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
Wednesday, June 18, 2025|3:15–5:15PM CDT|Chicago Ballroom E
Session Chair:
N. Dianne B. Ezell
Alternate Chair:
Hyun Gook Kang
Session Organizer:
To access paper attachments, you must be logged in and registered for the meeting.
Register NowLog In
An Illustrative Top-Level Safety Assurance Case for an SMR
3:15–3:35PM CDT
Xueli Gao (Institute For Energy Technology, Norway), Peter Karpati (Institute For Energy Technology, Norway), Norbert Carte (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission)
Presented by Rune Winther (IFE)
Paper
Space Fission Instrumentation and Control Technology Gaps
3:35–3:55PM CDT
N. Dianne Bull Ezell (ORNL), Tyler Steiner (NASA GRC), Joshua Leblanc (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center), Jarvis Caffrey (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center)
Effective STPA Application Through Organizational Capability: Lessons Learned from Practical Applications
3:55–4:15PM CDT
Ankur Shukla (Institute for Energy Technology, Norway), Charlotte Vrangsund (Institute for Energy Technology, Norway), Xueli Gao (Institute for Energy Technology, Norway), Sizarta Sarshar (Institute for Energy Technology, Norway), Bjørn Axel Gran (Institute for Energy Technology, Norway)
Strain Monitoring with Embedded Fiberoptic Sensors and Modeling with Machine Learning (ML) Tools
4:15–4:35PM CDT
Matthew Laurent (Florida Int'l Univ.), Jorge Arias (Florida Int'l Univ.), Pedro Rodriguez (Florida Int'l Univ.), Benjamin Vargas (Florida Int'l Univ.), Sebastian Vargas (Florida Int'l Univ.), Ibrahim Tansel (Florida Int'l Univ.), Sabri Tosunoglu (Florida Int'l Univ.), Maria Gonzalez (Florida Int'l Univ.)
Instrumentation and Control Cable Design and Selection in Advanced Reactor Environments
4:35–4:55PM CDT
Patrick Ward (Analysis and Measurement Services Corp.), Codi Ferree (Analysis and Measurement Services Corp.), Trevor Toll (Analysis and Measurement Services Corp.), Adam Deatherage (Analysis and Measurement Services Corp.)
