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
May 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
June 2026
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
WIPP: Lessons in transportation safety
As part of a future consent-based approach by the federal government to site new deep geologic repositories for nuclear waste, local communities and states that are considering hosting such facilities are sure to have many questions. Currently, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico is the only example of such a repository in operation, and it offers the opportunity for state and local officials to visit and judge for themselves the risks and benefits of hosting a similar facility. But its history can also provide lessons for these officials, particularly the political process leading up to the opening of WIPP, the safety of WIPP operations and transportation of waste from generator facilities to the site, and the economic impacts the project has had on the local area of Carlsbad, as well as the rest of the state of New Mexico.
VIEW RECIPIENTSSUBMIT NOMINATION
Nomination Deadline
August 1
Presented at the
Winter Conference
Monetary Award
$500
The Mark Mills Award is presented to the student author who submits the best original technical paper contributing to the advancement of science and engineering related to the atomic nucleus.
The award consists of an engraved plaque and a monetary award of $500. The award is presented at the ANS Winter Conference.
The award is for an original piece of work, which should be of publishable quality by a graduate student. The submission for the award should be a paper with an abstract in a form and of suitable length for publication in a reputable engineering or scientific journal. A paper, which has been published or submitted for publication, is eligible if nominated by the faculty advisor of the student with the appropriate forms and data. If the student and their advisor or others jointly author the paper, it may be eligible for the award if the student was primarily responsible for the original contribution and their advisor so certifies with the submission.
To be eligible for the award, the student must have been registered in a graduate degree program in a recognized institution of higher learning for one (1) year prior to the award, and their faculty advisor must make a certification of this fact on the nomination form. Thus, this competition is open to a graduate student completing the work on which their paper is based from a minimum of 4 months prior to the award to a maximum of 16 months prior to the award. A thesis is not acceptable. Multiple nominees by a nominator, nomination of past recipients of the award, and multiple-year nominations of the same paper are prohibited.
This award was established by the Society in 1958 as a memorial award to the late Mark Mills in recognition of his significant contributions to nuclear science and engineering.
The Honors and Awards Committee of the Education and Training and Workforce Development Division (ETWDD) administers this award. That committee establishes the detailed evaluation criteria, solicits the nominations, and determines the recipient. The national Honors and Awards Committee is available for consultation and review of criteria and procedures as appropriate.
View Award