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Division Spotlight
Young Members Group
The Young Members Group works to encourage and enable all young professional members to be actively involved in the efforts and endeavors of the Society at all levels (Professional Divisions, ANS Governance, Local Sections, etc.) as they transition from the role of a student to the role of a professional. It sponsors non-technical workshops and meetings that provide professional development and networking opportunities for young professionals, collaborates with other Divisions and Groups in developing technical and non-technical content for topical and national meetings, encourages its members to participate in the activities of the Groups and Divisions that are closely related to their professional interests as well as in their local sections, introduces young members to the rules and governance structure of the Society, and nominates young professionals for awards and leadership opportunities available to members.
Meeting Spotlight
Conference on Nuclear Training and Education: A Biennial International Forum (CONTE 2025)
February 3–6, 2025
Amelia Island, FL|Omni Amelia Island Resort
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
Jan 2025
Jul 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
February 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
A series of firsts delivers new Plant Vogtle units
Southern Nuclear was first when no one wanted to be.
The nuclear subsidiary of the century-old utility Southern Company, based in Atlanta, Ga., joined a pack of nuclear companies in the early 2000s—during what was then dubbed a “nuclear renaissance”—bullish on plans for new large nuclear facilities and adding thousands of new carbon-free megawatts to the grid.
In 2008, Southern Nuclear applied for a combined construction and operating license (COL), positioning the company to receive the first such license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2012. Also in 2008, Southern became the first U.S. company to sign an engineering, procurement, and construction contract for a Generation III+ reactor. Southern chose Westinghouse’s AP1000 pressurized water reactor, which was certified by the NRC in December 2011.
Fast forward a dozen years—which saw dozens of setbacks and hundreds of successes—and Southern Nuclear and its stakeholders celebrated the completion of Vogtle Units 3 and 4: the first new commercial nuclear power construction project completed in the U.S. in more than 30 years.
Pathways to Nuclear
March 21, 2024|5:00–6:00PM (6:00–7:00PM EDT)
Available to All Users
Join us for a look at how women are making history in nuclear science and technology trade careers. Jennifer Jackson (Idaho National Laboratory) and Abigail Bowman (Savannah River Nuclear Solutions) talked about trade careers in nuclear as well as Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy training and internship programs. We also heard from graduates of those programs—women working in nuclear trades right now.
Panelists
Abigail BowmanCollege Partnerships andPipeline Development LeadApprenticeship ProgramSavannah River Nuclear Solutions
Jennifer JacksonK-12 Education Programs ManagerIdaho National Laboratory
Moderator
Mary Lou Dunzik-GougarAssociate Dean, College of Science and EngineeringProfessor, Nuclear EngineeringSenior Reactor OperatorIdaho State UniversityANS President (2020-2021)
BIOS
Abigail Bowman
Abigail Bowman is College Partnerships and Pipeline Development Lead for the Apprenticeship Program at Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS). She has a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Augusta University (2017), and a Bachelor of Arts in middle grades Education, Math, and Language Arts from Covenant College (2003). With 16 years of experience in teaching, coaching, and leadership, Bowman began employment at SRNS in 2019 as an instructor at Savannah River Site’s Savannah River Tritium Enterprise (SRTE), which encompasses all activities related to tritium. In addition to leading the apprenticeship program at SRTE, she is qualified as a training designer/developer, instructional specialist, Material Test Facility (MTF) laboratory technician, Metallurgical Lab Life Storage operator, and Emergency Preparedness drill controller at a nuclear facility. She is currently pursuing qualification as a Reservoir First Line Manager in tritium.
Jennifer Jackson
Jennifer Jackson is K-12 Education Programs Manager at Idaho National Laboratory. Jackson has nearly 20 years of experience as a teacher and educational leader in Idaho, including as the director of curriculum and professional learning for Idaho Falls School District 91, where her duties included designing and implementing multidisciplinary K-12 curriculum, developing strategic partnerships with state and national educational organizations, and a variety of other policy and management responsibilities. INL’s K-12 STEM program focuses on student outreach, teacher professional development, family engagement and more. Jackson also interfaces with Idaho tribes, community colleges and technical schools on behalf of INL. These partnerships with STEM-focused organizations allow INL to help eastern Idaho foster an integrated STEM program that will enable the best possible opportunities for Idaho students.
Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar
Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar is the associate dean of the Idaho State University (ISU) College of Science and Engineering, associate professor of nuclear engineering and a senior reactor operator at ISU’s Aerojet-General Nucleonics nuclear reactor, commonly known as the AGN-201. Presently, she coordinates the nuclear engineering curriculum at ISU and teaches core graduate and undergraduate courses. She also performs nuclear materials research and is involved in regional and discipline accreditations, ISU’s international program development, and reactor administration.
Mary Lou has published internationally and is recognized as principal investigator of productive research projects incorporating nuclear material irradiation and characterization and the associated management of radioactive material.
She has collaborated on a variety of projects and proposals in university, national laboratory, and international research environments. This includes her work as a joint appointee scientist at Idaho National Laboratory where she led the Simulation Institute for Nuclear Enterprise Modeling and Analysis fuel-cycle modeling project. She also worked at Argonne National Lab with various duties associated with pyroprocessing spent fuel and was also a high school science and math teacher in the U.S. and U.K.
Mary Lou has a B.S. in chemistry from Cedar Crest College and received an M.S. in environmental engineering along with her Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests include the nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear fuels and materials development, spent fuel processing, and waste form development.
An ANS member since 1992, Mary Lou was on the ANS Board of Directors from 1996-1999. She is a member of the Accreditation Policy & Procedures Committee; Development Committee; Fuel Cycle and Waste Management Division; Education, Training and Workforce Development Division; the Special Committee on Government Relations; and is the faculty advisor for the ANS Idaho State University Student Section. She is an active member of the Idaho ANS Local Section and has served on numerous organizing committees for local and national meetings.
In 2011 and 2014, she was the recipient of ANS Presidential Citations in addition to the Landis Public Communication and Education Award in 2014.
