurlbert, Jeremy Rayner, Dazawray Landrie-Parker
Nuclear Technology | Volume 208 | Number 6 | June 2022 | Pages 935-946
Technical Paper – Special section on the Nuclear, Humanities, and Social Science Nexus | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2021.1996842
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Social learning aims to produce a change in both understanding and behavior on the part of individuals that diffuses to wider social units and communities of practice. This paper asks: What lessons from the social learning literature can be applied to research and public engagement with respect to radiation exposure risk? Five key lessons were assembled, and recent survey results were used to demonstrate how these lessons can be applied to outline a risk communication strategy that includes, but is not limited to, well-designed engagement. The marked divergence between public and “expert” opinion on radiation exposure risk remains at the heart of current debates over the role of nuclear energy in tackling climate change. Earlier literature tended to be dismissive of the risk gap, siding with the experts and branding the public “radiophobic.” We show how applying the findings of the literature review to the design and analysis of the survey can overcome shortcomings of past approaches and build on strengths. This paper seeks to demonstrate the importance and interrelated nature of mixed-methods studies where quantitative and qualitative analysis is combined. This includes avoiding overly binary approaches of study and finding ways to open up conversations and exchanges. This exploration of social learning and public engagement highlights the potential barriers nuclear energy faces in contributing to the future energy mix and challenges current practices to be more perceptive to the spectrum of public positions to radiation exposure risk.