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Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2026
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August 2026
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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.
John Arthur (Jay) Mullis II
2025
Kenneth J. Rueter
2024
James W. BehrensMadeline A. FeltusNarasimha Prasad Kadambi
2021
Robert F. Penn, Jr.
2020
Kevin R. O'Kula
John Bennion
2015
Remy DeVoeJustin Knowles, Sekazi Mtingwa
2013
Mimi Holland Limbach
2011
Roger W. Tilbrook
2006
John W. Landis
2003
K.K.S. PillayFrance C. Bres-TutinoGuenther Kessler
1997
William F. Vogelsang
1989
Ira BornsteinY. G. Post
1988
Morton E. WacksKarl E. J. Wirtz
1983
A. Dixon Callihan
1980
James F. Schumar
1978
Chih H. WangOctave J. Du Temple
1972
Ralph G. Chalkea
1969
Louis G. Stang, Jr.
1965
Raymond D. Maxson
1963
Walter F. Friend