The theme of the 2024 ANS Student Conference is “Keystone of Tomorrow.” Given the aggressive carbon reduction goals set by our governments and companies in the last five years, nuclear energy has the opportunity to serve as a central technology to enable this clean-energy vision. The keystone is the central supporting stone in an archway; without the keystone the structure will fall. Without nuclear, we believe achieving net-zero goals is not feasible. Policymakers and citizens around the world increasingly view nuclear energy as a fundamental technology that will battle climate change while maintaining high standards of living through reliable access to energy. As our society demands more of our industry, we will need many young scientists and engineers who are skilled and impassioned; enter the ANS Student Conference.

By supporting this conference, you are building a bridge for students across the country to not only discuss their research, but make lasting connections with each other and leaders in government, industry, and academia like you.

Through this conference, we not only want to highlight the incredible work done by ANS Student members, but also discuss the technologies, methods, and research that will allow us to build the next generation of nuclear fission and fusion systems. In addition to energy generation, nuclear technology supports medicine, manufacturing, space travel, and other important aspects of the great human experiment. We know that nuclear science will lead to innovation in all of these spaces; as we forge ahead, we can be sure that it will form a keystone of tomorrow.