The American Nuclear Society (ANS) holds its annual meeting next week in Indianapolis, where researchers from around the country will meet to discuss the future of nuclear energy and engineering.
Part of the event includes an awards ceremony that will recognize individuals for their contribution to a variety of topics.
UT Department of Nuclear Engineering Associate Professor and Assistant Head for Graduate Studies Nick Brown will be one such honoree for his work, as he will be awarded the David Okrent Award for Nuclear Safety.
“I am honored and humbled to be recognized with this award from the ANS,” said Brown, who is serving as technical program chair at the meeting. “Nuclear energy has a huge role to play as part of meeting the world’s needs while reducing carbon emissions, and I am happy to play a role in promoting its safety, reliability, and maintainability.”
The award is particularly notable because it isn’t given annually, but when the Nuclear Installations Safety Division Honors and Awards Committee “deems such recognition to be appropriate” based off of nomination letters that it receives.
It is named for the late David Okrent, a pioneering researcher who led Argonne National Laboratory’s Fast Reactor Physics and Safety program from 1957-71 before joining the University of California at Los Angeles and beginning a research program focused on nuclear safety.
Okrent was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1974 for “contributions in fast reactor design, including critical experiments, safety tests and analyses, and neutron cross-section evaluation.” He died in 2012, and the award was created in his honor in 2019.
Brown has served as session chair several times at conferences around the country, as well as on programs and committees with the ANS.
He earned his bachelor’s from the University of New Mexico in 2005 before earning both his master’s and doctorate from Purdue University in 2007 and 2011, with all degrees coming in nuclear engineering.