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
Young Members Group
The Young Members Group works to encourage and enable all young professional members to be actively involved in the efforts and endeavors of the Society at all levels (Professional Divisions, ANS Governance, Local Sections, etc.) as they transition from the role of a student to the role of a professional. It sponsors non-technical workshops and meetings that provide professional development and networking opportunities for young professionals, collaborates with other Divisions and Groups in developing technical and non-technical content for topical and national meetings, encourages its members to participate in the activities of the Groups and Divisions that are closely related to their professional interests as well as in their local sections, introduces young members to the rules and governance structure of the Society, and nominates young professionals for awards and leadership opportunities available to members.
Meeting Spotlight
2020 ANS Virtual Winter Meeting
November 16–19, 2020
Virtual Meeting|Online
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 2020
Jul 2020
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
October 2020
Nuclear Technology
August 2020
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
HPS's Eric Goldin: On health physics
Eric Goldin, president of the Health Physics Society, is a radiation safety specialist with 40 years of experience in power reactor health physics, supporting worker and public radiation safety programs. A certified health physicist since 1984, he has served on the American Board of Health Physics, and since 2004, he has been a member of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements’ Program Area Committee 2, which provides guidance for radiation safety in occupational settings for a variety of industries and activities. He was awarded HPS Fellow status in 2012 and was elected to the NCRP in 2014.
Goldin’s radiological engineering experience includes ALARA programs, instrumentation, radioactive waste management, emergency planning, dosimetry, decommissioning, licensing, effluents, and environmental monitoring.
The HPS, headquartered in Herndon, Va., is the largest radiation safety society in the world. Its membership includes scientists, safety professionals, physicists, engineers, attorneys, and other professionals from academia, industry, medical institutions, state and federal government, the national laboratories, the military, and other organizations.
The HPS’s activities include encouraging research in radiation science, developing standards, and disseminating radiation safety information. Its members are involved in understanding, evaluating, and controlling the potential risks from radiation relative to the benefits.
Goldin talked about the HPS and health physics activities with Rick Michal, editor-in-chief of Nuclear News.
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 2021 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 April 16, 2020, 3:38pm CDT
