Feature ArticleExelon Generation’s workforce development and knowledge transfer strategyNuclear NewsEducationFebruary 12, 2021, 4:10PM|Heather DavisStudents display items they received at a STEM workshop sponsored by Exelon. Photo: Exelon. The landscape of Exelon Generation’s nuclear business has continued to evolve—even before the complications of a pandemic—but people will always remain the core focus. Our employees and our future employee pipelines are changing almost as fast as technology, which is why the development of the workforce, both present and future, along with the transfer of knowledge across all departments and levels of the organization, must remain adaptable and advance as well.To continue reading, log in or create a free account!
Nuclear engineering programs: Building the new nuclear workforceNuclear NewsEducationDecember 28, 2020, 7:01AM|Nuclear News StaffIn order to deliver the next generation of nuclear power plants, the nuclear community needs to overcome a number of challenges identified in 2017 as part of the ANS Nuclear Grand Challenges presidential initiative. Knowledge transfer is one of the nine challenges identified. The goal of the challenge is to “expedite updates to the higher education Nuclear Engineering curriculum to better match today’s needs.” The Nuclear Grand Challenges report noted that “effective means to transfer that knowledge to the newest group of scientists and engineers needs to be developed and implemented. With the advent of new reactor designs and the challenges within materials science to meet the needs of these new designs, the curriculum structure must be reviewed and updated to better meet the needs of industry, suppliers, and research organizations.” Nuclear engineering programs at universities around the country are integral to training and developing the workforce to implement the next generation of nuclear energy. Nuclear News reached out to several such nuclear engineering departments, asking them to provide our readers with an update on how their unique programs are helping meet this important challenge.To continue reading, log in or create a free account!
Feature ArticleTapping Nonnuclear KnowledgeA systematic analysis of drivers and barriers of cross-sectorial learning between nuclear and oil and gas decommissioning projects.Radwaste SolutionsWaste ManagementOctober 2, 2020, 3:39PM|Diletta Colette Invernizzi, Nick Higginson, Richard Howells, Willem Van Es, and Ian BeadleThe Deepsea Delta oil-drilling platform in the North Sea. The dismantling of such large oil and gas structures may offer lessons that can be applied to nuclear decommissioning.Within the energy sector, the management of projects and megaprojects has historically focused on the planning and delivery of the construction of infrastructure [1–3]. Therefore, policies are more oriented to support the construction of infrastructure rather than its decommissioning. Globally, however, a number of facilities have reached or will soon reach their end of life and need to be decommissioned.These facilities span the energy sector, including nuclear power plants, oil and gas rigs, mines, dams, etc., whose decommissioning present unprecedented technical and socioeconomic challenges [4–7]. Moreover, the cost of decommissioning and waste management of this array of infrastructure is estimated to reach hundreds of billions of dollars and, for most of these projects, keeps increasing, with limited cross-sectorial knowledge-transfer to mitigate the spiraling increase of these figures.Cross-sectorial knowledge-transfer is one way to tackle this matter and improve the planning and delivery of decommissioning projects. The aim of our research has been to build a roadmap that is designed to promote the sharing of good practices between projects both within the same industry and across different industrial sectors, focusing specifically on major decommissioning and waste-management challenges.To reach this aim, our research leverages on the experience of senior industry practitioners and their involvement in the decommissioning and waste management of infrastructure in different sectors. More specifically, this research addresses the following questions:To what extent can lessons learned be transferred across industrial sectors?What are the challenges that hinder successful cross-sectorial knowledge-transfer?To continue reading, log in or create a free account!
