ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
Latest Magazine Issues
Aug 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
October 2026
Nuclear Technology
September 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
August 2026
Latest News
Center for Used Fuel Research: Building confidence in storage and transport
Used nuclear fuel storage and transportation have reached a critical juncture.
Dozens of utilities need reliable data on how used nuclear fuel performs in dry storage casks and canisters to extend regulatory licenses at sites across the United States. Likewise, the Department of Energy expects to take ownership of the used nuclear fuel—termed “spent nuclear fuel” in the laws and regulations governing its stewardship—and transfer it to one or more federal staging facilities for management and disposition.
Meanwhile, dozens of reactor companies are testing prototypes of advanced reactors and advanced reactor fuels. Eventually, regulators and industry must also verify the safety and security of storage methods for these advanced fuel types.
To help address these challenges, the DOE established the Center for Used Fuel Research (CUFR) in January 2026 for work related to the long-term storage and transport of used nuclear fuel.
Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo (UWC 2023)
Dr. Kenneth Kunkel is an Atmospheric Sciences Professor at North Carolina State University and Lead Scientist for Assessments with the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies. He holds a B.S. degree in Physics from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Meteorology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research has focused on climate variability and change, particularly related to extreme weather and climate events. He is an author on the Third (2014) and Fourth (2018) U.S. National Climate Assessments, lead author on the North Carolina Climate Science Report (2020), and an author on recent climate assessments for the Great Lakes (2019) and Illinois (2021). He has published over 170 scientific journal articles and book chapters. He is a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society.
Last modified June 21, 2023, 9:15am EDT
