Todd Allen receives ANS Mishima Award for contributions to nuclear fuels and materials
NERS chair honored by the American Nuclear Society for excellence in research and development.
Todd Allen, chair of the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences at the University of Michigan, has been named the recipient of the 2025 Mishima Award by the American Nuclear Society. The award recognizes outstanding contributions in research and development related to nuclear fuels and materials.
Allen was selected for his influential work in the areas of nuclear materials science, radiation damage, and advanced reactor systems. Throughout his career, he has led research that deepens the understanding of how nuclear materials behave under extreme conditions, informing the design of next-generation reactors and improving the performance of existing systems.
Allen currently serves as the Glenn F. and Gladys H. Knoll Department Chair and holds the Chihiro Kikuchi Collegiate Professorship. He directs the Fastest Path to Zero Initiative, which focuses on enabling sustainable energy transitions through nuclear innovation, and co-directs MI-Hydrogen, a statewide effort to advance hydrogen energy solutions. He also leads the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Project, the nation’s first university-based research reactor project established for peaceful nuclear research after World War II.
Before joining the NERS faculty, Allen held a faculty position at the University of Wisconsin. He served as deputy laboratory director for science and technology at Idaho National Laboratory where he played a critical role in transforming the Advanced Test Reactor into a national user facility and was instrumental in launching the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative, announced at the White House in 2015. Earlier in his career, he was a staff scientist at Argonne National Laboratory, where he contributed to the development of the Generation IV Technology Roadmap, a strategic framework for advancing future nuclear energy systems.
Allen began his professional path as a submarine officer in the U.S. Navy, where he operated nuclear propulsion systems. He later earned a PhD in nuclear engineering from U-M, focusing on the effects of radiation on material properties—work that laid the foundation for a prolific research career. He is the author of more than 200 technical publications and is widely regarded as a leader in nuclear materials science, policy, and innovation.
This recognition adds to Allen’s legacy as a leader in nuclear materials research and an advocate for advancing nuclear energy to meet global energy and climate goals.
“I appreciate this recognition from the American Nuclear Society and thank all of the collaborators over the years who helped me be successful in my career,” said Allen.
Established in 1991, the Mishima Award honors Dr. Yoshitsugu Mishima, a professor at the University of Tokyo, and is funded in part by his contributions. Other members of the NERS community who have received the award include Professor Gary Was and alumnus James Stubbins.