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Division Spotlight
Decommissioning & Environmental Sciences
The mission of the Decommissioning and Environmental Sciences (DES) Division is to promote the development and use of those skills and technologies associated with the use of nuclear energy and the optimal management and stewardship of the environment, sustainable development, decommissioning, remediation, reutilization, and long-term surveillance and maintenance of nuclear-related installations, and sites. The target audience for this effort is the membership of the Division, the Society, and the public at large.
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!
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
October 2021
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Fusion Science and Technology
August 2021
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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).
A voluntary consensus standards program, like the one at ANS, stands on the strength and diversity of its volunteers. ANS Standards only come into existence due to the hard work, loyalty, and dedication of its volunteer network of hundreds of qualified individuals in the industry. Because of this, ANS always looks for and welcomes new volunteers to its development process.
But more than just helping ANS, participation in a standards development process helps the industry. Active participation in our committees ensures that industry standards stay current and generates ideas for new standards that are needed in the field. Your participation in standards also means that no longer do you silently wish a standard would do something for your field, now you can actually work to make sure a standard accomplishes just that.
There's someone else who also benefits from participation in our standards program: you, the volunteer. The consensus process offers an excellent network of industry experts. You not only have the opportunity to meet and work with people from a variety of backgrounds, but you have a chance to learn from their experiences. The standards development process is all about shared knowledge. Check out the Standards Committee Member Survey Summary for an estimate on time commitment, benefits of participating, and other feedback from current Standards Committee members.
ANS Standards Committee members must subscribe to the Terms of Membership/Usage.
The best way to get involved is to find a current or proposed standard in which you have an interest and expertise. ANS working groups are the actual writing committees that create the text of a standard. Alternatively, you can get connected with a subcommittee that deals with your area of expertise, and investigate if there is a need for volunteers or even propose to create a standard that's of importance to your field.
In any case, your first step is the volunteer form. Procedures of the ANS Standards Committee require that a volunteer form be kept on file at ANS headquarters.
Volunteer OpportunitiesStandards Committee Member Survey Summary
Standards Volunteer Form
Last modified August 23, 2021, 2:00pm CDT
