ANS Executive Committee releases statement on recent killings of unarmed African Americans and systemic racism

Achieving gender equality in the clean energy sector by 2030 is the goal of Equal by 30, a campaign of the Clean Energy, Education and Empowerment (C3E) initiative. ANS joined the campaign on June 25 and is now one of nearly 150 public and private sector organizations committed to taking concrete action toward achieving equal pay, equal leadership, and equal opportunities for women in the clean energy sector by 2030.

ANS Executive Director/CEO Craig Piercy was a recent guest on the Titans of Nuclear podcast, hosted by Bret Kugelmass. The podcasts feature interviews with experts throughout the nuclear community, covering advanced technology, economics, policy, industry, and more.

The wide-ranging discussion with Piercy tackled diverse subjects—from his Washington, D.C., policymaking background, to ANS’s role in addressing challenging nuclear issues, to waste management and climate change.

The Diversity and Inclusion in ANS program is guided by the Diversity and Inclusion in ANS (DIA) Committee to promote diversity and inclusion in nuclear science, technology, and engineering and to promote and support the participation of underrepresented or marginalized groups within the Society, including—but not limited to—women, persons of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and persons with disabilities.

Seven newly elected officers of the ANS Board of Directors began their terms on June 11 following the Board meeting during the 2020 ANS Virtual Annual Meeting. Continue reading to learn more about the new officers.

ANS Executive Director/CEO Craig Piercy has joined Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy (GCNP), making a commitment, along with over 50 other leaders in the GCNP network, to break down gender barriers in the field of nuclear policy.

Dunzik-Gougar

Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar is the 66th president of the American Nuclear Society. On June 11, during a meeting of the Board of Directors that—like the rest of the 2020 ANS Annual Meeting—was held virtually, the duties of president were officially transferred from Marilyn Kray to Dunzik-Gougar, who will serve a one-year term as president. Kray will remain on the Board of Directors for one year as immediate past president.

Kray

American Nuclear Society President Marilyn Kray announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with other key nuclear organizations today during the President’s Special Session of the Virtual Annual Meeting.

Piercy

Nesbit

ANS Executive Director/CEO Craig Piercy sent a letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on May 28 urging the agency to resume work on a proposed rulemaking to allow spent fuel reprocessing in the United States. As the letter explains, “the lack of an efficient, technically robust, and technology-inclusive regulatory foundation for reprocessing and recycling is a barrier to innovation.”

Steve Nesbit, who was recently elected ANS’s next vice president/president-elect, chairs the ANS Nuclear Waste Policy Task Force and helped develop the letter. ANS News staff talked with Nesbit about the development and goals of ANS’s participation in the NRC’s rulemaking process.

Each year, ANS leaders are nominated and elected from among the dedicated nuclear technology professionals that make up the Society’s membership. Now is your chance to nominate candidates to run in the 2021 ANS national election for the offices of vice president/president-elect and treasurer and for five positions on the ANS Board of Directors. All terms will begin in June 2021.

Craig Piercy

Dear ANS Members,

In the midst of a global pandemic, it feels insufficient somehow to begin a letter with the oft-used expression of hope that it “finds you well.” We are all affected by COVID-19 in some way that makes us less “well” in our lives, whether caused by the virus itself or the socioeconomic ramifications of our response to it. Perhaps it is more realistic for me to hope that you and your family are healthy, generally well-provisioned, and gainfully occupied as we all, collectively and individually, find a way to make the best of our “new normal.”