The ANS is an international organization of scientists and engineers dedicated to the development and use of the peaceful application of nuclear science and technology. The primary goal of the Society is to stimulate the exchange of technical information in nuclear sciences, engineering and technology among its members and other organizations.
Other supporting goals are to encourage research and educational opportunities in nuclear sciences, engineering and technologies, to promote membership awareness and public understanding of technical and policy issues in the nuclear field, and to contribute to the resolution of technical issues through the development of standards and specific studies that address critical nuclear technologies.
Membership in the ANS is open worldwide to all persons who are active in nuclear sciences and engineering, or in allied fields. ANS welcomes application for membership from qualified persons regardless of country. At present, about 1,000 of the 10,500 total membership resides outside the U.S. All members, both domestic and Non-U.S., have the same privileges.
Through its International Committee and its association with scientific and engineering societies and related organizations around the globe, the ANS encourages and develops international relationships and forums, appropriate technology transfer activities and other mechanisms to foster exchange of information, as well as cooperative agreements with other scientific and engineering societies. Where appropriate, ANS supports the formulation of Local Sections outside the United States to enhance the development of the above mentioned activities. The ANS has eight Non-U.S. Local Sections in Austria, France, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Latin America, Switzerland and Taiwan.
The International Committee has placed more emphasis recently on the encouragement of nuclear scientists and engineers in a country to form a national nuclear society first, then establish and agreement for cooperation with the ANS. Agreements for cooperation are clearly important tools for ANS to further its expressed role “to help foster the exchange of scientific and technical information for peaceful applications not only among its members but also throughout the world.” As a result, agreements for cooperation have been established with about 30 nuclear societies and related organizations throughout the world.
In late 2001, the International Committee received ANS Board approval for implementation of a new program that provides funding to support the participation of a representative from a cooperating international society at both the Society Annual and Winter Meetings. This new program was initiated in 2002, with the following results:
- The President of the Nuclear Society of Croatia (HND) participated at the 2002 ANS Annual Meeting, where he addressed the International Committee on HND activities and on nuclear activities within Croatia. Similar arrangements were realized for the Vice President of the Nuclear Society of Thailand to attend the 2002 ANS Winter Meeting. Implementation of this program has continued since 2002, and the President of the Ukrainaian Nuclear Society is scheduled to participate at the 2008 ANS Annual Meeting in June.
- Detailed program selection criteria were developed by the International Committee.
The International Committee is also the focal point for development of relationships with regional and/or international organizations like the Pacific Nuclear Council (PNC) and the International Nuclear Societies Council (INSC), respectively. The PNC consists of nuclear societies and professional associations from nations of the Pacific Basin, including the ANS. PNC is now responsible for the conduct of the biennial Pacific Basin Nuclear Conferences (PBNCs). The first PBNC was conducted by ANS in Hawaii during 1976, and the 16th PBNC will be held in Aomori, Japan, October 13-18, 2008.
The INSC, a worldwide organization of nuclear societies, consists of member societies from these regions: Europe, the Far East, Latin America, North America (including ANS), and members At-Large. It deals with global issues that affect all societies and looks to the member societies for input and leadership.
In addition, ANS is continuing its long record of organizing international conferences to encourage global information exchange for the purpose of advancing nuclear science and engineering. Every four years, the Society National Winter Meeting is an International Meeting with co-sponsorship by the European Nuclear Society. Also, Society Technical Divisions have conducted and continue to organize many International Topical Meetings with extensive worldwide co-sponsorship.
Starting in the late 1970s, ANS has sponsored technical exchange visits with the Chinese Nuclear Society (Beijing, China, 100822). The most recent event in this series was a visit to China by an ANS Delegation in May 1998.
Awards
Alvin M. Weinberg Medal: This award was established in 1995 to honor Alvin M. Weinberg and to provide international recognition for contributions to the understanding of the social implications of nuclear technology. The award is to be made to an individual in recognition of outstanding international technical and policy leadership in nuclear science and technology, and for consistently and effectively illuminating the human dimensions of the nuclear enterprise. The awardee must have demonstrated such achievements over a sustained period of several years. Nominees need not be ANS members, but must be living at the time of nomination.
Major ANS Meetings – 2008
2008 ANS Annual Meeting, June 8-12, Anaheim, California
2008 Utility Working Conference, August 3-6, Amelia Island, Florida
2008 ANS Winter Meeting and Nuclear Technology Expo, November 9-13, Reno, Nevada,/p>
Major ANS Meetings – 2006
2006 ANS Annual Meeting, June 4-8, Reno, Nevada (with this Embedded Topical Meeting – International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants)
2006 Utility Working Conference, August 6-9, Amelia Island, Florida
2006 ANS Winter Meeting and Nuclear Technology Expo, November 12-16, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Major Publications 2008/2009
Magazines:
Nuclear News (13 issues/year)
Radwaste Solutions (6 issues/year)
Technical Journals:
Nuclear Science and Engineering (9 issues/year)
Nuclear Technology (12 issues/year)
Fusion Science and Technology (8 issues/year)
Transactions (2 issues/year)
Proceedings (4-6 issues/year)
Reference: World Directory of Nuclear Utility Management (annual desk reference publication)