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Division Spotlight
Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy
The mission of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division (NNPD) is to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology while simultaneously preventing the diversion and misuse of nuclear material and technology through appropriate safeguards and security, and promotion of nuclear nonproliferation policies. To achieve this mission, the objectives of the NNPD are to: Promote policy that discourages the proliferation of nuclear technology and material to inappropriate entities. Provide information to ANS members, the technical community at large, opinion leaders, and decision makers to improve their understanding of nuclear nonproliferation issues. Become a recognized technical resource on nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards, and security issues. Serve as the integration and coordination body for nuclear nonproliferation activities for the ANS. Work cooperatively with other ANS divisions to achieve these objective nonproliferation policies.
Meeting Spotlight
2021 ANS Winter Meeting and Technology Expo
November 30–December 3, 2021
Washington, DC|Washington Hilton
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
Sep 2021
Jul 2021
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
October 2021
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
August 2021
Latest News
Matthew Denman: On Probabilistic Risk Assessment
Matthew Denman
Probabilistic risk assessment is a systematic methodology for evaluating risks associated with a complex engineered technology such as nuclear energy. PRA risk is defined in terms of possible detrimental outcomes of an activity or action, and as such, risk is characterized by three quantities: what can go wrong, the likelihood of the problem, and the resulting consequences of the problem.
Matthew Denman is principal engineer for reliability engineering at Kairos Power and the chair of the American Nuclear Society and American Society of Mechanical Engineers Joint Committee on Nuclear Risk Management’s Subcommittee of Standards Development. As a college student at the University of Florida, Denman took a course on PRA but didn’t enjoy it, because he did not see its connection to the nuclear power industry. Later, during his Ph.D. study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, his advisor was Neil Todreas, a well-known thermal hydraulics expert. Todreas was working on a project with George Apostolakis, who would leave MIT to become a commissioner of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The project, “Risk Informing the Design of the Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor,” was a multi-university effort funded through a Department of Energy Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (NERI) grant. Todreas and Apostolakis were joined in this project by a who’s who of nuclear academia, including Andy Kadak (MIT, ANS past president [1999–2000]), Mike Driscoll (MIT), Mike Golay (MIT), Mike Lineberry (Idaho State University, former ANS treasurer), Rich Denning (Ohio State University), and Tunc Aldemir (Ohio State University).
ANS is a full participant in the Washington Internships for Students of Engineering (WISE) Program, with support for two students. ANS-sponsored students must be student members of the Society.
WISE seeks applications from exceptional engineering students who display evidence of leadership skills and have a keen interest in public policy.
The WISE Program is co-sponsored by several professional engineering societies. The Program is open to students in engineering or technology and policy programs who are in their junior or senior year of undergraduate studies or in graduate school. Approximately 12 outstanding students are selected in a nationwide competition to spend 9 weeks during the summer in Washington, D.C., led by a faculty-member-in-residence (FMR).
ANS student members should complete the ANS application form, write two (2) brief essays in response to questions provided, arrange for two (2) faculty references, and forward an official transcript.
During their internship, they attend a series of seminars to learn how government officials make decisions on complex technological issues and how engineers can contribute to legislative and regulatory public policy decisions. Each intern also completes an independent research project and paper dealing with a technology policy issue. Interns are housed at George Washington University at the expense of the WISE Program, and receive a stipend for the summer.
Office space for the ANS interns is provided by the Nuclear Energy Institute. The WISE Internship is not a paid internship. Students receive a stipend of $2,100 to assist with living and travel expenses. WISE-sponsored, dormitory housing is covered.
Applications for the WISE Program are now being accepted.
Deadline: February 1
Last modified March 18, 2020, 12:15am CDT
