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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
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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|4. Fusion Materials
Wednesday, June 3, 2026|3:15–5:00PM MDT|Tower C
Session Chair:
Andrea Lehn-Bradshaw (Commonwealth Fusion Systems)
Session Organizer:
Thomas Fuerst (INL)
Track Organizer:
Lane Carasik (Virginia Commonwealth Univ.)
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Evaluation of Ceramic First-Wall Material Candidates for Magneto-Inertial Fusion Generators
3:15–3:35PM MDT
Luca Cappelli (Oak Ridge Associated Univs.), Tessa Van Volkenburg (Helion Energy), Ria Meston (Helion Energy)
Paper
Evaluation of Bulk W-Ti Alloys Under Thermal and Deuterium Plasma Extremes
3:35–3:55PM MDT
Eric J. Lang (Univ. New Mexico)
Recrystallization Analysis of the Helium-Cooled Tungsten T-tube Divertor
3:55–4:15PM MDT
Michael L. Lanahan (SciTec), James P. Blanchard (Univ. Wisconsin, Madison), Said I. Abdel-Khalik (Georgia Tech), Minami Yoda (Michigan State)
Materials Development Progress for the First ARC™ Fusion Power Plant
4:15–4:35PM MDT
Lauren M. Garrison (Commonwealth Fusion Systems), Amit Behera (Commonwealth Fusion Systems), Trevor Clark (Commonwealth Fusion Systems), Cody Dennett (Commonwealth Fusion Systems), Andrea Lehn-Bradshaw (Commonwealth Fusion Systems), Xiang Chen (ORNL), Jaime Marian (Univ. California, Los Angeles), Michael P. Short (MIT), Vijay Vasudevan (Univ. North Texas), Gary S. Was (Univ. Michigan), Brian D. Wirth (Univ. Tennessee, Knoxville)
