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2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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Mark Peters: Building on a strong foundation
Summer at the American Nuclear Society carries with it a sense of renewed momentum as the incoming president takes office and starts making plans for the year ahead. This has been particularly true in the last few years, as nuclear energy moves into a new era marked by broader public interest, stronger policy support, and a growing sense of possibility across the field. Mark Peters, the Society’s 72nd president, shares that optimism—and he is focused on turning it into results.
2020 ANS Virtual Winter Meeting Opening Plenary Keynote SPeaker
ANS President 2020-2021
Dr. Dunzik-Gougar is the associate dean of the Idaho State University (ISU) College of Science and Engineering, associate professor of nuclear engineering and a senior reactor operator at ISU’s Aerojet-General Nucleonics nuclear reactor, commonly known as the AGN-201. Presently, she coordinates the nuclear engineering curriculum at ISU and teaches core graduate and undergraduate courses. Dr. Dunzik-Gougar also performs nuclear materials research and is involved in regional and discipline accreditations, ISU’s international program development, and reactor administration.
She has published internationally and is recognized as principal investigator of productive research projects incorporating nuclear material irradiation and characterization and the associated management of radioactive material.
Dr. Dunzik-Gougar has collaborated on a variety projects and proposals in university, national laboratory, and international research environments. This includes her work as a joint appointee scientist at Idaho National Laboratory where she led the Simulation Institute for Nuclear Enterprise Modeling and Analysis fuel-cycle modeling project. She also worked at Argonne National Lab with various duties associated with pyroprocessing spent fuel and was also a high school science and math teacher in the U.S. and U.K.
Dunzik-Gougar has a B.S. in chemistry from Cedar Crest College and received an M.S. in environmental engineering along with her Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests include the nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear fuels and materials development, spent fuel processing, and waste form development.
An ANS member since 1992, Dr. Dunzik-Gougar was on the ANS Board of Directors from 1996-1999 and currently serves on the Board until 2020. She is a member of the Accreditation Policy & Procedures Committee, Development Committee, Fuel Cycle and Waste Management Division, Education, Training and Workforce Development Division, the Special Committee on Government Relations, and is the faculty advisor for the ANS Idaho State University Student Section. She is an active member of the Idaho ANS Local Section and has served on numerous organizing committees for local and national meetings.
In 2011 and 2014, she was the recipient of ANS Presidential Citations in addition to the Landis Public Communication and Education Award in 2014.
Last modified September 17, 2020, 9:07am EDT
