Registration open for 2012 ANS Student Conference in Las Vegas

The conference is the nation's premier venue for student professional development in nuclear science and technology. Students working in these disciplines gather with industry professionals to share and exchange research and ideas that are critical to the growth of the industry. The conference is an ideal occasion for students to interact with professionals, hear world-class speakers, network with recruiters, and gain real-world perspectives.

Conference participation by students and professionals has surged in recent years. The past two student conferences broke attendance records, with the 2010 conference hosting 665 attendees and the 2011 conference hosting 672. This increasing interest in the conferences provides unique opportunities for industry and academic collaboration and partnership. Integrating the successes of previous conferences with the unique history of Nevada, the conference's officers hope to continue the trend.

A preview of the 2012 conference:

• Seminars and workshops - A variety of technical and non-technical sessions focusing on unique topics will be offered throughout the conference.
• Exhibit fair - The best recruitment and advertising opportunity is the student conference exhibit fair. Interact with more than 500 of the brightest students in the nation.
• Student research presentations - Students will be showcasing their research through a variety of topic tracks mirroring the ANS divisions.
• Professional keynote addresses - Talks and presentations from prominent industry professionals and scientists will bring distinct perspectives to the conference.
• Tours - Come experience Nevada's rich nuclear history. Tours will be available of the Nevada National Security Site, the Atomic Testing Museum, Varian Medical Systems, and the UNLV science & engineering laboratories.
• The Atomic Ages Social - Meet up with old friends and make new connections at the 1950s-themed rooftop social on Thursday evening. Dance to your favorite Cold War tunes or pose for a photo in 1950s garb!
• Closing awards ceremony and banquet - Join us on Saturday night for a truly unforgettable experience.

For more information, visit the ANS Student Conference Web site. Registration is open. Student abstracts are currently being accepted, but hurry as the deadline is fast approaching. We look forward to seeing you in April!

Here is what students had to say about last year's ANS Student Conference:

The conference committee chairs:

Sherry Faye, General Conference co-chair, is a Ph.D. candidate in radiochemistry who became interested in the nuclear field during a fourth grade field trip to the Nine Mile Point nuclear plant near Oswego, NY. Her current studies involve optimization of a sequential extraction procedure to predict mobility and bioavailability of radionuclide contaminants in soils and sediments. Upon graduation, Sherry would like to continue research in environmental radiochemistry or nuclear forensics at a national laboratory or university.

Vanessa Sanders, General Conference co-chair, is currently a third year Ph.D. candidate in the radiochemistry program at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Her current research involves the characterization and crystallization of Re/⁹⁹Tc-complexes for radiopharmaceuticals. Her interest in radiochemistry began at her undergraduate institution; there she was a part of a group that initiated a bachelor's degree program in radiochemistry at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Upon graduation, she would like to continue her research of radiopharmaceuticals at a national laboratory or university.

Audrey Roman, Hospitality chair and Section president, is currently in her third year of a Radiochemistry PhD. Her interest in nuclear science started with a summer internship during her undergraduate studies at Idaho National Laboratory studying the FPEX process. After graduation, Audrey would like to follow her interests into nuclear safeguards and reprocessing industry.

Daniel R. Lowe completed his B.S.E in Mechanical Engineering in 2005 from the University of Nevada Las Vegas with a topical specialty in nuclear engineering. He became interested in the nuclear field after his advisor, Dr. William Culbreth, hired him to work in the nuclear field as an undergraduate. From there, he completed his master's degree in materials and nuclear engineering from UNLV a year later with a focus on radiation transport methods. Daniel plans on finishing his PhD in nuclear engineering from UNLV in May of 2012; his dissertation titled "Radioisotope Production from Linear Electron Accelerators" found alternative and cost-effective ways to produce desired isotopes such as ^99mTc from uncommon target combinations.  After graduation, Daniel plans to stay at UNLV for the next few years to help develop the UNLV accelerator program.

Keri Campbell, Finance Committee chair, became interested in the nuclear field while studying the history of Nevada. She is currently a 2nd year PhD student in radiochemistry. After graduation she plans on working for a national laboratory focusing on waste forms and reprocessing.

Janelle Droessler, Marketing chair, is in her second year of graduate study. Her interest in radiochemistry was sparked by an opportunity to conduct her undergraduate senior research in the UNLV radiochemistry labs under the mentorship of a current graduate student. Her research is focused on the direct dissolution of f-elements into room temperature ionic liquid and exploring the electrochemistry for deposition applications. After graduation she intends to pursue a post-doc position at another university or national laboratory.

Corey Keith, Activities chair, is currently in his last year for a M.S. in health physics. His interest in nuclear science was sparked when taking a radioactive waste management and fuel cycle class. After graduating with his M.S. degree, he plans to get his PhD in either nuclear engineering or radiochemistry.

Maryline Ferrier, Catering coordinator, is a 2^nd year graduate student in the UNLV radiochemistry PhD program. Her interest for radiochemistry started when she attended classes on the nuclear fuel cycle and radiochemistry given by Dr. Rocca in college in France. Her passion and interest for this field was enhanced when she performed her internship in the reprocessing plant at Areva La Hague. She would like to work in the nuclear field, in a national laboratory to pursue some more research or in industry to work on the applied side of the nuclear fuel cycle.

Balazs Bene, Website coordinator, is a second year radiochemistry graduate student. He became interested in the nuclear field when he took the radiation and environmental protection class of Dr. Zagyvai and Dr. Patzay. Currently he works in Dr. Sudowe's research group at UNLV. After graduation he would like to pursue a career at one of the national laboratories.