Bal-Raj Sehgal Memorial Award

Description

The Bal-Raj Sehgal Memorial Award recognizes an early-career to a mid-career individual for their exceptional and/or sustained contributions to the thermal-hydraulics field with a particular focus on the application of thermal-hydraulics to nuclear reactor safety.

The award consists of an engraved plaque and a monetary award of $2,000. It is awarded every 2 years and presented at the nearest NURETH conference to arrive. The recipient is expected to deliver a keynote lecture at the NURETH conference at which the award is presented in coordination with the conference organizers.

Background

This award was established by the Thermal Hydraulics Division in 2020.

Prof. Bal-Raj Sehgal

A highly visible and respected world leader in thermal hydraulics and nuclear safety research, Professor Sehgal was a fixture at the NURETH conferences with which he had a special affinity, regularly invited to deliver a keynote or plenary lectures. While he would engage in serious technical discussions with his peers and colleagues, he would often be seen interacting with the younger generations to transfer his considerable knowledge and experience. He was active in THD affairs, serving as division chair and receiving the Thermal Hydraulics Technical Achievement Award.

Born in Peshawar in former British India, Dr. Sehgal moved to New Delhi during Partition and spent his early years there before emigrating to the United States to pursue a doctorate in nuclear engineering at UC Berkeley. What followed was an exceptional career trajectory that led Dr. Sehgal to become a leading global expert in nuclear reactor safety culminating with his professorship at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm where he established the Division for Nuclear Power Safety. Dr. Sehgal was an outstanding scientist and researcher, a great teacher and mentor, a prolific author (360 articles), and a tireless servant to the community. During the course of his career, he was inducted into numerous societies and academies, notably as elected member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Engineering Sciences, the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, and the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences and fellow of the American Nuclear Society and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. For his wide-ranging and impactful contribution to research and science of nuclear safety, he was recognized with numerous awards, including the Seaborg Medal, the Technical Achievement Award, and the Thomson Award for Reactor Safety from the American Nuclear Society. This award, established in collaboration with his family, honors his legacy.

Selection Method

Nominations for this award are made directly by the THD membership or others in the technical community. Anyone in the technical community may submit a nomination package for the award.

Nominees (non-ANS members also eligible) must meet the following selection criteria:

1. The nominee must have received their highest degree within 20 years of the date of nomination.
2. The nominee must demonstrate a significant innovative or sustained contribution to the thermal-hydraulics field. A particular focus should be on the application of thermal-hydraulics modeling, experimentation, simulation, and validation to nuclear reactor safety.
3. The nominee must have published at least five (5) articles in NURETH, NUTHOS, ATH, ANS Meetings, or relevant journals, with articles presented at a minimum of (2) different NURETH meetings.

Candidates will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

1. Exceptional and/or innovative contributions to thermal-hydraulics field (20%)
2. Sustained career in thermal hydraulics field, including such metrics as papers published and students mentored (20%).
3. Participation in NURETH, NUTHOS, ATH, and ANS meetings, with a particular emphasis on NURETH (20%).
4. Relevance of thermal-hydraulics work to nuclear reactor safety (40%).
   
   

Nominations must include the completed nomination form accompanied by the following supporting documents:

• A letter of recommendation from the nominator
• A narrative summary of about 500-1000 words, including accomplishments, period of activity, and significance of achievements
• A list of ANS activities (including attendance and papers presented at NURETH, additional information can include but not limited to: presentations at ANS national and topical meetings, service on division committees, and dates of THD membership)
• A list of publications (if applicable)
• A brief chronological resume or CV
• Letters of support (support letters recommended but not required; no more than five)

The THD Honors & Awards Committee, rather than the THD officers or Executive Committee, is responsible for reviewing the nomination packages and selecting an appropriate winner. If members of the THD Honors & Awards Committee are considered for the THD award, they recuse themselves from the selection process.