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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 RPD
Tuesday, June 17, 2025|1:00–2:45PM CDT|Belmont
Session Chair:
Pavel V. Tsvetkov
Alternate Chair:
Ishita Trivedi (INL)
Session Organizer:
Zeyun Wu
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Bayesian Optimization for Reactor Design Optimization
1:00–1:20PM CDT
Kangan Chen (Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison), Xianjian Xie (School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, Arizona State University), Peter German (INL), Hao Yan (School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, Arizona State University), Andi Wang (1 Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Paper
Investigating the Neutronic Potential of Control Rod Materials for Improved Accident Tolerance using SCALE 6.3.1
1:20–1:40PM CDT
Rahnuma Aziz Nisa (Univ. Wisconsin, Madison), Dylan J. Garofalo (Univ. Wisconsin, Madison), Seung K. Jung (Univ. Wisconsin, Madison), Dean Kreuger (Univ. Wisconsin, Madison), Joon H. Moon (Univ. Wisconsin, Madison), Sawyer J. Foley (Univ. Wisconsin, Madison), Ben Lindley (Univ. Wisconsin, Madison)
Demonstration and Preliminary Validation of Griffin for MSR Depletion with Chemical Removal Parametric Studies
1:40–2:00PM CDT
Tingzhou Fei (ANL), Shayan Shahbazi (ANL), Donny Hartanto (ORNL), Eva E. Davidson (ORNL), Samuel Walker (INL), Mauricio E. Tano (INL)
Validation of Reactivity Feedback Calculations for Sodium Fast Reactors Using SEFOR Experimental Data
2:00–2:20PM CDT
Yan Cao (ANL), Ahmed Amin Abdelhameed (ANL), Emily R. Shemon (ANL), Bo Feng (ANL)
Validation of Argonne Reactor Code Suite for Neutronics Benchmarks of China Experimental Fast Reactor
2:20–2:40PM CDT
Hansol Park (ANL), Taek Kyum Kim (ANL), Michael G. Jarrett (TerraPower), Zhaopeng Zhong (ANL), Changho Lee (ANL)