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Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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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.
M. Jack Ohanian was a passionate and tireless nuclear educator throughout his career. An ANS Fellow, he was an active member of the Society from 1964 until his death in 2011.
He was born on August 7, 1933 in Istanbul, Turkey and was educated there until he came to the U.S. in 1956 to study as an exchange student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).
Ohanian became a faculty member at the University of Florida (UF) in 1963, where he taught for 38 years. In 1969, he was named the Department Chairman of Nuclear Engineering. He was named the Associate Dean for Research for the College of Engineering in 1979, and in 1998 he became the interim Dean of the Graduate School and the VP of Research at UF. A year later he was made interim Dean for Engineering, a position he held until his retirement.
His dedication to the field of engineering included his service to the American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES) as chairman.
Ohanian earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from Robert College, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and PhD in Nuclear Engineering from RPI.
Just prior to becoming A U.S. citizen in 1967, he was awarded the American Legion’s Medal of Valor for helping to save a father and daughter in a river in Oleno State Park, Florida.
Dr. M. Jack Ohanian passed away on October 31, 2011.
Read Nuclear News from July 1990 for more on Jack.
