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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
Fusion Science and Technology
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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.
Technical Session|Sponsored by ANSTD
Monday, June 16, 2025|1:00–2:45PM CDT|Chicago Ballroom C
Session Chair:
Dianne Ezell (ORNL)
Alternate Chair:
Robert O'Brien (USRA)
Session Organizer:
Jeffrey C. King
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CR-39 Nuclear Track Detector Responses and Aviation Route Dose Calculations
1:00–1:20PM CDT
Kah-Yeen Lim (Nat'l Tsing Hua Univ.), Zi-Yi Yang (INER), Rong-Jiun Sheu (Nat'l Tsing Hua Univ.)
Paper
Presentation Slides (Visible to Attendees)
Criticality Assessment of a Lightweight HALEU & HEU-fueled NTP System
1:20–1:40PM CDT
Jonah Lau (Purdue Univ.), Stylianos Chatzidakis (Purdue Univ.), Adrian Tymes (CubeCab)
Impact of Real Gas Properties on Multiphysics Modeling of a Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Fuel Element
1:40–2:00PM CDT
Corey D. Smith (AMA), Jacob Stonehill (AMA)
Experimental Study of an Interstellar Fusion Propulsion Architecture
2:00–2:20PM CDT
Gerald P. Jackson (Hbar Technologies), Grace E. Bittlingmaier (Beam Alpha Inc.)
