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Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
May 2026
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2026
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
June 2026
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
WIPP: Lessons in transportation safety
As part of a future consent-based approach by the federal government to site new deep geologic repositories for nuclear waste, local communities and states that are considering hosting such facilities are sure to have many questions. Currently, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico is the only example of such a repository in operation, and it offers the opportunity for state and local officials to visit and judge for themselves the risks and benefits of hosting a similar facility. But its history can also provide lessons for these officials, particularly the political process leading up to the opening of WIPP, the safety of WIPP operations and transportation of waste from generator facilities to the site, and the economic impacts the project has had on the local area of Carlsbad, as well as the rest of the state of New Mexico.
Chicago-Great Lakes Local Section Event
February 27, 2025|6:00–7:00PM (7:00–8:00PM EST)
Available to All Users
Join the ANS Chicago-Great Lakes Local Section for a presentation on the advancements in nuclear energy through the Molten Salt Research Reactor (MSRR) project at Abilene Christian University (ACU).
The presentation will focus on the MSRR's critical role in addressing global challenges, the advantages of using molten salt as a medium for energy production, safety features, the development timeline, key milestones, and future prospects for both Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The presentation will be followed by an interactive Q&A session into the MSRR's potential impacts on society and the environment.
Please register for this hybrid event and indicate whether you will be attending virtually or in person at the ANS Headquarters office (1111 Pasquinelli Dr., Suite 350, Westmont, IL 60559).
About the PresenterLester Towell, Director of Operations, ACU NEXT Lab, earned his bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics from Abilene Christian University in 1990. For the next four years, he served in the US Navy as an instructor at the Naval Nuclear Power School in Orlando, FL where he taught Reactor Principles and Physics. In 1995, Towell joined the Computer Information Systems department at Howard Payne University and moved to the Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing (NEXT) Lab at ACU in 2020 as the licensing manager for the first university advanced reactor in the country.
