ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Fusion Energy
This division promotes the development and timely introduction of fusion energy as a sustainable energy source with favorable economic, environmental, and safety attributes. The division cooperates with other organizations on common issues of multidisciplinary fusion science and technology, conducts professional meetings, and disseminates technical information in support of these goals. Members focus on the assessment and resolution of critical developmental issues for practical fusion energy applications.
Meeting Spotlight
Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo
August 8–11, 2021
Marco Island, FL|JW Marriott Marco Island
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2021
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
July 2021
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Metz on Harold Denton: Memories of a life in nuclear safety
Metz
A number of years ago, historian and writer Chuck Metz Jr. was at the Bush’s Visitor Center in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains when he ran into former Nuclear Regulatory Commission official Harold Denton and his wife. Metz was at the visitor center, which opened in 2010 and is now a tourist hotspot, because, as he explained to the Dentons at the time, he had overseen the development of its on-site museum and had written a companion coffee-table history book.
The chance meeting turned into a friendship and a fruitful collaboration. Denton, who in 1979 was the public spokesperson for the NRC as the Three Mile Island-2 accident unfolded, had been working on his memoir, but he was stuck. He asked Metz for help with the organization and compilation of his notes. “I was about to retire,” Metz said, “but I thought that exploring the nuclear world might be an interesting change of pace.”
Denton passed away in 2017, but by then Metz had spent many hours with his fast friend and was able to complete the memoir, Three Mile Island and Beyond: Memories of a Life in Nuclear Safety, which was published recently by ANS. Metz shared some of his thoughts about Denton and the book with Nuclear News. The interview was conducted by NN’s David Strutz.
The American Nuclear Society is excited to announce the addition of elementary school resources to Navigating Nuclear: Energizing Our World™, the nuclear science curriculum developed with Discovery Education™ and launched in 2018. The U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy provides funding for Navigating Nuclear.
The first elementary resources--two classroom activities--will launch in time for Nuclear Science Week, October 19-23. The activities include an engaging introduction to the structure of the atom and another on making informed energy decisions. STEM Project Starters will be launched throughout the 2020-2021 school year. A Virtual Field Trip on applications of nuclear science and technology for space exploration and colonization will premiere in April 2021.
A fact-based nuclear science curriculum, Navigating Nuclear is designed to guide students in examining the ways nuclear energy powers our world and in exploring real-world applications of nuclear processes. The same resources available to classrooms that subscribe to the Discovery Education in-classroom platform are also available free online at navigatingnuclear.com.
Navigating Nuclear explores topics such as:
ANS has put together a guidebook to introduce you to the Navigating Nuclear program. This resource will help you make the most of your outreach programs. Inside you will find ideas for contacting teachers, engaging students, and planning professional development activities for teachers.
Take an even closer look at Navigating Nuclear with these two informational webinars:
Navigating Nuclear: Energizing Our World™ is having a stellar debut in high school. Secondary school resources were added to the nuclear science and technology curriculum created by ANS and Discovery Education in October 2019. Since the first two high school lessons launched, nearly three times as many page views, visits, and visitors were recorded on the program website—navigatingnuclear.com—than in the month prior. In addition, the site saw its second-highest number of downloads with more than 1,100 downloads recorded. The most downloads recorded since launching the program was in October 2018, when the program's first Virtual Field Trip (VFT) premiered. The newest VFT offers a behind-the-scenes tour of Idaho National Laboratory. It debuts on February 18, 2020.
“Our members are involved in nuclear science and technology every day. They are the professionals actually making advances in nuclear science and technology. With Navigating Nuclear, ANS is contributing the most up-to-date information and research on nuclear science, nuclear energy, and their applications. Discovery Education turns that information into engaging curriculum resources.”
— Eric Loewen, Navigating Nuclear Subject Matter Expert Team Leader & ANS Past President (2011-12)
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Help support Navigating Nuclear and the ANS Center for Nuclear Science and Technology Information by making a contribution today.
Navigating Nuclear is an ANS Center for Nuclear Science and Technology Information program developed in conjunction with Discovery Education.
Last modified September 23, 2020, 12:07pm CDT
