Key federal nuclear policy post opens to applicantsANS NewsSeptember 1, 2020, 11:59AM|ANS News StaffThe Office of Management and Budget (OMB) within the Executive Office of the President is charged with reviewing and approving the annual budget requests of federal departments and agencies, including the Department of Energy. “In many ways, the OMB is the final authority on government spending,” explained ANS Executive Director/CEO Craig Piercy.A window has just opened for applicants to serve as a nuclear program examiner for the OMB, with responsibility for analyzing nuclear policy issues and developing recommendations.PiercyAn important role: “OMB has an incredibly important, if underappreciated, role in determining the scope and nature of the federal government’s investments in nuclear technology development,” Piercy said. With U.S. nuclear plant operators facing economic challenges and electricity generators across the country seeking cost-competitive options—including advanced nuclear—to meet their clean energy goals, well-targeted federal nuclear spending could have a huge impact.“OMB approves the DOE’s annual budget request, as well as its major spending decisions,” Piercy added. “The nuclear program examiner position requires a deep understanding of the scientific and engineering dimensions of nuclear technology, program and project management, and an overarching understanding of the federal budget process.”Requirements: The position can be filled at the federal government’s GS 12–13 or GS 14–15 pay grades, and, at a minimum, it requires one year of specialized experience in the federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector that demonstrates experience in applying analytic disciplines, such as economics, engineering, finance, or statistics, to policy challenges in highly technical fields or sectors; the capacity to analyze an array of civilian nuclear energy technologies and policies individually and within a broader energy policy context; and an understanding of federal energy programs and the commercial energy sector.Responsibilities: The program examiner will:Analyze legislative, budgetary, and regulatory proposals; review testimony, reports to Congress, and other materials for conformance with current policies and priorities; and monitor policy progress through congressional and executive branch processes.Develop options and recommendations to address policy issues through budgetary resource allocation, improved management systems, and program oversight; identify and evaluate impediments to implementing policy direction and formulate alternative approaches; and advise and assist in the administration of policy and operating guidelines.Review organizational structures, human capital plans, performance plans, and financial management and information technology systems to support long-range program and policy development and goals.Visit usajobs.gov today for information about applying for the position of program examiner at pay grades GS 12–13 or GS 14–15. Applications will be accepted through September 11.Tags:ans leadershipnuclear economicsnuclear policynuclear r&dombShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Don't forget to vote!The 2021 ANS Election is open. This is your chance to help shape the future of your Society.All ANS members were sent an email on February 22 with a unique username and password from Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS). If you did not receive this email or you do not have your election login information, please go to directvote.net/ANS, enter your email address that is on file with ANS, and your election login information will be emailed to you.Go to Article
ANS touts benefits of nuclear energy in letter to FERCThe American Nuclear Society recommended that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) consider recognizing the reliability and resiliency benefits that carbon-free nuclear electricity generation provides to the bulk power system. ANS President Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar and Executive Director/CEO Craig Piercy submitted these comments in a letter during a FERC meeting on Thursday morning.Go to Article
Candidates for Young Member seat on ANS Board offer statementsThis is the fourth in a four-part series spotlighting the candidates for the upcoming 2021 ANS national election. Seven leadership positions are on the ballot.Today we feature statements from the nominees for the Young Member director position, which was approved by the ANS Board of Directors in September.The nominees are Benjamin A. Holtzman, of the Nuclear Energy Institute, an ANS member since 2007, and Catherine M. Prat, of Westinghouse Electric Company, an ANS member since 2011.Ballots will be sent electronically on February 22 and must be submitted by 4 p.m. (ET) on Tuesday, April 6.Go to Article
Candidates for ANS Board of Directors offer statementsThis is the third in a four-part series spotlighting the candidates for the upcoming 2021 ANS national election. Seven leadership positions are on the ballot.Today we feature statements from the nominees for the U.S. director at-large positions. There are 10 candidates for four open spots on the ANS Board of Directors. The nominees are Harsh Desai, Nuclear Energy Institute; Julie G. Ezold, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Jess C. Gehin, Idaho National Laboratory; Kathryn D. Huff, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Jeffrey C. King, Colorado School of Mines; Stephen P. LaMont, Los Alamos National Laboratory; Jean-Francois Lucchini, Los Alamos National Laboratory; John M. Mahoney, High Expectations International; Jessika V. Rojas, Virginia Commonwealth University; and Tracy E. Stover Jr., Savannah River Nuclear Solutions.Ballots will be sent electronically on February 22 and must be submitted by 4 p.m. (ET) on Tuesday, April 6.Go to Article
ANS Task Force: Accelerating nuclear R&D investment is key to securing America’s clean energy futureThe ANS Task Force on Public Investment in Nuclear Research and Development has just issued a report titled “The U.S. Nuclear R&D Imperative.” Visit ans.org/policy/rndreport/ to learn more and to read the report in its entirety.The following article, originally published in the February 2021 issue of Nuclear News, describes the formation of the Task Force and the principles that guided its members as they developed specific nuclear R&D funding recommendations to ensure that a new generation of nuclear energy technologies is ready for deployment in 2030 and beyond.Go to Article
Klann, Wharton offer candidate statements for ANS treasurerThis is the second in a four-part series spotlighting the candidates for the upcoming 2021 ANS national election. Seven leadership positions are on the ballot.Today we feature statements from the nominees for treasurer.The nominees are Ray Klann, an ANS member since 1991, who is a senior scientist in the National Security Directorate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; and W. A. “Art” Wharton III, an ANS member since 2004, who is a vice president at Studsvik Scandpower. Wharton, the current ANS treasurer, is running for a second term.Ballots will be sent electronically on February 22 and must be submitted by 4 p.m. (ET) on Tuesday, April 6.Go to Article
Candidates for ANS vice president offer statementsToday we feature statements from the nominees for vice president/president-elect. The nominees are Steven A. Arndt, an ANS Fellow and member since 1981, who is a senior technical advisor with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and Corey McDaniel, an ANS member since 2008, who is chief commercial officer at Idaho National Laboratory.Ballots will be sent electronically on February 22 and must be submitted by 4 pm (ET) on Tuesday, April 6.The first-ever ANS vice president candidate discussion forum will be held Wednesday, Feb. 17 from 6:00-7:00 pm EST. Register now for the event to hear directly from candidates Steven Arndt and Corey McDaniel.Go to Article
The new normal?Mary Lou Dunzik-GougarHappy New Year! I sincerely hope that each of you found time to refresh and rejuvenate over the holidays, or at least have fun. Many indicators suggest that 2021 will be a better year than 2020, including a growing understanding of COVID-19 and its impacts and the availability of a vaccine. So many have suffered from job loss or even loss of businesses in 2020. Even for those of us fortunate enough to be healthy, gainfully employed, and able to work from anywhere thanks to Zoom and its competitors, uncertainty is still a challenging aspect of the pandemic.Go to Article
ANS signs agreement with Spanish Nuclear SocietyThe American Nuclear Society and Sociedad Nuclear Española (SNE) on December 10 signed a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) that creates a partnership between the two societies to cooperate in promoting the development of nuclear science and technology for peaceful purposes.Go to Article
Statement from ANS President Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar on Barakah Nuclear Energy PlantANS congratulates the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp. on bringing the first Barakah reactor to full operational capacity.Go to Article