2023 Recipient

The Commission selected Mark Lewis to receive the 2023 Richard S. Hodes Award. Mr. Lewis has dedicated his career to the safe and compliant transportation, packaging, and disposal of radioactive material, radioactive waste, and mixed waste. He is principally responsible for developing and delivering training coursework that has become the industry standard for many new and experienced radioactive material and waste shippers, and over the years he has trained and advised thousands of shippers including nuclear power plant employees, Department of Defense personnel, inspectors, and other workers in the nuclear, radiation protection, and waste management industries. Following the breakup of the former Soviet Union and the retreat of Russian regulators back to Russia, he was nominated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the State Department to assist Ukraine with the development of new radioactive material transportation regulations. Additionally, he has been sponsored by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to represent U.S. interests on a committee of the International Atomic Energy Agency that was tasked with convincing third world countries it was safe for radioactive materials to be shipped into and through their countries.

2022 Recipient

The Commission selected Aldon (Al) Beale to receive the 2022 Richard S. Hodes Award. Mr. Beale was the inventor and first to patent soft-sided IP-1 rated waste packaging for containing and disposing of hazardous and radioactive materials. His career engineering soft side packaging began with the Department of Energy at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory in August 1998. Traditional methods for packaging waste were forever changed by his innovative thinking, passion for design and engineering, and commitment to safety. For over two decades, Mr. Beale’s designs continue to be used across North America in the nuclear industry by providing reliable, safe, and cost-effective alternatives to traditional metal waste containers.

2021 Recipient

The Commission (SECC) selected Frank Hahne to receive the 2021 Richard S. Hodes Award (Award) for the significant role he played in successfully designing, implementing and leading the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) successful uranium bartering program during the deactivation and decommissioning (D&D) clean-up work at the former enrichment site in Portsmouth, Ohio.

Frank Hahne is a national and international expert on uranium supply. For the past 50 years, with NAC International, Nuclear Fuel Services and most recently BWX Technologies (BWXT), he has focused his work on bringing uranium to market and recycling and preserving potential uranium waste streams back into the commercial nuclear fuel cycle. He retired from BWXT in 2020 after designing, implementing and leading his most recent project, the Fluor-BWXT Portsmouth (FBP) Uranium Bartering Program.

The Barter Program was an innovative partnership between the U.S. DOE and FBP, the prime contractor, to leverage excess inventories of uranium in order to accelerate the D&D projects at the Portsmouth site.   Mr. Hahne was able to overcome market, processing and economic challenges and he negotiated revenue sharing contracts to gain support of the Program from industry companies.  The program provided over $1.25 billion dollars of additional funding to DOE and the Portsmouth site for cleanup and risk reduction efforts, while serving as a model to other projects for the reuse and repurposing of surplus materials.

2020 Recipient

The Commission (SECC) selected Savannah River Remediation LLC (SRR) to receive the 2020 Richard S. Hodes Award (Award) for developing and implementing a technical, regulatory, and engineering strategy to work with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the removal and treatment of liquid radioactive waste associated with reprocessing in a manner that allows its disposition as other than high-level waste.

“The primary strategic value of the SECC is that permanent disposal of low-level radioactive waste is preferable to storage,” Lanza said.  “This value is exemplified by SRR as they successfully addressed a problem that was described by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control as ‘…the greatest environmental risk in the State of South Carolina.’”

The Commission (SECC) selected Savannah River Remediation LLC (SRR) to receive the 2020 Richard S. Hodes Award (Award) for developing and implementing a technical, regulatory, and engineering strategy to work with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the removal and treatment of liquid radioactive waste associated with reprocessing in a manner that allows its disposition as other than high-level waste.

“The primary strategic value of the SECC is that permanent disposal of low-level radioactive waste is preferable to storage,” Lanza said. “This value is exemplified by SRR as they successfully addressed a problem that was described by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control as ‘…the greatest environmental risk in the State of South Carolina.’

2019 Recipient

The Commission recognized Mr. Clint Miller as the sixteenth recipient of the Hodes Honor Lecture Award for the significant role he has played in solving low-level radioactive waste management challenges in the United States. He has successfully pioneered and championed innovative waste management techniques that resulted in reduced generation of waste and improved management of liquid effluents in nuclear power plants. Additionally, he has widely shared his innovations with the industry to further enable other plants to adopt these best-in-the-industry radwaste management practices.

Mr. Miller has 38 years of experience in the radwaste industry and has spent the last 34 years with Pacific Gas & Electric.  He is Chair of the radwaste operation subcommittee of the ASME, a WMS Fellow, and a registered Professional Engineer.  He holds a BS in Nuclear Engineering from University of Illinois and a MS in Energy Systems from the University of Arizona.

2018 Recipient

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the Off-Site Source Recovery Program (OSRP) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) received the 2018 Richard S. Hodes, M.D. Honor Lecture Award on Monday, March 19, 2018 in recognition of the program’s innovative efforts in solving low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) management challenges in the United States by:

  • Successfully completing the design, testing and certification of two new Type-B transportation containers to alleviate a shortage of containers that significantly limited the recovery and disposal of commercially licensed sealed sources and
  • Providing the certified designs to qualified private sector entities to use or modify them to develop containers for commercial use, thereby encouraging and facilitating the development of additional commercial capacity.

