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Division Spotlight
Reactor Physics
The division's objectives are to promote the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the fundamental physical phenomena characterizing nuclear reactors and other nuclear systems. The division encourages research and disseminates information through meetings and publications. Areas of technical interest include nuclear data, particle interactions and transport, reactor and nuclear systems analysis, methods, design, validation and operating experience and standards. The Wigner Award heads the awards program.
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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March 2025
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February 2025
Latest News
Colin Judge: Testing structural materials in Idaho’s newest hot cell facility
Idaho National Laboratory’s newest facility—the Sample Preparation Laboratory (SPL)—sits across the road from the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF), which started operating in 1975. SPL will host the first new hot cells at INL’s Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) in 50 years, giving INL researchers and partners new flexibility to test the structural properties of irradiated materials fresh from the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) or from a partner’s facility.
Materials meant to withstand extreme conditions in fission or fusion power plants must be tested under similar conditions and pushed past their breaking points so performance and limitations can be understood and improved. Once irradiated, materials samples can be cut down to size in SPL and packaged for testing in other facilities at INL or other national laboratories, commercial labs, or universities. But they can also be subjected to extreme thermal or corrosive conditions and mechanical testing right in SPL, explains Colin Judge, who, as INL’s division director for nuclear materials performance, oversees SPL and other facilities at the MFC.
SPL won’t go “hot” until January 2026, but Judge spoke with NN staff writer Susan Gallier about its capabilities as his team was moving instruments into the new facility.
Vishal Patel (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Ethan Chaleff (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Jenny Gaebel (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Morgan Gulliver (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Brian Ade (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Caen Ang (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Tanek Ballachanda (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Tom Crotzer (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Jesse Dumas (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Michael Eades (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Andrew Falkowski (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Neal Gaffin (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Marcus Gage (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Gavin Garside (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Cristian Garza (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Doug Greisen (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Tom Hinklin (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Nolan MacDonald (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Andrew Minter (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Sara Pelka (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Aaron She (Ultra Safe Nuclear), Paolo Venneri (Ultra Safe Nuclear)
Proceedings | Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space (NETS 2024) | Santa Fe, NM, May 6-10, 2024 | Pages 359-364
