ANS approves formation of six student sections, one local section

Last week at the American Nuclear Society's Annual Conference in Denver, Colo., the ANS Board of Directors approved the creation of six new ANS student sections and one new local section. Including these new additions, the Society now boasts 37 local sections and 70 student sections, which together represent ANS members across every region of the United States.

Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant had 17 students sign its petition proposal for the creation of a new student section. The faculty advisor for ANS-CMICH is Matthew Redshaw, chair of the physics department. The section intends, within the next five to 10 years, to propose both introductory-level nuclear science and technology courses and nuclear-related majors. In the short term, ANS-CMICH hopes to connect with nuclear companies in Michigan, grow its membership base, and facilitate conversations about nuclear energy at the university.

Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., had 30 students sign its petition proposal for the creation of a new student section. The faculty advisor for ANS-Cornell is Jack Hare, a professor in the school of electrical and computing engineering. The section plans to build on Cornell's long-standing commitment to nuclear science, dating from the university's TRIGA reactor, which was in operation from 1962 to 2002 in the Ward Center for Nuclear Science. Cornell's naval science program has also produced hundreds of alumni who have pursued naval nuclear careers. The section aims to establish a nuclear engineering minor at the university within the next two years.

Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., had 20 students sign its petition proposal for the creation of a new student section. The faculty advisor for ANS-GU is Adam Fritsch, a professor of physics. Among the section's many goals, ANS-GU hopes to leverage its connections with alumni currently working in the nuclear industry to establish its vision of a "Gonzaga-to-nuclear pipeline." By helping students interface with nuclear professionals, the section aims to give those interested in the industry access to professional guidance, internship pathways, and career opportunities that might otherwise be difficult to reach from a university without an established nuclear engineering program.

Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., had 15 students sign its petition proposal for the creation of a new student section, and 49 total students express that they would join the section once formed. The faculty advisor for ANS-LU is Heechen Cho, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering. Considering Lynchburg is the home of BWX Technologies, Framatome, and a network of nuclear suppliers, ANS-LU hopes to foster collaboration and connection with the robust nuclear ecosystem in the area.

The University of Oklahoma in Norman had 76 students sign its petition proposal for the creation of a new student section. The faculty advisor for ANS-OU is Yanqing Su, an assistant professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering. While OU currently lacks any nuclear-related bachelor's program, the university previously offered a B.S. in nuclear engineering and housed a research reactor on campus. That major was dissolved in 1985 due to low enrollment and shifting public sentiments in Oklahoma and nationwide, and the research reactor was decommissioned soon after. Among other goals, ANS-OU aims to reestablish a nuclear engineering minor within the next five years and a major within the next 10 years.

The University of Texas-San Antonio had 43 students sign its petition proposal for the creation of a new student section. The faculty advisor for ANS-UTSA is Miltiadis Alamaniotis, an associate professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering. The section frames its creation as an urgent development, considering that industry momentum is building broadly across Texas and Joint Base San Antonio is slated to host a reactor built by Antares Nuclear. As the university is federally designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, ANS-UTSA expressed that it will aim to connect this underrepresented community to the nuclear workforce.

The Lone Star Local Section was also approved at the Annual Conference. The section will be headquartered in Abilene, Texas, and will serve the entire state. Signatories to the petition for the creation of the section included representatives of Abilene Christian University, Texas A&M University, Aalo Atomics, Natura Resources, and Encore Energy.

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