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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.
Technical Session|Sponsored by MSTD
Wednesday, June 18, 2025|8:00–9:45AM CDT|Michigan/Michigan State
Session Chair:
Benjamin Beeler (NCSU)
Alternate Chair:
Jake R. Quincey (Oregon State)
Session Organizer:
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Calibration of DART Parameters for the Simulation of Fission Gas Bubble Behaviors in U-Mo Fuel
8:00–8:20AM CDT
Zhi-Gang Mei (ANL), Gyuchul Park (ANL), Bei Ye (ANL), ATM Jahid Hasan (NCSU), Benjamin W. Beeler (NCSU)
Paper
AI-Driven Analysis of the Lithium Deuteride (LiD) Fission-Fusion Cycle
8:20–8:40AM CDT
Noah D'Amico (Texas Tech University), Sandeep Puri (Texas Tech University), Ian Jones (Texas Tech University), Andrew Gillespie (Texas Tech University), Cuikun Lin (Texas Tech University), Robert Duncan (Texas Tech University)
Insight into Irradiation Defect Production in Zirconium Using Machine-Learned Potentials
8:40–9:00AM CDT
Jose March-Rico (Naval Nuclear Laboratory), Jonathan L. Wormald (Naval Nuclear Laboratory), Volker Eyert (Materials Design, Inc.), David Reith (Materials Design, Inc.), Brendan M. Ensor (Naval Nuclear Laboratory), Richard W. Smith (Naval Nuclear Laboratory)
Comparative Analysis of Hopfield Neural Network Performance in Processing Pulsed Infrared Thermography Images of Additively Manufactured Metals
9:00–9:20AM CDT
Eleni S. Avlonitis (ANL), Xin Zhang (ANL), Miltiadis Alamaniotis (Univ. Texas, San Antonio), Alexander Heifetz (ANL)
Benchmarking CNN Architectures for Enhanced Analysis of Pulsed Infrared Thermography Images of Additively Manufactured Metals for Nuclear Applications
9:20–9:40AM CDT
Derian Mowen (Univ. Texas, San Antonio), Xin Zhang (ANL), Miltos Alamaniotis (Univ. Texas, San Antonio), Alexander Heifetz (ANL)