Aníbal L. Taboas Received the ASME Dixy Lee Ray Award

NEW YORK, November 19, 2013 — Aníbal L. Taboas, a resident of Woodridge, Ill., and president and CEO of ASPIRA Inc. of Illinois, Chicago, was honored by ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers). He was recognized for advancing closure of the nuclear fuel cycle, and for internationally recognized leadership in regulatory engineering and sustainable environmental management. He received the Society's Dixy Lee Ray Award.

The award, established in 1998, recognizes significant achievements and contributions in the broad field of environmental protection. It was be presented to Mr. Taboas at ASME's annual Honors Assembly held in conjunction with the 2013 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition in San Diego, Nov. 15 through 21.

Taboas' early interest in space and time, and concepts such as energy and force – more broadly the analysis of the logic of nature – led him to develop instrumentation and control systems for advanced fossil and nuclear power reactors, which progressed into nuclear/mechanical engineering directly involved with the defense nuclear fuel cycle.

His work experience ranges from research and development at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory to a career at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) from which he retired, followed by consulting on strategic leadership, risk management and the defense fuel cycle.

His DOE assignments, from senior technical advisor in Defense Programs to Argonne Area Office manager (in the career Senior Executive Service), facilitated close relationships with intellectual leaders such as A. Alan Moghissi, Goetz Oertel and Rosita Lopez, as well as the late Dixy Lee Ray, Edward Teller, Margaret Mead, Ken Gablin and "Moose" Hardin–kindred spirits willing to tackle hard issues, all in the public good.

Taboas is known to focus on delivering desired outcomes, which facilitated timely controversial assignments such as radioactive airborne emissions (Three Mile Island), multimedia emissions trading (NAFTA), nuclear waste policy (congressional) and accident investigations (media); as well as major projects including the Advanced Photon Source (energy research), Pit Disassembly and Conversion Facility (fissile materials), Remediation of the Brookhaven Superfund Site (environmental), Continuous Wave Deuterium Demonstration (space defense) and External Regulation of DOE Nuclear Facilities (policy).

Among his significant contributions, Taboas had the vision and tenacity to establish a defensible technical basis for regulations governing the categorization, management and disposal of hazardous materials according to practicability and risk, rather than by origin.

Subsequent statutory and regulatory acceptance has served as the solid foundation for numerous developments, such as the waste acceptance criteria for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

Taboas has been involved in a wide range of voluntary activities including: distinguished advisor to Associated Universities for Research in Astronomy; the Boy Scouts of America (Eagle, Order of the Arrow); independent peer review (e.g., IAEA, National Science Foundation and Environmental Protection Agency); advising on educational leadership and diversity; technical publications (e.g., The Decommissioning Handbook); service on boards of directors (e.g., Center of Excellence for Hazardous Materials Management, Institute for Regulatory Science, ASPIRA Inc. of Illinois); and as trustee of Governors State University.

As part of his advocacy that diversity, education and inclusion strengthen national security, Taboas agreed to be president and CEO of ASPIRA Inc. of Illinois, headquartered in Chicago, in July 2012 — thereby undertaking the "turnaround" of a Hispanic nonprofit organization with a rich history of leadership development and education of highly underserved populations. ASPIRA also operates a charter school network in Chicago, which Taboas is aligning toward data-driven student-centered decision making, educational excellence, transparency and accountability.

Taboas is an ASME Fellow who served in various roles on the Environmental Engineering Division's Environmental Communication and Executive committees. He also served on the Honors and Awards Committee and as chair of the International Conference on Environment Management series (e.g., in Belgium, U.K. and Japan). He received ASME's Dedicated Service Award in 2010.

Taboas is a charter member of the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) and received AEE's Energy Engineer of the Year award in 1988.

His honors include the nuclear industry's Broken Knuckle Award; the Secretary of Energy's Gold Medal and Excellence in Hispanic Education Award; Vice President Gore's Hammer Award; a Certificate of Recognition from the Secretary of Defense; and various Distinguished and Exceptional Service medals (including from the National Nuclear Security Agency), and recognitions from others including the University of Chicago.

Taboas earned a B.S. in physics at the University of Dayton, Ohio, in 1971; a M.S. in physics at Indiana State University, Terre Haute, in 1972; and a M.S. in mechanical/nuclear engineering from Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) in 1978. He was awarded a Ph.D. honoris causa by the Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla, Mexico, in 1995.

About ASME ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real world challenges. Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and standards, publications, conferences, continuing education and professional development programs provide a foundation for advancing technical knowledge and a safer world. For more information visit www.asme.org.