ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2026
Nuclear Technology
August 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
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.
Nuclear Plant Instrumentation and Control & Human-Machine Interface Technology (NPIC&HMIT 2025)
Technical Session
Tuesday, June 17, 2025|10:00–11:45AM CDT|Chicago Ballroom F
Session Chair:
Jamie B. Coble
Alternate Chair:
Xingang Zhao
Session Organizer:
To access paper attachments, you must be logged in and registered for the meeting.
Register NowLog In
Automating Anomaly Detection for Target Systems at Spallation Neutron Source
10:00–10:20AM CDT
Anant Raj (ORNL), Xingang Zhao (Univ. Tennessee, Knoxville), Drew Winder (ORNL), Bryan Maldonado (ORNL), Allie Morris (ORNL), Willem Blokland (ORNL), Pradeep Ramuhalli (ORNL)
Paper
Digital Twin Driven Nuclear Power Plant Health Monitoring, Diagnostics and Prognostics
10:20–10:40AM CDT
Deepak Haste (Qualtech Systems, Inc.), Sudipto Ghoshal (Qualtech Systems, Inc.), Jonathan Caleb Hudson (Qualtech Systems, Inc.), Christopher Michael Norton (Qualtech Systems, Inc.), Jamie Coble (Univ. Tennessee), Vivek Agarwal (INL), Andrew Hess (Hess PHM Group)
Introduction of Key Features of Technical Specifications Operator Support System
10:40–11:00AM CDT
Nokyu Seong (Korea Hydro Nuclear Power Central Research Institute), Jaehee Lee (Korea Hydro Nuclear Power Central Research Institute)
Detecting Process Equipment Failures Using Acoustic Data and Machine Learning
11:00–11:20AM CDT
Jacob A. Farber (INL), Ahmad Y. Al Rashdan (INL)
General Trends Observed in Reactor Power Distribution Synthesis with a Response Function-Based Approach
11:20–11:40AM CDT
Anthony Birri (ORNL), K.C. Goetz (ORNL), N. Dianne Bull Ezell (ORNL)
