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Conference Spotlight
2025 ANS Winter Conference & Expo
November 9–12, 2025
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 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
October 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Optimizing nuclear plant outages: Data analytics tools and methods for enhancing resilience and efficiency
Nuclear power plant refueling outages are among the most complex phases in a plant’s operational cycle.1 During these outages, tens of thousands of activities, including maintenance and surveillance, are conducted simultaneously within a short timeframe. Typically lasting three to four weeks, these operations involve large crews of contractors with diverse skill sets performing tasks ranging from testing and surveillance to maintenance. Outages may extend longer if major backfitting or modernization projects are planned. Consequently, plant outages are expensive, incurring significant operational costs, such as contractor labor and equipment, as well as the loss of generation while the plant is off line. This can easily cost a plant operator more than $1 million a day. Therefore, there is a constant need to mitigate the economic impact on plants by reducing the frequency, duration, and risks associated with these outages.2,3
View Recipients
Downloads:
Nomination Deadline
May 15
Presented at the
Annual Conference
Monetary Award
$1,200
divided amongst winning student sections
The Samuel Glasstone Award recognizes outstanding ANS Student Sections. The award consists of a certificate and a monetary award (up to $1,200 distributed amongst the recipients). It is presented after the ANS Annual Conference.
This award was established by ANS in 1969 when Dr. Samuel Glasstone contributed funds to the Society to be used specifically for an annual award to the outstanding Student Section of ANS. Dr. Glasstone's initial bequest specified that the award be given to that student section "which accomplished the most notable achievements in public service and the advancement of nuclear engineering." The Student Sections Committee (SSC) and Education, Training and Workforce Development Division (ETWDD) have interpreted this specification to emphasize student section activities both for external persons or groups as well as the student section members themselves. For example, the first few awards were made to sections who established a working speakers bureau on nuclear subjects for local high schools, civic organizations, etc., as well as arranging a balanced program (of lectures, tours, attendance at student and national meetings, etc.) directed to advance the nuclear engineering understanding of section members.
Other contributions by the early recipients have included extensive service at ANS conferences (which happened to be held in the school's city) and a tutoring program for minority students entering engineering study. It is hoped that future applications will not be limited to these examples, but will represent other imaginative contributions to the community.
Each Student Section is encouraged to submit a report of their activities highlighting the seven (7) activity areas outlined in the submission guidelines. The primary purpose of such a report is to share the activities of each student section with the others, helping all the student sections to expand and improve their programs. These reports will be used to evaluate the student sections for the secondary purpose of selecting the Samuel J. Glasstone Award recipients.
To facilitate this format, each student section is encouraged to create a professional document which minimizes the repetition of information and maximizes concise and complete reporting of all ongoing section activities which indicate a novel initiative on the part of the student section and distinguish it from other sections.
Submit reports in Word or Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format to honors@ans.org with a copy to ssc@ans.org.
View Award