What does it mean to be a leader? That question is at the heart of the Young Professionals Congress 2019 (YPC19).

On Episode 12 of RadioNuclear, we discuss how fear-mongering stories about nuclear power plants in the path of a hurricane are irrelevant, the Oyster Creek Shutdown, and lastly, how nuclear power should be used geopolitically.

For over a decade, I have been attending American Nuclear Society (ANS) National and Topical meetings both as a student and a young professional. These meetings hold a very special place in my heart and give me the opportunity to participate in a professional and technical venue most closely aligned with my career and goals. However, I am often asked, "What value is there in attending the ANS meetings, and why do you go?" The answer to that question can sometimes be difficult to supply, solely because of the over-abundance of reasons for and value I gain from attending. The short answer is, "I attend because I am a nuclear professional and an advocate for our industry and all nuclear professionals should attend." But the true answer goes deeper than that.

South Korea's Shin-Kori units 3 and 4 (left pair) and 5 and 6 (right pair.) Preconstruction art courtesy KEPCO.

by Will Davis, reporting from the 2015 ANS Annual Meeting

The Environmental Protection Agency's proposed Clean Power Plan has gained favor with some nuclear energy advocates. An extensive analysis of the proposal, however, reveals that current nuclear generating capacity would largely suffer under the new carbon rules. In fact, the results of an evaluation performed by my fellow graduate student Justin Knowles and myself show that 15 states are actually incentivized to shut down all of their nuclear units and replace them with natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) generation. In effect, this plan allows for increasing carbon emissions; a far cry from the stated goals of the Clean Power Plan.

Florida governor Rick Scott and his cabinet met on May 13 for the final state-level site selection determination for new AP1000 nuclear reactors planned to be built at the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station in southern Florida. The hearing was well-attended by opponents and supporters.

Like many young and restless Ph.D. recipients, Tim Lucas was stricken with insatiable wanderlust. After completing his Doctorate in nuclear engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tim cast off the shackles of his societal commitments to begin a new life as a roving vagabond. Tim, who lived on his beloved boat Slick throughout grad school, set sail from Boston two years ago. He first headed south to the Caribbean, then through the Panama Canal to the Galapagos. He drifted among the South Pacific archipelagos, embracing all the pleasures of peripatetic life. Eventually, he finagled his way across Asia and into the Mediterranean, where he now meanders through the Dodecanese.

A first-time event at this year's American Nuclear Society Student Conference was the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit, held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The premiere event for the summit was a Pitch Contest that challenged students to effectively communicate their ideas in 90 seconds by using only a single slide per team, followed by 90 seconds of questions from a diverse panel of judges.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will be hosting the 2013 ANS Student Conference, to be held April 4-6, 2013, in Boston, MA.  MIT student leaders are making the rounds at the ANS Winter Conference to highlight the exciting events in store at the student conference.

American Nuclear Society President-elect Donald Hoffman recently visited the ANS Student Section at Chattanooga State Community College. Hoffman thanked the students for their outstanding participation at the recent Department of Energy public hearing on proposed mixed oxide fuel technologies for Tennessee Valley Authority nuclear plants, and laid out a vision for the future for ANS, in a presentation before a large audience of 60-70 attendees.

On September 11, the National Nuclear Security Administration (U.S. Department of Energy) hosted a public meeting in Chattanooga, Tenn., concerning its Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on the disposition of surplus weapons-grade plutonium as mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel for use in power reactors. You may have seen the ANS Call to Action for the hearing and perhaps read the ANS position statement or background information.

A quick shot of the ANS member room before the open house kicked off - students in the royal blue t-shirts are with the Chattanooga State ANS Student Section.

WHO:          

The University of California-Berkeley Nuclear Engineering Department has been awarded an American Nuclear Society Presidential Citation, ANS President Eric Loewen announced today. Loewen will present the award to UC-Berkeley nuclear engineering department representatives during the President's Session of the ANS Annual Conference,  Nuclear Science and Technology: Managing the Global Impact of Economic and Natural Events, being held June 24-28 in Chicago, Ill.

The 2012 ANS Student Conference in Las Vegas wrapped up last weekend.  Thanks to all attendees and to the host University of Nevada Las Vegas Student Section of the American Nuclear Society for making the event such a success!  News coverage of the conference from ABC TV Channel 13 KTNV:

A triple feature for your viewing pleasure! Here we go:

American Nuclear Society President Eric Loewen visited the ANS student section at the University of Illinois on Tuesday, March 27, followed by dinner with the Central Illinois ANS local section. This event was part of Loewen's "March Madness" speaking tour, building toward the 2012 ANS Student Conference (which begins today in Las Vegas).  The occasion gave ANS Nuclear Cafe a chance to catch up with Valentyn Bykov, president of the ANS student section at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, to discuss the section and its activities.