Call for 2026 ANS Special Award suggestions

The Special Award is presented to an individual or group for outstanding accomplishments in a different topical each year.

The guidelines as specified in the H&A Manual explain that topics should reflect “the wide variety of subjects in which ANS members are prominent contributors. Future awards should be made in areas different from those in which previous awards have been made. The award topic should be of timely interest to the Society and should reflect current Society affairs and activities.”

After suggestions are received, the ANS Board of Directors will select a topic based on recommendations from the H&A Committee. Then, there will be a call for nominations with a March 1 deadline. Finally, if appropriate nominations are received, recipients will be announced at the 2026 Annual Conference.

Deadline: Submit your suggestions, along with a brief description, no later than Friday, September 26, to Tracy Coyle at tcoyle@ans.org.

Past awards: In 2025, the Special Award topic was “Secure digital control systems for advanced reactors/Advancement of enabling technologies for advanced reactors.”

In 2024, the topic, chosen in commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of Eisenhower’s Atoms for Peace speech, was “Achievements and contributions to advancing peaceful applications of nuclear technology and addressing future challenges.”

In 2023, the topic was “The role nuclear power plays in meeting state energy and environmental objectives.”

See a full list of every Special Award topic ANS has chosen since 1962 here.