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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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Feb 2025
Jul 2024
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
March 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
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.
ANS Young Members Group Spotlight on Nuclear Careers
February 25, 2022|12:15AM–12:45PM (1:15AM–1:45PM EST)
Available to All Users
Join ANS's Young Members Group for a casual conversation about nuclear careers with Marci Shelton, senior nuclear engineer at SHINE Technologies LLC. Shelton currently works on production of radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in medicine, such as cancer therapy and imaging. She talked about her work with SHINE as well as her background in the nuclear industry. Following her talk, students asked questions about Shelton’s and other careers in the nuclear field.
Originally from southwest Wisconsin and a University of Wisconsin-Madison alumnus, Shelton has a diverse background in the nuclear industry having worked at the UW reactor lab, Idaho National Laboratory, and two nuclear utilities in both operations and engineering. Her most recent role before joining SHINE was as lead installation acceptance test developer & outage test director for an analog-to-digital control system upgrade at Exelon - Byron Generating Station.
Moderator
Madeline Lockhart, ANS Young Members Group