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
Human Factors, Instrumentation & Controls
Improving task performance, system reliability, system and personnel safety, efficiency, and effectiveness are the division's main objectives. Its major areas of interest include task design, procedures, training, instrument and control layout and placement, stress control, anthropometrics, psychological input, and motivation.
Meeting Spotlight
2021 ANS Winter Meeting and Technology Expo
November 30–December 3, 2021
Washington, DC|Washington Hilton
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
Sep 2021
Jul 2021
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
October 2021
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
August 2021
Latest News
Matthew Denman: On Probabilistic Risk Assessment
Matthew Denman
Probabilistic risk assessment is a systematic methodology for evaluating risks associated with a complex engineered technology such as nuclear energy. PRA risk is defined in terms of possible detrimental outcomes of an activity or action, and as such, risk is characterized by three quantities: what can go wrong, the likelihood of the problem, and the resulting consequences of the problem.
Matthew Denman is principal engineer for reliability engineering at Kairos Power and the chair of the American Nuclear Society and American Society of Mechanical Engineers Joint Committee on Nuclear Risk Management’s Subcommittee of Standards Development. As a college student at the University of Florida, Denman took a course on PRA but didn’t enjoy it, because he did not see its connection to the nuclear power industry. Later, during his Ph.D. study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, his advisor was Neil Todreas, a well-known thermal hydraulics expert. Todreas was working on a project with George Apostolakis, who would leave MIT to become a commissioner of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The project, “Risk Informing the Design of the Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor,” was a multi-university effort funded through a Department of Energy Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (NERI) grant. Todreas and Apostolakis were joined in this project by a who’s who of nuclear academia, including Andy Kadak (MIT, ANS past president [1999–2000]), Mike Driscoll (MIT), Mike Golay (MIT), Mike Lineberry (Idaho State University, former ANS treasurer), Rich Denning (Ohio State University), and Tunc Aldemir (Ohio State University).
ANS works on behalf of its members to advocate for policies that advance nuclear science and technology. In Washington, D.C. and at the state level, ANS looks for opportunities to support policies that advance nuclear science in medicine, energy, education, and aerospace. ANS works in a variety of ways to encourage policies that recognize the benefits nuclear science and technology bring to our lives.
Each year ANS provides testimony on Department of Energy (DOE) programs to the House and Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittees for the upcoming fiscal year. The testimony looks to further advance nuclear-related funding levels and nuclear-related policy issues. For more information on the federal budget process click here.
Download FY 2022 Testimony
ANS formed the Nuclear Waste Policy Task Force in 2019 to interact with policymakers, government representatives, and the public on spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste management issues.
The issue of nuclear waste policy is of paramount importance for the nuclear technology community. Effective radioactive waste management is necessary to allow for the application of nuclear technology. In particular, this refers to restricting the development of advanced reactors which would provide reliable, carbon-free energy if the waste issue is not sufficiently addressed.
In June 2019, ANS Nuclear Waste Policy Task Force Chair Steve Nesbit provided testimony for a hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The purpose of the hearing was to examine options for the interim and long-term storage of nuclear waste and to consider S.1234, the Nuclear Waste Administration Act of 2019.
Download a Copy of the Task Force Issue Brief:
Proposal for Progress on Nuclear Waste Management
ANS Nuclear Waste Policy Task Force Roster:
The Special Committee on Advanced Reactor Policy (SCARP) was organized in 2018 by then ANS President John Kelly to survey existing advanced reactor-related legislation and policy proposals in order to develop integrated policy-related recommendations. In examining current federal policies in law, regulation, public pronouncement and practice, the Special Committee developed an eight-page report aimed at accelerating the deployment of advanced reactors in the U.S. and abroad that best represent the consensus position of the U.S. nuclear community.
The Special Committee knows that it is essential for the federal government, specifically the U.S. Department of Energy, to actively support accelerated development of the advanced reactor standards by standards development organizations (SDOs) that the U.S. NRC would incorporate into its regulatory policies, guidelines, and activities so as to not delay or complicate the timely licensing of the first generation of advanced reactor.
It is the Committee’s hope that the NRC, DOE, and SDO community review the report and implement its recommendations when moving forward with advanced reactor standards development and policies related to advanced reactor deployment. The Special Report was officially introduced at the ANS Winter Meeting in November 2019.
Download a Copy of the Special Report:
Setting the Right Bar: How Consensus Standards Help Advanced Reactor Development
ANS Special Committee on Advanced Reactor Policy Roster:
ANS members can re-watch the September 2019 webinar which examines the health effects and polarizing questions surrounding the topic of low-dose radiation.
You must be logged into your ANS account to see the webinar. Not a member?
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ANS members can re-watch the November 2019 webinar discussion on the political landscape of nuclear as we near the 2020 fall election season. Topics covered range from interacting with the green community on nuclear, low-dose radiation, and a breakdown of current federal nuclear legislation.
The ANS Nuclear Policy Wire provides members with up to date information on the ever-changing federal nuclear policy landscape.
You must be a member to receive the periodic Nuclear Policy Wire e-mails. Not a member?
The ANS Nuclear Policy Wire also produces the Nuclear All-Stars series! Where we interview some of nuclear’s biggest advocates in Congress to chat about upcoming legislation and why nuclear is important to them.
Last modified May 12, 2021, 2:37pm CDT
