Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) employees have been recognized by the Canadian Nuclear Society (CNS) and Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA) for their contributions to Canadian society and innovation in science education. At the 45th Annual CNS Conference in Calgary last month, CNL staff received the 2026 CNS President's Award and the Education & Communication Award. The awards honor their work in promoting fusion energy knowledge and creating the children's newsletter Kids CONTACT, which sparks curiosity in nuclear science among young readers.
CNS President's Award for Fusion Energy Leadership
The CNS President's Award, established in 1997, was presented to Dr. Blair P. Bromley, a Reactor Physicist at CNL, and Dr. Peter Schwanke from CÉGEP Heritage College. They were recognized for their leadership as Co-Chairs of the CNS Fusion Energy and Accelerator Science and Technology Division (FEASTD) over the past 15 years. Dr. Bromley provides reactor physics and nuclear engineering support for advanced fuels, fuel cycles, and reactor technologies at CNL.
Education & Communication Award for Kids CONTACT
The Education & Communication Award, also established in 1997, was jointly presented by the CNS and CNA to the editorial team of CNL's Kids CONTACT publication. Editors Philip Kompass and Shane Matte, along with numerous contributors from CNL-managed sites, were recognized for improving understanding of nuclear science among educators, students, and the public. Launched in 2019, this bilingual newsletter is distributed to over 70,000 households near CNL sites and features articles, puzzles, and games about nuclear science, STEM careers, and nuclear technologies in daily life.
CNL's Commitment to Public Education and Fusion Development
Eric McGoey, CNL's Vice-President of Corporate Affairs, stated: "At CNL, we are fortunate to have an incredibly diverse group of employees who seek to go above and beyond their work to advance nuclear science in technology in Canada... I want to congratulate Blair, Philip, Shane and our talented Kids CONTACT contributors, all of whom made CNL proud for their leadership, hard work and creativity." CNL, as Canada's national nuclear laboratories, advances innovations in clean energy, public health, environmental remediation, and national security. This includes supporting fusion energy development through the UNITY-2 fusion test loop at Chalk River Laboratories. The awards highlight CNL's success in public education and community engagement regarding nuclear science and technology.
