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Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2026
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
August 2026
Latest News
The transformation of the NRC: 50 years of commissioners
The dust is beginning to settle following the whirlwind of changes at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission over the past year, and 2025 ultimately may be viewed as a transformative year, as well as the year the NRC celebrated its golden anniversary. The 12 months of that milestone year brought more change to the agency in its composition, its mandate, and its relationship to the executive branch than any comparable period in the preceding four decades.
Now at 51 years and counting, the NRC is working with a full commission and issuing new rulemakings to both regulate and support the next round of nuclear deployments. With the turbulence of 2025 still fresh in our minds, Nuclear News decided it was a good time to revisit the professional backgrounds of all 42 NRC commissioners who have served over the agency’s 50-year history to see how the composition of the commission has evolved over time.
Award Recipient Photos
Noel R. Corngold
Robert E. Wilson
John W. Landis
University of Wisconsin-Madison (Best Section)Texas A&M University (Honorable Mention)
Clyde R. Ward
Jeremy T. Busby
Chauncey Starr
Small Local SectionsOak Ridge/Knoxville (Best Membership)Virginia (Best Meetings and Programs)Virginia (Best Public Information and Education)Oak Ridge/Knoxville (Best Section Management)Large Local SectionsIdaho (Best Overall)
Xiaogang Han
Donald R. Orlander
Experimental Fast Reactor JOYO Oak Ridge Electron Linear Accelerator (ORELA) Reactor F-1
Nancy M. Larson
Said Abdel-Khalik
Robert D. BuschJeffrey ClayKevin CookNils J. DiazJonathan EpsteinThomas J. HironsPeter B. LyonsCitizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness (CNTA) & James M. (Mal) McKibben, Executive DirectorEdward L. (Ted) QuinnKristine L. SvinickiLoyd A. Wright
Gunter H.R. Kegel
William T. Sha
C. Paul Robinson
Chien Chang (Johnny) Lin
Robert J. Budnitz
GraduateUniversity Of California - BerkeleyM. Fratoni, Lance Kim, Sara Mattafirri, Robert PetroskiUniversity of Texas at AustinScott Whitney, Derek Haas, Kevin Jackman, Emilio Alvarez, Stephen WilsonUndergraduateUniversity of California - BerkeleyMartin Robel, Lydia Im, H. Kim, Paul Monasterio, Robert Petroski, Adam Tan, Beth Ellen RosenbergPenn State UniversityA. S. Bielen, M. J. Meholic, D.J. Skilone
Fan-Bill Cheung
David Heinrichs
Joseph A. Murphy
Beaver Valley Power StationFirstEnergyLimerick Generating StationExelon
Scotty Hinnant Progress Energy
William Cavanaugh, III