PNNL

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) recognized radioactive material transportation expert Matt Feldman with its 2022 Dedicated Service Award. Feldman was honored at the end of a seven-year term on the Management Team for ASME’s Pressure Vessels and Piping Division (PVPD), including serving as conference technical program chair (2020), conference chair (2021), and division chair (2021-2022). A member of ASME since 1997, Feldman has previously chaired the Operations, Applications, and Components Technical Committee of PVPD.  Going forward, Feldman will continue to serve the PVP Division Leadership Team as a member of the Senate.

The ASME Dedicated Service Award honors unusual dedicated voluntary service evidenced by outstanding performance, demonstrated effective leadership, prolonged and committed service, devotion, enthusiasm, and faithfulness. The award particularly noted Feldman’s perseverance as technical program chair and conference chair during the COVID pandemic when the PVP conferences were converted to virtual format in 2020 and 2021.

“The virtual conferences were a big challenge,” said Feldman. “But I wanted to continue our ability to create opportunities for junior engineers and reach out to underrepresented groups to make a space for them where they feel comfortable.” 

“If there is a silver lining, it’s bringing good things about virtual forward like submitting recorded presentations and allowing people to buy access to make conference proceedings available in perpetuity.”

Pressure vessels are used throughout many forms of energy production, including nuclear uses such as the inner boundary for the radioactive transport vessels within Feldman’s expertise. For the last 10 years, he has been leading efforts to build a transportation system for moving spent commercial nuclear fuel.

“Effectively completing the fuel cycle is a key part of keeping the nuclear industry viable for addressing global climate change,” said Feldman. “For consolidated storage and eventual disposal of commercial spent nuclear fuel, it will be essential to develop a safe and efficient large-scale transportation program.”

Feldman is the chair of the ANSI Accredited Standards Committee N14 and is Co-Convener of the ISO TC85/SC/5/WG4, both of which develop standards related to the transport of radioactive materials.  These standards help assure the safety and compatibility of radioactive material shipments worldwide.