TMI operators did what they were trained to doANS Nuclear CafeApril 23, 2014, 4:40PM|Mike DerivanNote by Rod Adams: This post has a deep background story. The author, Mike Derivan, was the shift supervisor at the Davis Besse nuclear power plant (DBNPP) on September 24, 1977, when it experienced an event that started out almost exactly like the event at Three Mile Island on March 28, 1979. Go to ArticleTags:knowledge transferlessons learnedthree mile islandShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Ted Rockwell, Atomic Pioneer and Tireless Campaigner for FactsANS Nuclear CafeApril 2, 2013, 1:00PM|Rod AdamsOn Sunday, March 31, 2013, just a few months before his 91st birthday, Ted Rockwell passed away quietly in his sleep. His passing has stimulated a profound sense of loss among nuclear energy professionals.Go to ArticleTags:economic benefits of nuclearenvironmental benefits of nuclearknowledge transfernuclear historynuclear pioneersShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Virginia ANS section discovers hidden asset - Clay ConditANS Nuclear CafeFebruary 5, 2013, 1:30PM|Rod AdamsOn January 31, 2013, about 30 lucky members of the Virginia section of the American Nuclear Society heard a series of informative tales from one of the many innovative pioneers of the First Atomic Age. Clay Condit, a man overflowing with personal memories of important nuclear energy milestones-like the initial start-up of the Submarine Thermal Reactor and the post accident analysis of the SL-1 tragedy-entertained the assembled members for a little more than an hour.Go to ArticleTags:ans local sectionsknowledge transfernational laboratoriesnuclear historynuclear pioneersShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
The ANS Student Section of the University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignANS Nuclear CafeApril 12, 2012, 6:00AM|ANS Nuclear CafeAmerican 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.Go to ArticleTags:american nuclear societyans local sectionsans student sectionseducationengineeringenvironmental benefits of nuclearknowledge transferlessons learnedShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
ANS Fukushima press conference, March 8 at 10AM ESTANS Nuclear CafeMarch 7, 2012, 10:45PM|ANS Nuclear CafeThe American Nuclear Society Special Committee on Fukushima will issue its full report on March 8 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, at 10AM EST. The press conference will be available for viewing via this link.Go to ArticleTags:american nuclear societyans publicationsearthquakeeducationfukushimaknowledge transferlessons learnednatural disastersnuclear regulatory commissionradiationShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Indian PM Singh claims anti-nuclear protests funded by U.S. NGOsANS Nuclear CafeMarch 1, 2012, 7:00AM|Dan YurmanKundankulam nuclear project jammed in new controversiesGo to ArticleTags:educationengineeringindiaknowledge transferlicensingnpcilreactor designsShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
The Blue Ribbon Commission’s final reportANS Nuclear CafeFebruary 6, 2012, 7:00AM|Jim HopfSoon after declaring that it would end the Yucca Mountain repository project, the Obama administration created the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future to reevaluate the nation's nuclear waste program and policies. The commission was asked to recommend improvements to the waste program and the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA), and to make general recommendations on the path forward. The commission was specifically instructed to not address the Yucca Mountain project, or any specific project or site. The commission's final report was released this month.Go to ArticleTags:american nuclear societydepartment of energyeducationenvironmental benefits of nuclearknowledge transferlicensingnational laboratoriesnuclear fuel cyclenuclear regulatory commissionradwaste solutionsspent fuelyucca mountainShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
ANS to hold teacher workshop in Phoenix, AZANS Nuclear CafeFebruary 2, 2012, 7:00AM|ANS Nuclear CafeHands-on activity during a November 2011 ANS Teachers WorkshopThe American Nuclear Society's Center for Nuclear Science and Technology Information and the ANS Outreach Department will be sponsoring a one-day teacher workshop on Sunday, February 26, in Phoenix, Ariz. The workshop-Detecting Radiation in Our Radioactive World-is intended for science educators (including biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, physical science, life science, environmental, and general science teachers) at the high school and middle school levels. The workshop will be held prior to WM2012, the international waste management conference that takes place annually in Phoenix.Go to ArticleTags:american nuclear societyeducationengineeringenvironmental benefits of nuclearirradiationknowledge transferlessons learnednuclear literacy projectphysicsradiationscience & engineering educationShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Ballot initiative to close California’s nuclear plantsANS Nuclear CafeJanuary 30, 2012, 7:00AM|Jim