The American Nuclear Society (ANS) has bestowed upon Arnold Lumsdaine and Walid Metwally, two group leaders from Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Fusion and Fission Energy and Science Directorate, their prestigious ANS Presidential Citations for exemplary contributions to the Society and the field. Lumsdaine, a distinguished figure in fusion engineering, and Metwally, known for his significant work in nuclear criticality safety, will receive their honors from ANS President Lisa Marshall at the 2025 ANS Winter Conference scheduled for November 17-22. Oak Ridge National Laboratory reported the duo's achievements in an announcement that shines a light on the strides they have made within the nuclear sector.
Arnold Lumsdaine's contribution stretches over his tenure at ORNL since 2009, where he has focused on various leading projects including, the Materials Plasma Exposure eXperiment among others; it's his leadership roles and dedication to making ANS a hub for fusion engineers that has garnered the Society's acclaim, his list of accomplishments mirrors the growth AIN Nuclear Society has sought in bridging Engineers with Fusion technology. According to the ORNL's news, Lumsdaine has shown commitment to innovation in fusion energy through his directorship of the INFUSE network and his past leadership roles within both the Society and FESAC Subcommittee on Transformative Enabling Capabilities. His educational background, with a Bachelor's, Master's, and doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan, underpins his technical expertise in the field.
Simultaneously, Metwally has been honored for his forward-thinking development of the Nuclear 101 Certificate Course, which, due to overwhelming demand from nuclear professionals, had a fully subscribed inaugural session at the 2024 Winter Conference. Metwally's experience is vast, spanning from his early career in Egypt to influential roles across the United States and the United Arab Emirates, with significant academic positions including founding and chairing Nuclear Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Programs at the University of Sharjah. His dual bachelor's and master's degrees from Alexandria University in Egypt, a doctorate from North Carolina State University, and further studies in operations research and business administration reflect a lifelong dedication to nuclear engineering and education.
Moving beyond their achievements, both Lumsdaine and Metwally's work embodies the frontline efforts in nuclear science supported by UT-Battelle which manages ORNL for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science; this partnership ultimately advances the boundaries of research in the physical sciences through initiatives aimed at addressing key contemporary challenges as noted in the energy department's outreach, the society thus acknowledging their role is an indicator of their contributions being pivotal to the overarching mission.
