ANS names 2026 Winter Conference award winners, new Fellows

Fellows of ANS

Lei (Raymond) Cao, The Ohio State University, for his pioneering research and contributions to wide-bandgap semiconductor radiation detectors for harsh nuclear environments and national security applications.

Ronald A. Crone, Idaho National Laboratory, for his exceptional leadership and direct personal involvement, which enabled three privately developed reactors to safely achieve criticality at INL by July 4, 2026, exceeding the goal of Executive Order 14301's goal and being the culmination of his transformation of INL's Materials and Fuels Complex into the epicenter of U.S. nuclear reactor and fuels testing.

Matthew R. Denman, Kairos Power, for pioneering the mechanistic source term and risk assessment methods that made the functional containment safety case licensable, including the first Nuclear Regulatory Commission-approved functional containment source term and the first maximum hypothetical accident for such a reactor, and for sustained leadership in advanced reactor safety and nuclear risk standards.

Anna S. Erickson, Georgia Institute of Technology, for her scientific and technical leadership of the National Nuclear Security Agency Consortium for Enabling Technologies and Innovation, and for building a national university-laboratory enterprise that advances nonproliferation technologies and develops the nuclear-security workforce, underpinned by original contributions in radiation detection, reactor monitoring, and mission-oriented technology translation.

Jeffrey A. Favorite, Los Alamos National Laboratory, for being a world-renowned expert in perturbation and sensitivity theory and applications. He has invented new methods, implemented capabilities into codes, and utilized those capabilities in novel and unique ways that have shaped modern practices in the field.

Jason P. Hayward, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, for original research that has advanced radiation instrumentation and measurement methodology-including fundamental contributions to scintillation and Cherenkov detector characterization, high-purity germanium strip detectors, radioactive source search, associated particle imaging, and gamma-ray lidar-collectively transforming detection capabilities critical to nuclear nonproliferation and safeguards.

Taek Kyum Kim, Argonne National Laboratory, for making notable original contributions in the areas of advanced reactor development and nuclear fuel cycle through innovative reactor designs and systematic and comprehensive fuel cycle analyses. He also has demonstrated significant leadership as the national technical director of the Department of Energy's Systems Analysis and Integration Campaign.

Koroush Shirvan, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for his impactful scholarly contributions to the nuclear engineering discipline, and his relentless push toward practically viable, scalable and economically attractive innovations in nuclear fuels and reactor technologies.

Seaborg Medal

Theodore (Ted) M. Besmann, University of South Carolina, for his internationally recognized advances in nuclear materials thermodynamics, fuel and wasteform science, and foundational databases that enable the modeling and deployment of advanced nuclear energy systems.

E. Gail de Planque Medal

Kimberlee J. Kearfott, University of Michigan, in recognition of her technical innovation, experiential teaching, and diverse community outreach in applied radiation measurements, radiation protection, and medical physics while overcoming personal adversity and mentoring others to overcome their own unique challenges.

Mary Jane Oestmann Professional Women's Achievement Award

Haruko M. Wainwright, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in recognition of her exceptional leadership in advancing multidisciplinary research at the nexus of nuclear engineering and environmental sustainability-specifically, for pioneering contributions to the nuclear fuel cycle and environmental contamination science through innovative integration of environmental modeling, statistical analysis, and machine learning.

Christine King, Michelle Zietlow-Miller, and Emily Nichols, for their leadership and management of the DOE's Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative. They have provided invaluable research and policy assistance to advanced reactor developers as they seek pathways to regulatory approval and eventual commercialization.

Landis Public Communication & Education Award

Andrew E. Thomas, Idaho National Laboratory, in recognition of his and his team's significant advances to nuclear energy education and research at INL's Innovative Nuclear Research Integration Office. Their efforts have supported over $850 million in university-led research, fostering the next generation of nuclear professionals and contributing to the industry's growth and innovation.

Standards Service Award

Donald R. Eggett, Eggett Consulting, in recognition of exceptional leadership and sustained, high-impact contributions across the ANS Standards Committee, including his service as Standards Board chair and his leadership role in conceptualizing and implementing the Advanced Reactors Codes and Standards Collaborative (ARCSC). His efforts to strengthen engagement with the DOE and NRC, advance key standards initiatives, and mentor future leaders have elevated the quality and reach of ANS standards.

Young Members Advancement Award

John Mobley IV, University of Michigan, in recognition of his consistent dedication to excellence in serving the current and future students and young members of the Society, through sustained leadership and care.

Young Member Excellence Award

Xingang Zhao, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, in recognition of his exemplary leadership, sustained service to ANS, dedication to mentoring and engaging the next generation of nuclear professionals, and broad contributions to advancing nuclear science and engineering.

Make plans now: Registration for the 2026 Winter Conference is now open, with early-bird pricing ending October 22. More details are available on the ANS website. Continue checking on Nuclear Newswire for the latest information on the conference and other ANS events.