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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.
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 G
Session Chair:
Anna Hall
Alternate Chair:
Jari O. Laarni
Session Organizer:
Hyun Gook Kang
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Adapting the Nuclear Industry to an Ageing Workforce
10:00–10:20AM CDT
Grace Routledge (Assystem)
Paper
Modernizing the Nuclear Industry and New Ways of Working
10:20–10:40AM CDT
Zachary Spielman (INL), Asgeir Drøivoldsmo (Institute for Energy Technology), Trond Lilleng (Institute for Energy Technology), Jason Remer (INL)
Digital Transformation for the Existing Fleet: Where to Start?
10:40–11:00AM CDT
Anna Hall (INL), Michelle Velazquez (Idaho State Univ.), Ryan Spangler (INL), Patrick Murray (EQRPI Inc), Zachary Spielman (INL), Jeffrey Joe (INL)
Development of a Human Factors Engineering Maturity Method for the Nuclear Domain
11:00–11:20AM CDT
Jari Laarni (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland)
Principles Emerging from Control Room Modernization Planning
11:20–11:40AM CDT
Stephen J. Kenney (BCP Engineers & Consultants), Tyrone S. Tonkinson (NA)
