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2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
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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.
18th International Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Analysis (PSA 2023)
Dr. Curtis Smith is the Director of the INL Nuclear Safety and Regulatory Research Division, leading a staff of 83 scientists and engineers supporting the demonstration of innovative nuclear energy solutions and resilient critical infrastructure. Prior to taking a leadership role as Division Director, he led several risk-informed activities including the Risk-Informed Systems Analysis Pathway under the Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program; the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s SAPHIRE risk analysis software development; the Risk Integration and Uncertainty Working Group for the NASA Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel for both the Mars 2020 and Mars Science Laboratory missions; and served on the executive committee for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Safety Engineering and Risk Analysis Division. In 2023, Dr. Smith was awarded the INL Laboratory Director Award for Leadership. He was also awarded the Idaho State University 2023 Professional Achievement Award for the College of Science and Engineering.
Dr. Smith has been at INL for over 33 years and has published over 300 papers, books, and reports on risk, safety, and reliability theory and applications. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in nuclear engineering from Idaho State University and a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from MIT.
Last modified June 6, 2023, 3:29pm EDT
