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Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2026
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NN Asks: Is the U.S. ready for nuclear construction to accelerate?
Craig Stover
Yes, but . . .
The United States is better positioned today for nuclear construction than it has been in decades. Some of that comes from the experience gained at Vogtle and V.C. Summer. I was part of the team that helped start the V.C. Summer project in 2008, and at that time we were trying to build a nuclear construction workforce from scratch. We learned a lot through that effort, and many of those lessons learned have since been studied, documented, and shared.
The nuclear industry is also benefiting from the wave of investment that started growing around 2020. Over the last five or six years, there has been a serious effort across the country to get ready for new nuclear builds. The U.S. government and the private sector are investing billions of dollars in new nuclear. Much of that work is happening before widespread commercial deployment contracts are signed. This is real, and we need to prepare.
Designed specifically for the needs of educators in and out of the classroom, the ANS Cloud Chamber Kit allows students to view the effects of ionizing radiation through an exciting, hands-on activity. The kit includes materials to build four cloud chambers--the only things the educator needs to provide are alcohol (91% for best results) and dry ice.
Also included are an illustrated step-by-step manual for setting up and using the cloud chambers and a classroom poster to help students identify the types of radiation they may observe.
Reach out to us at uezibe@ans.org to learn more!
Use the following resources in explorations and investigations with the Visualizing Radiation Cloud Chamber Kit.
Cloud Chamber Kit Manual
ANS Visualizing Radiation Cloud Chamber Manual
PowerPoint Presentation
ANS Visualizing Radiation with Cloud Chambers.pptx
Handouts
Health Physics Society Guidance for the Use of Exempt Quantities of Radioactive Materials in the Secondary SchoolProvide a copy of this handout to event organizers for their use and information.https://hps.org/sciencesupport/documents/hps_scisupport_guidance_exempt-quantities-school.pdf
Centers for Disease Control Safe Handling of Dry Icehttps://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/pfizer/downloads/dry-ice-safety-hcp.pdfUse this handout for guidance in handling dry ice and provide a copy to event organizers.
