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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.
Technology of Fusion Energy (TOFE 2026)
Technical Session|1. Fusion Pilot Plant Studies
Wednesday, June 3, 2026|10:00–11:45AM MDT|Grand Ballroom 2
Session Chair:
Yongqiang Wang
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FLAME for FIRE Laboratory for Accelerated Materials Evaluation
10:00–10:20AM MDT
Zach Hartwig (MIT)
Paper
The Fusion Innovation Research Engine Integrated Materials Program to Accelerate Chamber Technologies (FIRE IMPACT)
10:20–10:40AM MDT
Steven J. Zinkle (Univ. Tennessee, Knoxville), Sara E. Ferry (MIT), Tim Graening (ORNL)
Fuel Cycle FIRE Collaborative
10:40–11:00AM MDT
George K. Larsen (SRNL), Brenda Garcia-Diaz (SRNL)
Accelerating Fusion Blanket Development through Nuclear Testing (BNT)
11:00–11:20AM MDT
Pattrick Calderoni (INL), Chase N. Taylor (INL), Xiao-Ying Yu (ORNL), David Fischer (MIT), Thomas Fuerst (INL), David Weisberg (General Atomics)
Mitigating Risks from Abrupt Confinement Loss (MiRACL) FIRE Overview
11:20–11:40AM MDT
Nathaniel Ferraro (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory)
Presentation Slides (Visible to Attendees)
