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Division Spotlight
Isotopes & Radiation
Members are devoted to applying nuclear science and engineering technologies involving isotopes, radiation applications, and associated equipment in scientific research, development, and industrial processes. Their interests lie primarily in education, industrial uses, biology, medicine, and health physics. Division committees include Analytical Applications of Isotopes and Radiation, Biology and Medicine, Radiation Applications, Radiation Sources and Detection, and Thermal Power Sources.
Meeting Spotlight
2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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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May 2024
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Latest News
Glass strategy: Hanford’s enhanced waste glass program
The mission of the Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection (ORP) is to complete the safe cleanup of waste resulting from decades of nuclear weapons development. One of the most technologically challenging responsibilities is the safe disposition of approximately 56 million gallons of radioactive waste historically stored in 177 tanks at the Hanford Site in Washington state.
ORP has a clear incentive to reduce the overall mission duration and cost. One pathway is to develop and deploy innovative technical solutions that can advance baseline flow sheets toward higher efficiency operations while reducing identified risks without compromising safety. Vitrification is the baseline process that will convert both high-level and low-level radioactive waste at Hanford into a stable glass waste form for long-term storage and disposal.
Although vitrification is a mature technology, there are key areas where technology can further reduce operational risks, advance baseline processes to maximize waste throughput, and provide the underpinning to enhance operational flexibility; all steps in reducing mission duration and cost.
2020 ANS Virtual Winter Meeting Plenary Session Speaker
Ken Canavan joined Westinghouse as the Chief Technology Officer in January of 2018. Westinghouse’s CTO role has strategic responsibility to drive next-generation technology and innovation solutions that align with the company’s global business strategy. Ken leads the Global Technology Organization (GTO), and is responsible for ensuring that the Westinghouse’s technology vision and business strategy are aligned.
Mr. Canavan brings 34 years of nuclear experience to the position – half utility plant experience and half research and development experience.
Having held progressively responsible leadership roles within the nuclear energy industry, Ken most recently served as Director of Engineering, for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). While at EPRI, he turned industry needs into compelling research and development plans. These plans resulted in solutions to improve the safety and performance of the global nuclear fleet.
Prior to his work at EPRI, Ken was responsible for risk and safety applications at Data Systems and Solutions and ERIN Engineering and Research. Ken’s utility experience includes work for GPU Nuclear at the Three Mile Island and Oyster Creek nuclear power plants primarily in risk and safety analysis with assignments in maintenance and operations. Ken began his career as safety analysis engineer with Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station.
Ken holds a Bachelors of Chemical Engineering with a minor in nuclear engineering from Manhattan College.
Last modified October 22, 2020, 11:45am EDT