2017 Recipient

Scott Kirk has more than 25 years of experience in the nuclear industry and recently joined BWX Technologies, Inc. as a Director of Regulatory Affairs. In this capacity, Scott provides guidance on a variety of regulatory affairs matters, focusing on radioactive waste management. Prior to his employment with BWXT, Scott served as the Vice President of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs for Waste Control Specialists LLC, where he significantly contributed to the successful licensing of the first new regional disposal facility to open in the past 40 years in Andrews County, Texas.

The Commission recognized Mr. Kirk for his innovative efforts in solving low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) management challenges in the United States by:

  • Conceiving and perfecting the idea of placing very low activity LLRW in a near-surface landfill based on a performance assessment that showed the predicted dose did not exceed regulatory limits;
  • Proposing a near-surface disposal option for Greater than Class C (GTCC) waste that is currently under consideration by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the State of Texas; and
  • Submitting an application to the NRC to construct and operate a consolidated interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel.
  • In addition, the Commission commends Mr. Kirk for his contribution to the professionalism of health physics and radiation safety programs at the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact’s regional disposal facility in Andrews County, Texas.

2016 Recipient

Louis F. Centofanti, Ph.D. has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. since February 1991.

The Commission recognized Dr. Centofanti for his innovative efforts in developing critical new technologies, facilities, and resources for the nuclear industry. His efforts have improved radiation health, safety, and security throughout the nation and provided safe disposition of waste that did not previously have disposal pathways. Most recently, he developed an innovative solution to the domestic commercial production of TC-99m that produces very little secondary waste without the proliferation concerns that accompany the use of enriched uranium.

2015 Recipient

The Division of Radiation Control (DRC) of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality is the Utah program responsible for licensing and regulating the Clive, UT disposal facility. EnergySolutions is an international nuclear services company that operates the commercial LLRW disposal facility in Clive, Utah. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, the company provides recycling, processing, and disposal services to the nuclear industry.

The Commission recognized Utah’s DRC and EnergySolutions for the significant role they played in working to solve LLRW management problems in the United States. The DRC and EnergySolutions worked together to improve radiation health, safety, and security throughout the nation by developing and implementing the Utah Sealed Source License Variance Initiative. This creative and collaborative effort clearly exemplifies the spirit and commitment that the Hodes Award is intended to recognize.

2014 Recipient

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is an independent, nonprofit organization that conducts research, development and demonstration relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public. The organization brings together scientists and engineers, as well as experts from academia and the industry to help address challenges in nearly every area of electricity generation delivery and use, management and environmental responsibility.

The Commission recognized EPRI for the significant role the organization plays in advancing low-level radioactive waste management improvements in the United States. EPRI’s leadership and innovative efforts in developing waste storage guidelines and providing site-specific support for low-level waste programs at nuclear power plants have enhanced public safety, as well as contributed to the efficient management of radioactive waste in the U.S.

2013 Recipient

Mr. James Kennedy is a Senior Project Manager at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and has held positions as a senior staff member and a manager in NRC’s low-level waste (LLW) program for over 20 years. In these roles, he has been the principal spokesperson for the LLW program and the NRC on LLW matters for many years.

The Commission recognized Mr. Kennedy for his extraordinary leadership and innovation in changing the focus of the NRC’s regulatory framework for the management of radioactive waste to an approach that is directly related to safety and is based on risk assessment and performance requirements. These changes to the NRC’s regulatory policy for waste management are expected to result in safer, more secure, transparent, and efficient NRC regulated management of waste in the United States.

EnergySolutions, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ), the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD), and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) were also recognized with an honorable mention in the 2013 Hodes Award program for their innovative, collaborative effort to develop a program for cost-effective disposal of certain sealed sources at the EnergySolutions disposal facility in Clive, Utah.

2012 Recipient

Lawrence R. “Rick” Jacobi is the principal consultant with the firm Jacobi Consulting. As a licensed nuclear engineer, health physicist, and attorney, he brings a unique perspective to providing technical and regulatory assistance in the management of radioactive waste storage, processing, and disposal. He has volunteered his expertise to numerous organizations, including the South Texas Chapter of the Health Physics Society, the Committee on Radiation Policy of the Texas Medical Association, the Senior Management Advisory Board of the US Department of Energy Carlsbad Field Office and the Texas Radiation Advisory Board.

The Commission recognized Mr. Jacobi for his innovations in low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) management and education. He developed innovative approaches to the design, siting and operation of low-level waste disposal facilities that strongly influenced later siting efforts in the nation, as well as safe, economical disposal solutions using municipal landfills for disposal of short-lived medical radioactive waste. Mr. Jacobi has also been active in teaching nuclear engineering students to develop and improve their communication skills for their work in school and later in their careers.

