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.
To add or remove a session from your itinerary, please check the circle to the left of its title.
New this year, Executive Panels have been added to provide busy nuclear professionals a broader look at developments in nuclear science and technology and their impact on policy and markets. Click on the links below for more information about the Executive Panels, which focus on crisis communications, diversity and inclusion, lessons learned from new construction projects, and the 2021 Polar Vortex energy blackouts as well as advances in space technology, non-power technologies and nuclear capabilities, and action on nuclear waste.
Panel|Session Chair: Jeffrey C. King
Monday, June 14, 2021|1:00–2:45PM EDT
Panel|Session Chair: W. Neal Mann
Monday, June 14, 2021|3:15–5:00PM EDT
Panel|Session Chair: Craig Piercy
Tuesday, June 15, 2021|12:00–1:45PM EDT
Panel|Cosponsored by ETWDD|Session Chair: Andrew Smith
Tuesday, June 15, 2021|2:15–4:00PM EDT
Panel|Session Chair: Shaun Anderson
Tuesday, June 15, 2021|4:30–6:15PM EDT
Panel|Session Chair: Steven P. Nesbit
Wednesday, June 16, 2021|12:00–1:45PM EDT
Panel|Cosponsored by ETWDD|Session Chair: Shirly Rodriguez
Wednesday, June 16, 2021|2:15–4:00PM EDT
Panel|Session Chair: Kenneth J. Aupperle
Wednesday, June 16, 2021|4:30–6:15PM EDT