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
Jun 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
July 2026
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Valar’s Ward 250 reaches criticality in Utah
El Segundo, Calif.–based start-up Valar Atomics has taken its Ward 250 test reactor critical at the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab (USREL), becoming the second company in the Department of Energy's Reactor Pilot Program to reach the milestone, and, according to the DOE, the first to do so outside a national laboratory.
The DOE celebrated the achievement in a June 18 announcement, describing it as a "zero-power fueled criticality demonstration." The news follows a similar update for Antares Nuclear's Mark-0 reactor, which the DOE said achieved criticality at Idaho National Laboratory earlier this month.
2020 ANS Virtual Winter Meeting Plenary Session Speaker
U. S. Department of Energy, Retired
Alex Larzelere is the former Federal Director for the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy’s Modeling and Simulation Energy Innovation Hub. As such, he was involved with developing the original vision, writing the Funding Opportunity Announcement, and conducting the Merit Review Process that resulted in CASL. Over the next six years, Alex executed the “light federal touch” for the oversight of the Hub. Alex has been involved with advanced computing and modeling and simulation for about 30 years in a variety of roles. These include, running technology transfer programs, helping to start the Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative (ASCI) for the simulation of nuclear weapons, working for private industry, and starting his own companies.
He is the author of, “Delivering Insight, the History of the First 10 Years of ASCI”. Also, Alex served in the U.S. Coast Guard, sailing on cutters in Southeast Alaska. He is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Alex Larzelere is now retired, traveling with his wife, Mary Ann, playing with his grandson, and writing his memoirs.
Last modified November 4, 2020, 9:43am EST
