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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!
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
November 2025
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October 2025
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Latest News
NEA report calls for more accurate data on SNF heat decay
The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency has issued a report calling for more-detailed information on tracking the decay heat of spent nuclear fuel from light water reactors. According to the NEA, the report highlights the increasing importance of accurate decay heat estimations due to evolving fuel characteristics, including higher initial fuel enrichment, increased burn-up rates, and extended reactor cycle lengths.
The report, Summary of the NEA Assessment on Spent Nuclear Fuel Decay Heat for Light Water Reactors, summarizes the findings of a subgroup of the NEA’s Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety (WPNCS), which ran from January 2022 to January 2024.
Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space (NETS-2023) Plenary SPeaker
Formerly Nuclear R&D and Management
Idaho National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory
Dr. McFarlane worked 44 years in nuclear R&D and management at Idaho National Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory. He currently serves as President of the Idaho Falls Country Club.
Dr. McFarlane’s experience includes experimental fast reactor physics, nuclear fuel cycle, space power systems, and international nuclear relations. He directed a variety of research programs as well as the operation of major nuclear facilities. He spent a sabbatical year as the senior technical advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Nuclear Energy at the Department of Energy. He is a former President of the American Nuclear Society and a past Chairman of the International Nuclear Energy Academy. Dr. McFarlane began his interest in nuclear energy history in 1992 with the publication of Controlled Nuclear Chain Reaction—the First 50 Years. Subsequently he has written and lectured on nuclear topics including Idaho’s contribution to nuclear energy development, most recently for the 2020 edition of the Nuclear Energy Encyclopedia.
Dr. McFarlane’s four-corner education includes a PhD in engineering science from the California Institute of Technology, a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Texas, a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago, and a year on the faculty of New York University.
Last modified December 2, 2022, 7:34am MST