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Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
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On moving fast and breaking things
Craig Piercycpiercy@ans.org
So much of what is happening in federal nuclear policy these days seems driven by a common approach popularized in the technology sector. Silicon Valley calls it “move fast and break things,” a phrase originally associated with Facebook’s early culture under Mark Zuckerberg. The idea emerged in the early 2000s as software companies discovered that rapid iteration, frequent experimentation, and a willingness to tolerate failure could dramatically accelerate innovation. This philosophy helped drive the growth of the social media, smartphones, cloud computing, and digital platforms that now underpin modern economic and social life.
Today, that mindset is also influencing federal nuclear policy. The Trump administration views accelerated nuclear deployment as part of a broader competition with China for technological and AI leadership. In that context, it seems willing to accept greater operational risk in pursuit of strategic advantage and long-term economic and security objectives.
November 30–December 3, 2021
Now all sessions will be available virtually!
Washington, DC|Washington Hilton
If you are attending the 2021 Winter Meeting, we will require either proof of COVID-19 vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival at the Washington Hilton Hotel.
ANS values the health and safety of all our members. We will continue to follow all CDC, State, City, and Hotel safety requirements in our efforts to provide you a safe environment as we gather again.
The server used by EventScan for uploading your vaccination information is the same type of server used by hospitals, surgical centers, and emergency clinics. Once uploaded, your vaccination information is stored on an encrypted HIPAA server during the information collection timeframe for laboratory purposes. The data is kept encrypted on the server until conclusion of the meeting, and all attendees receive notification of verification, by email through the secured system.
General ChairAmir Vexler President and Chief Executive Officer Orano USA
Steve Nesbit2021 PresidentAmerican Nuclear Society
Craig H. PiercyExecutive Director / CEOAmerican Nuclear Society
Wednesday, December 1, 2021 | 8:00–11:00AM EST
Thursday, December 2, 2021 | 8:00–10:30AM EST
Visit the New ANS Lounge, Sponsored by EPRI, to network with other attendees or simply relax between sessions.
Sponsored by
The ANS Winter Meeting gives you guaranteed live in-person access to diverse, hard-to-reach professionals as well as virtual attendees from across the nuclear industry . Over a quarter of our audience has decision-making and buying power (CNO, COO, VP and Senior level staff). These powerful decision-makers control huge budgets and attend the Winter Meeting with serious purchasing intent, looking for new technology solutions and practical innovations that best fit their operations’ needs. View our Exhibitor and Support Prospectus