ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Apr 2026
Jan 2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
May 2026
Nuclear Technology
March 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
A year in orbit: ISS deployment tests radiation detectors for future space missions
The predawn darkness on a cool Florida night was shattered by the ignition of nine Merlin engines on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The thrust of the engines shook the ground miles away. From a distance, the rocket appeared to slowly rise above the horizon. For the cargo onboard, the launch was anything but gentle, as the ignition of liquid oxygen generated more than 1.5 million pounds of force. After the rocket had been out of sight for several minutes, the booster dramatically returned to Earth with several sonic booms in a captivating show of engineering designed to make space travel less expensive and more sustainable.
Nomination Deadlines
March 1 &August 1
Presented at the
Annual & Winter Conference
The Distinguished Public Service Award recognizes a public servant who has demonstrated leadership in energy policy formulation and public enlightenment and has made significant contributions to the betterment of humanity in the national or international sphere of public service. The recipient will be interviewed for an article in ANS Nuclear News.
Nominees need not be ANS members. The ideal nominee could be an individual in an elective or appointive position of government, an international agency, or other related public chartered organization.
The award consists of an engraved plaque which may be presented by the ANS President at the President’s Special Session during either ANS Annual or Winter Conference. There is no predetermined frequency or time for presentation of the award.
The criteria for this award are quite broad and general and cannot be applied as a rigid standard to any one individual. The award is a suggestive award and each nomination is considered on the basis of the individual’s merits and contributions.
Nominations are evaluated by the ANS Honors and Awards Committee. The nominee must receive a majority of the total committee’s positive votes, with no more than twenty percent (20%) of the Honors and Awards Committee voting in the negative to be recommended for the award. A positive recommendation by the Honors and Awards Committee is then forwarded to the ANS Executive Committee for approval.
Nominations must include the completed nomination form accompanied by the following supporting documents:
View Award