Matthew Marzano named 2022 American Nuclear Society congressional fellow

August 10, 2021, 4:36PMPress Releases

Marzano

The American Nuclear Society has selected Matthew Marzano to serve as the 2022 Glenn T. Seaborg Congressional Science and Engineering Fellow. Marzano is a senior reactor operator at Exelon Generation’s Braidwood nuclear power plant in Braidwood, Ill.

“Matt is in a unique position to provide significant technical assistance to the U.S. Congress on nuclear energy, particularly now as there are important discussions that will shape the future of U.S. energy policy,” said Harsh S. Desai, chair of the ANS Congressional Fellowship Committee and a former congressional fellow himself.

“Members of Congress and their staff will greatly benefit from Matt’s depth of experience in commercial and defense nuclear power plant operations,” Desai said. “The fellowship will also be an opportunity for Matt to develop his policy expertise and learn ‘how the sausage is made.’”

Established in 2000, the Glenn T. Seaborg Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship, also known as the ANS Congressional Fellowship, gives nuclear professionals the opportunity to learn how legislative policymaking affects nuclear science, energy, and technology. The unique, yearlong fellowship allows those professionals to work directly for members of Congress or congressional committees and their staff on critical nuclear policy decisions.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be selected for this prestigious fellowship, and I am humbled to join the company of many successful past fellows,” Marzano said. “Nuclear energy will be crucial to decarbonizing the electric, transportation, and industrial sectors as Congress takes concrete steps toward reshaping the nation’s infrastructure. With nearly a decade of experience in operating nuclear power plants, I hope to provide key insights to my Capitol Hill colleagues, while also learning the art of policymaking.”

Marzano began his career at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in 2012, supporting the U.S. Navy training mission as a reactor operations instructor and nuclear plant engineer. In 2015, he moved to South Carolina Electric & Gas, where he spent two years supporting construction activities and qualifying as a senior reactor operator for the twin AP1000 reactor expansion project at the Summer nuclear power plant. Since 2017, Marzano has worked for Exelon Generation, supporting digital plant upgrades while obtaining a senior reactor operator license. Marzano holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nuclear engineering from the University of Florida.

“Matt’s experience in reactor operations, particularly in Illinois where the state legislature has actively worked on crediting nuclear power plants for their carbon-free attributes, will prove crucial as policymakers in Washington, D.C. continue to debate nuclear energy’s role in future energy policies,” said John Starkey, ANS director of public policy. “The ANS Congressional Fellowship program has a rich history of fellows assisting lawmakers in Washington, and I’m excited to see Matt walking the hallways of Capitol Hill in 2022.”

Marzano will participate in the fellowship orientation program sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science in September and will begin his fellowship term on January 2, 2022.


Established in 1954, ANS is an international professional organization of engineers and scientists devoted to the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology. Its more than 10,000 members represent government, academia, research laboratories, medical facilities, and private industry. ANS’s mission is to advance, foster, and spur the development and application of nuclear science, engineering, and technology to benefit society.

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Andrew Smith | media@ans.org


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