2011 Recipient

Christine Gelles is the Director of the Office of Disposal Operations within the Environmental Management Program (EM) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) where she is responsible for ensuring that disposal paths are defined and available for all radioactive waste streams generated by EM site cleanup activities and for providing leadership in DOE’s waste management efforts. In addition, Gelles is responsible for fulfilling DOE’s statutory responsibilities related to commercial low-level radioactive waste management as assigned by the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of 1980 and its 1985 amendments. These responsibilities include providing technical assistance to the states and compacts, as well as providing disposal capacity for Greater-than-Class C waste.

The Commission recognized Ms. Gelles for her extraordinary leadership and innovative efforts at DOE that have enhanced public safety and contributed to the efficient management of radioactive waste. She helped establish a strong federal partnership with states and Compacts to address LLRW management concerns. She enthusiastically seeks common ground in this partnership that is aided by her advanced understanding of the complex public policy issues surrounding radioactive waste management. Her efforts were instrumental in developing an agreement with the State of Texas that paved the way for the development of disposal facilities in Texas for DOE and commercial waste.

2010 Recipient

Larry Camper is the Director of NRC’s Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection. He has over 36 years of experience within the nuclear industry, having served in a number of management positions within both the private and public sectors. He currently serves as the U.S. Representative to the Waste Safety Standards Advisory Committee (WASSC) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and as a member of the Board of Directors and the Program Advisory Committee for the Waste Management Symposia.

The Commission recognized Mr. Camper as the seventh recipient of the Hodes Honor Lecture Award for his leadership and innovative efforts to implement substantial regulatory and management improvements in several key NRC regulatory programs that have enhanced public safety, as well as the efficiency and transparency of those programs.

2009 Recipient

Susan Jablonski is the Director of the Radioactive Materials Division at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). She manages Texas’ regulatory programs for the disposal of commercial radioactive material, source material (uranium) recovery, and commercial radioactive waste storage and processing. In this capacity, she is responsible for the licensing review of the first new radioactive commercial waste disposal facility in nearly two decades.

The Commission recognized Ms. Jablonski as the sixth recipient of the Hodes Honor Lecture Award for her innovative approach to regulation of radioactive waste disposal in Texas, as well as for her efforts in educating and inspiring science teachers and students the high school and university levels.

2008 Recipient

Michael T. Ryan serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Health Physics Journal, the official journal of the Health Physics Society, and as Chair of the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste and Materials for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The Commission recognized Dr. Ryan as the fifth recipient of the Hodes Honor Lecture Award for his contributions to the nuclear industry in the application of a risk-based approach to the disposal of low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) in the United States.

2007 Recipient

Larry McNamara is the Chief Operating Officer of Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. and previously served as the Chief of the Department of Defense LLRW Office.

The Commission recognized Mr. McNamara as the fourth recipient of the Hodes Honor Lecture Award for his contributions to low-level radioactive waste management in the U.S. through his leadership in the commercialization of mixed waste treatment processes for the nuclear industry. The innovative tech-nologies championed by Mr. McNamara and Perma-Fix have reduced long-term storage costs, as well as risks to the health and safety of workers, the public, and the environment.

2006 Recipient

The California Radioactive Materials Management Forum (CalRad) was created by users of radioactive materials in the Southwestern Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact in1983 to assist the State of California, the host state for the compact region, in developing a regional LLRW disposal facility under the federal Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act. CalRad was the nation’s first such group and is one of the few remaining active LLRW generators groups.

The Commission recognizes CalRad as the third recipient of the Hodes Honor Lecture Award for the organization’s contributions toward solving waste management problems in the Southwestern Compact region and the United States through legislative and regulatory development; innovative legislative and regulatory concepts; public involvement and education; and the creation of a unique partnership among LLRW generators, regulatory agencies, and the private sector.

2005 Recipient

William P. Dornsife, currently Vice President for Nuclear Affairs and Corporate Radiation Safety Officer of Waste Control Specialists, LLC., served as the Director of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Radiation Protection, and was an instructor at Penn State University’s Nuclear Science and Technology course for Chemistry and Physics educators. Mr. Dornsife was an active participant in the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors where he authored many technical documents and served as a member and Chairperson of the organization’s committee on LLRW Management.

The Commission recognized Mr. Dornsife as the second recipient of the Hodes Honor Lecture Award for the role he played in solving low-level radioactive waste management problems in the United States through the development of innovative regulatory and technical concepts and his leadership in radiation safety and education.

2004 Recipients

H. W. “Bud” Arrowsmith, founder of the Scientific Ecology Group (SEG), was the first recipient of the Hodes Honor Lecture Award. He and SEG developed and implemented numerous technical innovations in the field of radioactive waste management, including compaction, incineration, recycling, decontamination, and vitrification.

The Texas A&M University Student Chapter of Advocates for Responsible Disposal in Texas (ARDT) was awarded an Honorable Mention in the 2004 Hodes Award program for its innovation in educational activities related to LLRW management. In 2003, the student group actively lobbied the Texas state legislature to promote the passage of legislation to site a disposal facility for low-level radioactive waste.