HopfThere's not much new happening in DC right at the moment, so this month I'll discuss something that's going on in the state of California. That is, a proposed ballot initiative to shut the two remaining nuclear power plants-the two-unit Diablo Canyon and the two-unit San Onofre-in the state.Go to ArticleTags:bwrseducationfukushimaknowledge transferlessons learnednatural disastersnuclear opponentspwrsspent fuelShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Full agenda for National Nuclear Science Week 2012ANS Nuclear CafeJanuary 20, 2012, 7:15AM|ANS Nuclear CafeNational Nuclear Science Week-a week-long celebration to focus local, regional, and national interest on all aspects of nuclear science-has nearly arrived! On January 23-27, events and activities will be held across the United States to recognize the benefits of nuclear science and technology and to introduce the next generation of scientists and engineers to the applications of nuclear technologies to everyday life. The National Nuclear Science Week website serves as the clearinghouse for next week's activities and is chock-full of great ideas for how to learn, teach, and celebrate nuclear science and technology.Go to ArticleTags:american nuclear societyeducationengineeringenvironmental benefits of nuclearknowledge transfernational nuclear science weekphysicsscience & engineering educationtennessee valley authorityShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Nuclear News and the new yearANS Nuclear CafeJanuary 17, 2012, 7:00AM|ANS Nuclear CafeThe January issue of Nuclear News magazine is available in hard copy and electronically for American Nuclear Society members (must enter ANS user name and password in Member Center). The issue contains the following stories:Go to ArticleTags:american nuclear societydepartment of energyearthquakeeducationengineeringenvironmental benefits of nuclearfukushimaiaeaknowledge transferlessons learnednatural disastersnuclear fuel cyclenuclear literacy projectnuclear newsnuclear regulatory commissionpwrsreactor designssmall modular reactorsspent fuelvietnamShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
The Fable of the Scary MonsterANS Nuclear CafeJanuary 12, 2012, 7:00AM|Margaret HardingOnce upon a time...Go to ArticleTags:educationknowledge transferlessons learnednuclear opponentsShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Pretty EnergyANS Nuclear CafeJanuary 11, 2012, 7:00AM|Suzy Hobbs BakerI recently joined the latest social media phenomenon-"Pinterest"-after some good old-fashioned peer pressure from my pals. Basically it is an online scrapbook, where you can collect images from all over the Internet and organize or "pin" them under categories like "recipes to try" or "ideas for the garden" on your personal page. There is very little text and not much user-to-user interaction. You just browse thousands of images of party dresses, wedding ideas, art, or whatever you or other users have uploaded to the site. Essentially it's a whole lot of eye candy.Go to ArticleTags:educationenvironmental benefits of nuclearknowledge transferlessons learnedwind powerShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
"Waste Management" in Nuclear NewsANS Nuclear CafeNovember 15, 2011, 7:00AM|ANS Nuclear CafeThe November issue of Nuclear News magazine, which contains a special section on waste management, is available in hard copy and electronically for American Nuclear Society members (must enter ANS user name and password in Member Center). The special section contains the following stories:Go to ArticleTags:american nuclear societydepartment of energyearthquakeeducationfukushimaindiaknowledge transfernational laboratoriesnuclear newsradwaste solutionsspent fuelyucca mountainShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Nuclear Power: How a Nuclear Power Plant Really Works! ANS Nuclear CafeNovember 10, 2011, 7:00AM|Suzy Hobbs BakerI originally wrote this post as a book review, but after three or four edits, I realized that I couldn't mask my biased opinion about the new children's book, Nuclear Power: How a Nuclear Power Plant Really Works! Simply put, I adore this book, as well as author Amelia Frahm, and have something of an emotional stake in its success. So, I decided it would be better to just share the reasons I love this book without trying to hide my enthusiasm.Go to ArticleTags:ans publicationsearthquakefukushimaknowledge transfernatural disastersnuclear literacy projectShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Hall Talk Nov 1 - social mediaANS Nuclear CafeNovember 2, 2011, 9:27AM|Dan YurmanOur intrepid reporter files another update from the ANS Winter Meeting.Go to ArticleTags:american nuclear societyans publicationseducationknowledge transferlessons learnednuclear literacy projectnuclear opponentsShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Hall Talk - Nov 1ANS Nuclear CafeNovember 1, 2011, 1:53PM|Dan YurmanOur intrepid reporter files another update from the ANS Winter Meeting.Go to ArticleTags:american nuclear societyeducationknowledge transfernuclear opponentsview from vermontShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook