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Division Spotlight
Operations & Power
Members focus on the dissemination of knowledge and information in the area of power reactors with particular application to the production of electric power and process heat. The division sponsors meetings on the coverage of applied nuclear science and engineering as related to power plants, non-power reactors, and other nuclear facilities. It encourages and assists with the dissemination of knowledge pertinent to the safe and efficient operation of nuclear facilities through professional staff development, information exchange, and supporting the generation of viable solutions to current issues.
Meeting Spotlight
2024 ANS Winter Conference and Expo
November 17–21, 2024
Orlando, FL|Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld
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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Latest News
Don’t get boxed in: Entergy CNO Kimberly Cook-Nelson shares her journey
Kimberly Cook-Nelson
For Kimberly Cook-Nelson, the path to the nuclear industry started with a couple of refrigerator boxes and cellophane paper. Her sixth-grade science project was inspired by her father, who worked at Seabrook power station in New Hampshire as a nuclear operator.
“I had two big refrigerator boxes I taped together. I cut the ‘primary operating system’ and the ‘secondary system’ out of them. Then I used different colored cellophane paper to show the pressurized water system versus the steam versus the cold cooling water,” Cook-Nelson said. “My dad got me those little replica pellets that I could pass out to people as they were going by at my science fair.”
The American Nuclear Society is developing a certification credential to help establish industry standards and bridge workforce gaps in the nuclear industry to address the growing demand for qualified professionals in the field.
The initiative was launched with the appointment of the ANS President's Special Committee on Certification in 2022. Following a six-month market analysis conducted in 2023, the committee recommended to the ANS Board of Directors that the Society should take a two-pronged approach to address the identified immediate workforce gaps, which includes the development of a Certified Nuclear Professional (CNP) credential and the creation of a certificate course professional development program.
The CNP credential is scheduled to launch in the summer of 2025 and the initial certificate course offerings will debut in the fall of 2024, starting with the Nuclear 101 Certificate Course, which will be held November 18-22 in Orlando. Learn more and register.
What are the objectives of developing a certification credential for the nuclear field?
The three primary objectives of the new credential are:
1.) To provide nuclear professionals a means for learning and/or demonstrating their knowledge of the fundamentals of nuclear science and technology to assist in their professional and career development.
2.) To offer employers in the nuclear industry a means for helping to qualify candidates by establishing a benchmark level of expertise and experience in the nuclear science and technology field.
3.) To enhance ANS’s stature within the nuclear science and technology field, especially among the commercial nuclear utility industry.
Who is the intended audience?
There are several target audiences for the CNP. First, working professionals lacking in-depth nuclear industry knowledge. Examples include professionals with a degree in something other than nuclear engineering; workers new to the nuclear industry; or executives that might not have a nuclear background, but want to become familiar with concepts and terminology. Second, professionals that have degrees in nuclear engineering. The certification may be viewed as an intermediate step between a four-year engineering degree and a Professional Engineer (PE) license.
How will the certification be earned?
Individuals seeking the CNP credential will need to meet a specific set of eligibility requirements and will then be required to pass a comprehensive exam. Upon achieving the credential, individuals will need to maintain the certification by obtaining the specified number of continuing education hours over a particular period of time.
What topics will the certification cover?
A job task analysis determined the following key knowledge areas that individuals must demonstrate competency (i.e., pass an exam) to obtain the credential:
When will individuals begin to sit for the exam?
Applications to sit for the CNP exam will be available in the summer of 2025.
What types of preparatory/study materials will be available?
Examinees will have access to the exam specification, which provides the content distribution of the exam. ANS will also offer a Nuclear Energy Essentials certificate course that provides a condensed introduction/review of fundamental concepts for interested candidates that come from a non-nuclear engineering educational background.
What topics will the certificate courses cover?
The ultimate goal is an extensive catalog of courses on a variety of topics. However, it will take several years to develop a large catalog. The first two courses that are being developed are Nuclear 101 and Licensing and Regulations. The Nuclear 101 course will cover topics that range from the history and legacy of nuclear power to advanced reactor technologies, encompassing areas such as radiation safety, nonpower applications of nuclear, and ethics in nuclear. The Licensing and Regulations course will cover various regulatory frameworks, licensing processes, and international considerations.
The Nuclear 101 course will debut as an in-person course during the 2024 ANS Winter Meeting and Expo, November 18-22 in Orlando. Register and learn more. The course will be available online in 2025. The Licensing and Regulations course will be available online in the fall of 2024.
ANS plans to launch 1-3 additional courses per year.
Are there any eligibility or maintenance requirements associated with the courses?
There will be no eligibility requirements or continuing education maintenance requirements. Upon completion of the course and exam, individuals will receive a certificate.
What will be the duration of the courses?
Course duration will vary by topic, ranging from 8-40 hours.
How will courses be delivered?
The courses will primarily be available as on demand, self-paced content. Some courses, such as Nuclear 101, will be available in-person. The courses may include live or livestream content or experience opportunities.
Last modified August 27, 2024, 8:23am CDT
