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Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2026
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August 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
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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|3. Fusion Enabling Technologies
Monday, June 1, 2026|3:15–5:00PM MDT|Tower D
Session Chair:
Vittorio Badalassi (ORNL)
Alternate Chair:
Alyssa Hayes (ANS Congressional Fellow)
Session Organizer:
Thomas Fuerst (INL)
Track Organizer:
Lane B. Carasik (Virginia Commonwealth Univ.)
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A Self-Supervised AI Method for the Modeling of Magnetohydrodynamics in Fusion Blanket Applications
3:15–3:25PM MDT
Eric Cervi (ANL), Rui Hu (ANL), Thanh Q. Hua (ANL), Ling Zou (ANL)
Paper
AI-Agent Driven Survey and Validated Literature Review for Discovering Solid Breeder Materials
3:25–3:35PM MDT
Jose Tupayachi (ORNL), Xueping Li (Univ. Tennessee, Knoxville), Xiao-Ying Yu (ORNL)
AI-Enhanced System Level Design and Optimization of Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) Power Plants using the Integrated Process Model (IPM)
3:35–3:45PM MDT
Mackenzie K. Nelson (LLNL), Justin Galbraith (LLNL), Bassem El-Dasher (LLNL), Derek Mariscal (LLNL)
FREDA-Agent: Enabling Natural-Language-Driven Design Studies in Fusion Workflows
3:45–3:55PM MDT
Katarzyna Borowiec (ORNL), Jin Whan Bae (ORNL), Vittorio Badalassi (ORNL), Cami Collins (ORNL)
A Physics-Informed State-Estimation Framework for Real-Time Tritium Accountancy using an Analog Circuit Testbed
3:55–4:05PM MDT
Shawn Macon (SRNL), Holly B. Flynn (SRNL)
The Modeling of Flat Linear Induction Pump for the Liquid Metal
4:05–4:15PM MDT
Jiarong Fang (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), Andrei Khodak (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory)
Computing the Quantum Path to Commercial Fusion
4:15–4:25PM MDT
Laura L. Hermann (Rock Lake)
Multi-Objective Optimization of a Liquid Metal Heat Exchanger for Fusion Applications
4:25–4:35PM MDT
Kara A. Wilke (Virginia Commonwealth Univ.), Lane B. Carasik (Virginia Commonwealth Univ.)
Investigation of Reynolds Number Impact on Twisted Tape Inserts using Large Eddy Simulations
4:35–4:45PM MDT
Gavin Standish (Virginia Commonwealth Univ.), Sierra Tutwiler (Virginia Commonwealth Univ.), Lane B. Carasik (Virginia Commonwealth Univ.)