November 10, 2025
By Tracie Troha

Fan Zhang, an assistant professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering’s Nuclear and Radiological Engineering and Medical Physics (NREMP) program, has been named to the American Nuclear Society’s (ANS) 40 Under 40 list.

The list, published in the November issue of Nuclear News magazine, recognizes early career professionals who have made significant contributions to the nuclear field and are poised to shape its future. The 40 honorees are featured in a special section highlighting their accomplishments, leadership, and impact on the industry.

Zhang said the ANS recognition is both meaningful and motivating.

“It’s a humbling reminder that the work I’m passionate about—making nuclear systems safer, more efficient, and more secure—matters to the broader community,” she said. “It motivates me to give back and keep mentoring and inspiring the next generation and make a global impact.”

Zhang directs the Intelligence for Advanced Nuclear (iFAN) Lab, where her research primarily focuses on nuclear cybersecurity, robotics, anomaly detection, digital twin, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

“We create solutions to make nuclear systems safer, more efficient and secure,” she said.

In addition to being named to the 40 Under 40 list, Zhang has received two other early career awards from ANS. Earlier this year, she received the Landis Young Member Engineering Achievement Award, and in 2021 she earned the Ted Quinn Early Career Award for her work in nuclear instrumentation and control and cybersecurity.

Zhang’s advice to nuclear engineering students who want to make an impact in the field is to “stay curious and never stop learning.”

“Seek hands-on experiences early, ask bold questions and embrace collaboration. Most importantly, dream big—the sky is the limit. Your ideas can shape the future of energy and make a global impact,” she said.

Since joining the Woodruff School in 2021, Zhang has been recognized with several honors, including being named a 2025 Jim Pope Fellow, a Class of 1969 Teaching Fellow, a College of Engineering Cybersecurity Fellow, and a recipient of the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy Distinguished Early Career Award and College of Engineering Outstanding Faculty Achievement in Research Award.

She is also an alumnus of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE)’s Frontiers of Engineering (FOE) Program and was selected to participate in the 2023 EU-U.S. FOE Symposium. In addition, Zhang was recognized as a University of Tennessee Class of 2023 Volunteer 40 Under 40.