ANS 2023 election is underway

All ANS members were emailed on February 21 with a unique access link and access key from third-party election services firm ElectionBuddy. The ballot can be accessed directly by clicking on the access link. Members may also visit secure.electionbuddy.com/ballot/ and enter the unique 16-character alphanumeric code to access their ballot. ElectionBuddy has multiple resources to help members with accessing their ballots, including pages that explain how to access the ballot and give a voting overview, as well as a general FAQ page.

The nominees for vice president/president-elect are Jeffrey King and Lisa Marshall. King, an ANS member since 2001, is the director of the Nuclear Science and Engineering Center at the Colorado School of Mines; Marshall, an ANS member since 2005, is the director of outreach, retention, and engagement at North Carolina State University. The elected candidate will succeed current ANS vice president/president-elect Kenneth Petersen following the ANS Annual Meeting in June, when Petersen will step into the role of president.

The candidates for a two-year term as treasurer are Harsh Desai and Dave Pointer. Desai, an ANS member since 2004 and the current vice chair of the Finance Committee, is the chief commercialization officer at Zeno Power. Pointer, an ANS member since 1996 and a current member of the Finance Committee, is the section head of advanced reactor engineering and development at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The elected candidate will succeed the current two-term treasurer, Art Wharton, in June.

Completed ballots must be submitted by 1:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 11.

The outcome of the ANS 2023 election will have a significant impact on the future of the organization and the direction of the nuclear industry. Members are encouraged to participate and vote to help ensure that ANS continues to play a leading role in promoting the benefits of nuclear science.

Vice president/president-elect candidate statements

Jeffrey King

It is truly an exciting time to be a nuclear professional. New reactor designs are moving rapidly to deployment, existing reactors are increasingly seen as valuable assets, and there is even a renewed interest in space nuclear technologies. I am honored to have the chance to represent you.

Nuclear energy and nuclear technologies are essential to a prosperous future. I am proud of the steps ANS has taken to become a modern and technologically savvy organization that serves the needs of our members, our industry, and all of humankind. I will continue to support and nurture those efforts so that ANS can be an aspirational example of a modern professional society.

We must strive to activate and energize the next generation of nuclear professionals. Students and young members are our future. It is essential that we support and prepare them to continue our legacy.

Nuclear technology should benefit all humankind in equal measure. As a Society, we must serve all people fairly and respectfully. We have made good strides at embracing diversity and inclusiveness in our industry and in our Society; however, diversity, access, and inclusion are a continuous journey and not a single destination.

Lisa Marshall

I have devoted 20-plus years to people, policies, and products. The nuclear enterprise is foundational on many fronts, and we must continue to grow our collective voice. I am a collaborative leader and educator with experience empowering careers, communicating our mission, and contributing to the multidisciplinary nature of this field. Our most valuable resources are people and authentic public engagement. My record shows a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion—mentoring and advocating for students and young professionals, creating spaces for people and new ways of thinking. We’re a Society of excellence, and I’m devoted to pushing us further with passion, vigor, and purpose through recruitment, retention, and collaboration nationally and internationally. Together we can foster community and industry advancement, making space for additional voices to participate and further elevate the field.

Treasurer candidate statements

Harsh Desai

It is an honor to be a member of a dedicated group with a common mission: to advance and advocate for the beneficial use of nuclear energy, science, and technologies. My passion, drive, and commitment to deploying clean, carbon-free, and reliable energy around the world comes from growing up in India, where there was significant air and water pollution marred by the lack of dependable electricity.

My professional and personal experiences, combined with education in financial and business management and nuclear engineering, have allowed me to be a strategic thinker and address challenges facing a changing society. Throughout my 19 years as an ANS member, I have served in many leadership positions with the Society, including my current term on the Board of Directors. I’ve focused my efforts on unique ANS core values to advance the technical discipline; enhance professional development of our members, especially young and student members; ensure fiscal sustainability; provide policy and decision-makers with important resources; and institutionalize the board roles and responsibilities.

My expertise in fiduciary responsibility includes my current role at a nuclear start-up focused on rapidly deploying radioisotope power systems as well as previous roles in financial stewardship at nonprofit organizations, national laboratories, and industry. As the vice chair of the Finance Committee, I bring specific experience with the ANS budgetary process and financial oversight. Additionally, my previous work with utilities in sustaining our nuclear power plants has uniquely positioned me to utilize lessons learned to make tough financial and strategic decisions, and most importantly, to deliver shareholder and stakeholder value.

I am passionate about the future of the industry and look forward to the opportunity to continue to be a valuable member of the board, and with the additional responsibility of fiduciary duty of the Society and membership as your treasurer. Let’s get to work!

David Pointer

With more than 25 years of involvement in ANS, I have been excited to see the Society continuously evolve to continue to be an important contributor to our nation and a valued, impactful resource for its members. ANS has recently undertaken a significant modernization effort to be better able to meet new needs in a rapidly changing world. The finance team has worked hard to make our financial resources more robust and resilient with a stronger outlook for revenues, improved accuracy in annual planning to control costs, and simplified reporting for increased transparency. We have come very far, but we cannot stop here if we want to enable the Society to foster a bright future. We must continue to improve at forward projection of our finances, normalize planned giving across our profession, empower action on good ideas from members and staff, and enable better support for the next generation of nuclear professionals.