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The human factor in licensing and operating the next generation of nuclear plants
As human factors specialists working at the intersection of human performance and nuclear operations, we are witnessing one of the nuclear sector’s most significant transitions in decades. The emergence of small modular reactors, microreactors, and other advanced designs is reshaping the industry’s landscape. Digital instrumentation and controls, passive safety systems, and increased automation are creating opportunities for greater safety margins and more flexible operation. These same features also fundamentally redefine what it means to “operate” a nuclear plant. Interactions among human roles, automation, and passive systems shape how people maintain awareness, exercise judgment, and intervene when necessary. These developments affect both operational realities and the regulatory foundations on which nuclear safety is built.
Dr. Klein is a professor in the School of Nuclear Science and Engineering at Oregon State University and serves on the Board of Directors for the American Nuclear Society. He has been a member of the faculty at Oregon State University since 1985.
He was on loan from Oregon State University to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) as Director of Educational Partnerships and served as a member of the Leadership-Management Team at INL from March 2005 to September 2009. During that time, he also held an appointment as a visiting professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Dr. Klein’s research areas include nuclear energy policy, nuclear energy systems design and analysis, radiation shielding, nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards and security, and space and fusion energy systems. He has authored more than 125 technical publications and is the editor for the international ANS publication Nuclear Technology
He received a BS in nuclear engineering from Pennsylvania State University and his MS and PhD in nuclear engineering from the University of Wisconsin.
Dr. Klein has been a member of the American Nuclear Society since 1984 and active in the Aerospace Nuclear Science & Technology Division, as well as the Education, Training & Workforce Development Division. He currently is a member of the National Nuclear Accrediting Board for the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations and the Board of Directors for the Foundation for Nuclear Studies.
Read Nuclear News from July 2016 for more on Andy
