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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.
Mathematics & Computation (M&C) 2021 Speaker
Dr. Miller was born in Chicago, IL in 1943 and was an elementary school friend of Emmett Till who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955 sparking the Civil Rights Movement under the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King. Dr. Miller was admitted to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1960, graduating in 1964. He is a Viet Nam veteran and is a recipient of the Bronze Star. He entered Northwestern University in 1969 and was awarded a PhD in Engineering Sciences in 1973. His research was in computational methods of neutron transport and he co-authored a text book on the subject. He served for almost 30 years and retired from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in 2001, achieving the rank of Deputy Laboratory Director for Science and Technology. He has served since then in part time or consultant capacities at the University of New Mexico, LANL, Argonne National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, AZIsotopes LLC, Texas A & M University and Kairos Power.In 2009, he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy serving under the leadership of Secretary Stephen Chu in the first Obama Administration.Dr. Miller is a recipient of the Northwestern University Alumni Merit Award and was named by the National Society of Black Engineers as its 2004 Distinguished Engineer.Dr. Miller is a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society and in 1996 was elected to the National Academy of Engineers. He is presently a Senior Technical Advisor at Kairos Power and a Professor of Practice in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Texas A & M University.
Last modified September 28, 2021, 2:38pm EDT