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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
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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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.
June 8, 2022|11:00AM–12:00PM (12:00–1:00PM EDT)
Available to All Users
Join us for a special members-only conversation on the Netflix series, "Meltdown: Three Mile Island." ANS Executive Director / CEO Craig Piercy will talk to Lake Barrett to hear his perspective on the series and will discuss what really happened at Three Mile Island.
About Lake Barrett
Lake is an independent consultant in the energy field serving in both government and commercial capacities in the nuclear energy and nuclear materials management areas for over 5 decades. He currently actively supports the recovery of the Fukushima nuclear reactor accident serving as a senior advisor to the Japanese Government’s International Research Institute for Nuclear Decommissioning and the Tokyo Electric Power Company. In these areas he has testified before the US Congress and has provided extensive public media explanations.
At the Department of Energy, he served as the Principal Deputy (10 years) and Acting Director (5 years) of the Office of Civilian Nuclear Waste Management reporting directly to five different Secretaries implementing the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, which involved complex scientific repository site evaluations and statutory processes, utility contract management and litigation, the integration of spent fuel storage and transportation considerations for existing reactor sites and for separate central storage facilities, and international and regulatory programs. Also, he served in Defense Programs (currently NNSA) as a director to change and improve national security, safety, and environmental protection cultures and operations at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant leading to the successful restoration of plutonium operations and safe decommissioning.
At the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, he served at multiple senior technical and executive positions including being the onsite Director and senior federal official for the clean-up of the Three Mile Island reactor accident in the early 1980s.
Lake also served in multiple reactor design, construction, operation, and decommissioning positions for both submarine and commercial power reactors at Bechtel Power and Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics, including the last nuclear refueling of the SSN Nautilus.
He has BS and MS engineering degrees from the University of Connecticut, a registered professional engineer, Fellow of the American Nuclear Society, served on many national and international committees, and has received various honors such as the President’s Meritorious Excellence Award, Secretary of Energy’s Gold Award, DOE and NRC Meritorious Service Awards, and the Congressional Award for Exemplary Service Finalist. He is currently active in his Christ Venice Church as a Trustee/Leader, including serving on various international humanitarian missions.
Resources
The following are past presentations about Three Mile Island conducted by Lake:
VT TMI Accident Workshop (Accident-Evacuation details)
ANS 2019 Lessons Presentation
General Accident-Cleanup Presentation
