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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
Wednesday, June 18, 2025|8:00–9:45AM CDT|Great America 1/2
Session Chair:
Emily R. Shemon
Alternate Chair:
Nicolas E. Stauff
Session Organizer:
Elia Merzari
To access paper attachments, you must be logged in and registered for the meeting.
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Deimos: Establishment of a New Advanced Reactor Testbed
8:00–8:10AM CDT
Theresa E. Cutler (LANL), Kristin N. Stolte (LANL), Holly R. Trellue (LANL), Alexis Maldonado (LANL), Rene G. Sanchez (LANL)
Paper
Multiphysics Simulation of TRISO Fuel Compacts and the Effects of Homogenization on Fission Products Release
8:10–8:20AM CDT
Aya Hegazy (Univ. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), April Novak (Univ. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), Pierre-Clément Simon (INL), Rizwan Uddin (Univ. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign)
CoreForge: A Python Library for Reactor Model Construction
8:20–8:30AM CDT
Cole A. Gentry (ORNL), Nicholas P. Luciano (ORNL), Kevin T. Clarno (Univ. Texas, Austin)
Presentation Slides (Visible to Attendees)
Bison Thermo-mechanical Analysis for the Heated Region for the Deimos Test
8:30–8:40AM CDT
Abraham Haggerty (LANL), Christopher Matthews (LANL), Alex Levinsky (LANL), Alexis Maldonado (LANL), Theresa E. Cutler (LANL)
Expanding Mathematical and Computational Models for Innovative SMR-based Smart Net-Zero City
8:40–8:50AM CDT
Son Jeong-ok (Korea Hydro&Nuclear Power Co., Ltd), Jang You-Hyun (Korea Hydro&Nuclear Power Co., Ltd.), Shin Ho-Cheol (Korea Hydro&Nuclear Power Co., Ltd.)
The First Four Decades of ANS Nuclear Criticality Transactions Paper Summaries
8:50–9:00AM CDT
Brian L. Koponen (Golden Valley Publications), John Fabian (American Nuclear Society)
Simulations of Deimos High Assay Low Enriched Uranium Critical Experiment
9:00–9:10AM CDT
Holly R. Trellue (LANL), Theresa E. Cutler (LANL), Alexis Maldonado (LANL), Kristin N. Stolte (LANL)
Comparison of Dose Calculation Methods Used at Savannah River Site's H-Canyon
9:10–9:20AM CDT
Donald Bryce Beeson (SRNL), Scott Martin (SRNL)
Using Machine Learning to Help Develop Nuclear Criticality Safety Evaluations
9:20–9:30AM CDT
Anneli Brackbill (Univ. Tennessee, Knoxville), Vladimir Sobes (Univ. Tennessee, Knoxville), James J. Kuropatwinski (LANL), Isaac J. Michaud (LANL)
