Message from the Chair – July 2009

Welcome to the American Nuclear Society (ANS) – Decommissioning, Decontamination and Reutilization (DD&R) Division. I want to thank you for your interest, membership, and participation in the DD&R Division within the ANS.
I also want to thank you for electing me in 2008 as Vice-Chair/Chair Elect and consider it a great honor and privilege to be the chairwoman of the DD&R Division for the 2009-2010 year. Many thanks to John Gunning for the excellent work he accomplished as the chair during 2008 – 2009.

The DD&R Division members are active and important contributors to the nuclear industry’s decommissioning efforts. The DD&R Division will continue to strive to be the recognized professional organization for sharing knowledge to make each of you successful as well as contributing to having the work performed safely, timely, and in a cost efficient manner.

The upcoming year should be an exciting year for decommissioning projects. The new administration passed a stimulus bill that will fund projects for accelerated clean-up.
The DD&R Division had a very successful year during 2008-2009. Some of the Division’s accomplishments are listed below.

• Sponsored technical sessions during ANS National Meetings;
• Gained 93 new members from July 2008 – May 2009;
• Distributed a DD&R newsletter to all DD&R members. This newsletter is also available on the DD&R website
• Supported the ANS Young Members Group;
• Provided support for students to attend the 2009 ANS Student Conference in Gainesville, FL
• Awarded an undergraduate scholarship.

DD&R is active in organizing sessions at the upcoming DD&R 2010 topical meeting as well as sessions at ANS National Meetings which cover a wide range of topics. It would be greatly appreciated if you would consider submitting an abstract and making a presentation about one of your ongoing projects in 2009/2010. The success of our sessions relies on contributions from division members. If you have a topic of particular interest, join in as a member of the DD&R program committee and ensure that your subject is presented through organizing and conducting a special technical session. Otherwise, please contact me and I will try to connect you to people who may also be interested in this subject – especially in the area of decommissioning related to our industry.

Please visit our website at http://ddrd.ans.org to find current information on activities of the DD&R Division as well as upcoming meetings. Also please encourage your friends and colleagues to become members of the DD&R Division.

I look forward to your support during the coming year and making DD&R a successful Division. Please contact me at saggarwal@nmnuclear.com or call (303) 984 5788 if you have any ideas or suggestions for the DD&R Division.

Sincerely,

Sue AggarwalMbr>
DD&R Chair, 2009 – 2010