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Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Winter Conference & Expo
November 15–18, 2026
Phoenix, AZ|Arizona Grand Resort & Spa
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Aug 2026
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2026
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
October 2026
Nuclear Technology
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August 2026
Latest News
Five companies, five bases: The Army’s Janus Program takes shape
Between the Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses and Nuclear Energy Launch Pad programs, August has already been a busy month for federal partnerships with the nuclear industry.
That trend continues: On Wednesday, the Department of the Army announced that it has selected five nuclear reactor developers—Antares Nuclear, BWXT Advanced Technologies, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, Radiant Industries, and Westinghouse Government Services—each paired with a different military installation, for its Janus Program.
This week, the nuclear community descended on Dallas, Texas, for the second annual Nuclear Energy Conference and Expo, the premier industry-focused nuclear conference cohosted by the American Nuclear Society and the Nuclear Energy Institute. Among the plenary panelists was Jeff Waksman, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy, and environment. Waksman has been closely involved in the development of the Janus Program, and the morning before the program’s new selections were unveiled, he provided insights on its ultimate goals at NECX 2026.
2024 ANS Winter Conference and Expo
Ms. Rachel Jacobson was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 15, 2022, and sworn in as the 17th Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Army for Installations, Energy and Environment (ASA(IE&E)) on April 4, 2022.
As ASA (IE&E), she is the primary advisor to the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Army for all matters related to Army installation policy and oversight, and coordination of energy security and management. In addition, she is responsible for policy and oversight of sustainability and environmental initiatives; resource management, including design, military construction, operations and maintenance; Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC); privatization of the Army real estate portfolio and installation Safety and Occupational Health programs.
Ms. Jacobson is an experienced environmental lawyer, having previously served at the Department of Defense during the Obama-Biden Administration as the Deputy General Counsel for Environment, Energy and Installations. Prior to joining DoD, Ms. Jacobson served as a political appointee at the Department of the Interior, first as Principal Deputy Solicitor and then as Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
Ms. Jacobson, who came to the Army position following five years in private practice at the law firm Wilmer Hale in Washington, D.C., spent the majority of her career as a trial lawyer and supervisor at the U.S. Department of Justice in the Environment and Natural Resources Division. She also ran a conservation program at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation before joining the Obama-Biden Administration.
Ms. Jacobson is a member of the bars of Illinois, D.C. and Massachusetts, and the American College of Environmental Lawyers. She received an undergraduate degree in economics from Washington University in St. Louis, and a law degree from Boston University School of Law. A native of Chicago, Ms. Jacobson resides in Washington, D.C. ASA
Last modified November 6, 2024, 10:01am EST
