AMERICAN NUCLEAR SOCIETY REACTOR PHYSICS DIVISON Summer 2013 – Fall 2013 Newsletter http://rpd.ans.org I want to take this opportunity to highlight some CONTENTS of the activities of the RPD for the coming year. First, the next RPD Physics of Reactors Message from the Incoming Chair ....................... 1 (PHYSOR) topical meeting is scheduled for Sept Treasurer's Report ................................................ 2 28-Oct 3, in Kyoto, Japan. PHYSOR is held every Survey Status ....................................................... 2 two years, with every third meeting held outside Website ................................................................ 3 of North America. PHYSOR 2014 will follow Student Support ................................................... 3 very successful meetings held in Interlaken, Recent and Upcoming Meetings ......................... 3 Switzerland in 2008, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in Best Paper Awards ............................................... 4 2010, and Knoxville, Tennessee in 2012. Next, Reactor Physics Standards .................................. 5 led by Blair Bromley, RPD has recently completed Honors & Awards ............................................... 6 an online survey of its membership in an effort to Wigner Award ...................................................... 6 better understand the desires of division members Update on Physor 2014 ........................................ 7 with regard to RPD activities with the ANS. The Pictures ................................................................. 8 division is also looking at methods to improve Rosters ................................................................ 10 communications using alternate media. RPD has Message from the Incoming Chair established a presence on Facebook and is evaluating use of Twitter for information By Mark DeHart dissemination. Ron Ellis will lead an effort to [email protected] update the ANS website this year, and combined with survey results determine a path to improve On behalf of the entire membership of the the relevancy of the Division’s web page. Ben Forget has assumed responsibility for Reactor Physics Division (RPD), I would like to development of a formal plan for realization of a thank Prof. Ali Haghighat, my predecessor as second endowed scholarship to support Chair of the Division, and outgoing Executive undergraduate students with a demonstrated Committee members Prof. Tunc Aldemir, Mr. interest in reactor physics. Robb Borland, Dr. Blair Bromley, and Prof. Akio Yamamoto for their participation and commitment Overall, the Reactor Physics division remains one over the last three years. I would also like to of the strongest divisions within ANS. As of acknowledge the newly elected members of the August 31, 2013, RPD had 1,791 active members committee: Dr. Melissa Hunter, Dr. Moussa – this represents almost 18% of the total Mahgerefteh, Prof. Bojan Petrovic, Dr. Jaakko membership of the ANS. The largest segment, Leppännen and Dr. Fausto Franceschini (incoming representing 26% of total membership, is Division Secretary). Finally, I would like to comprised of students (students comprise 16% of recognize and thank the staff of the ANS total ANS membership). This is encouraging for Headquarters in Chicago, whose support, hard potential future growth of the division. The figure work and patience make the work of the Division below shows the distribution of RPD membership and of the Society as a whole possible. I look by industry segment, and illustrates a broad base forward to the opportunity to serve you and the of representation by our membership. On the membership of RPD this year. I have the privilege negative side, however, the Division showed a 5% to serve with an enthusiastic team of professionals decrease in membership this year – the first within the RPD Executive Committee – a truly decrease we’ve seen in 13 years. This is a result nuclear family. And with the help of the of an overall decrease in ANS membership over committee, I hope to maintain the high standards the last two years – a fact that ANS is aware of of this committee and find new ways to be able to and is working to address. Nevertheless, it is serve our membership. important to the Division and to the Society as a whole that we as a Division provide needed services and information to our membership such of incoming young talents. More information on that we can remain a valuable resource for this plan and the scholarships can be obtained professional development and dissemination of from the Reactor Physics Division Scholarship relevant information. This will be our emphasis Subcommittee. this year, and I hope that each of you can help to steer us in this direction. Survey Status By Blair P. Bromley ([email protected]) The Reactor Physics Division initiated a survey among its membership in late August, 2013. The purpose of the survey is to gather feedback that can be used to bring national conferences, technical papers and sessions, and the RPD website closer to the membership’s expectation. Survey results with 150 respondents (~8% of the RPD membership) have suggested the following items of importance: The cost of attending ANS meetings needs to • be significantly reduced (registration, Treasurer's Report hotel/venue, airline). • The Sunday Evening President's Reception By Pavel Tsvetkov should be extended to 2.5 hours to allow ([email protected]) more time for networking and socializing. The Reactor Physics Division continued success is • Technical session presentations should be showcased by our healthy financial status. limited to 20 minutes (including 5 minutes Continuing support from our members to ANS for questions and discussion). and to RPD is key and highly appreciated. • Technical sessions should be extended to Financially successful topical meetings are an 5:00 pm to accommodate more papers. hallmark of RPD. • An evening poster session with refreshments Our end-year balance forward from previous year and a cash bar should be held to is $74,273 as of 1/1/13 which corresponds to the accommodate extra papers. 8-months actual fund balance of $71,576 as of • Panel discussions with no extended abstract 8/31/13. The division total revenues is $5,506 or publication record should be avoided. based on 2013 member allocation of $3,926 and • Mid-morning and mid-afternoon coffee 2013 division income of $1,580. breaks should be held. Our significant balance allows Reactor Physics • Technical papers should be limited to 4 Division to support student conferences annually pages (max). Longer papers can be split into at $2,500 as well as to invest in our website two smaller papers. development efforts and maintenance at $1,000. • Page charges for extended abstracts in the Our overall budgeted student support allocation ANS Transactions should be significantly for 2013 is $5,200 ($5,000 actual for 8 months of reduced or brought to zero. 2013). • In addition to extended abstracts, members Our sustained growth in the RPD budget allows us would like to see slide show presentations to fund the current Henry/Greebler Scholarship uploaded and made available on-line. and to proceed developing a second RPD endowed • RPD members rarely visit the ANS-RPD scholarship. The RPD budget health assures our website, but would be more apt to if ability to continue supporting our growing cadre additional information was made available, Page 2 Summer 2013 – Fall 2013 Newsletter such as conference slide show presentations, nuclear reactor physics or radiation transport. benchmark problems, and links to online This prestigious scholarship value is $3,500 and courses and associated documentation. can be awarded to graduate students attending a North American University and pursing a Masters The complete results of the survey, including or PhD degree. A committee composed of the many interesting, insightful and colorful Scholarship Committee Chair, Jess C. Gehin, and comments, are being assessed along with committee members Dimitrios Cokinos, Mark preliminary recommendations for consideration by DeHart, Tom Downar, Farzad Rahnema, and Scott the RPD Executive and Program Committees. It Palmtag performs the selection. The 2013 is expected that the results will be made available scholarship was awarded to Timothy Burke, to the RPD membership and the leadership within University of Michigan, from a strong pool of the ANS, with the goal of meaningful changes potential recipients. Congratulations Timothy! being implemented to increase the interest and participation of ANS members, particularly those The Reactor Physics Division is also formalizing who are RPD members. an undergraduate scholarship. At the upcoming winter meeting, we will discuss on naming the scholarship, so please attend the executive Website committee meeting if you have any suggestions. By Ron Ellis (Vice-Chair, RPD) Additionally, the Scholarship Committee Chair, ([email protected]) Jess C. Gehin, is stepping down after many years of service. Please join us in thanking him for his The Reactor Physics Division Website is being valuable service to the division. Benoit Forget updated. The website is accessible at will be taking over his duties going forward. http://rpd.ans.org Past RPD newsletters and the minutes of Program Committee and Executive Details about all ANS scholarships including the Committee meetings are being added. In addition, Henry/Greebler scholarship can be found on the the current membership roster for the RPD ANS website at: http://www.ans.org/honors/scholarships.