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Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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A closer look at the initial NLIC selections—Part 2
In January, the Department of Energy announced its new Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus (NLIC) program, inviting states via a request for information to express their interest in hosting a facility supporting work from the front to the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle.
By April, 26 states had expressed interest in hosting such a facility. At the end of July, the DOE signed memorandums of understanding with five states—Idaho, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Utah—to more closely explore the possibilities of state-federal partnerships. These MOUs are not firm commitments from either the federal or state governments. Time will tell which—if any—of the five states develop projects through the program. In the meantime, today, we are taking a close look at what Utah, Idaho, Tennessee can offer in terms of a preexisting nuclear sector that could support new fuel cycle developments.
Nuclear Criticality Safety Division 2025 Conference
United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL)
Criticality Technical Leader
Senior Fellow in Criticality Safety
Dr. Deborah Hill completed her PhD in Physics at the University of Warwick before joining British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL) in 1997 as a trainee criticality safety assessor at the Springfields site in Preston. Over the past 25+ years, she has established herself as a leading expert in nuclear criticality safety, providing specialist support to a range of national and international clients. She now serves as the Criticality Technical Leader and as a Senior Fellow in Criticality Safety at the United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL).
Deborah has held prominent leadership roles across the criticality safety community, including Chair of both the UK Working Party on Criticality and the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Nuclear Criticality Safety Division (NCSD). She was honored with the NCSD Distinguished Service Award in 2019 and named an ANS Fellow in 2024. A key contributor to criticality safety standards, Deborah also currently chairs the working group responsible for the recent revision of the ANS-8.20 criticality training standard and serves as a member and secretary of the ANS-8 Standards Committee.
At UKNNL, Deborah also now leads the UKNNL Fellowship, a group of senior science, engineering, and technology leaders who play a key role in shaping the organization’s strategic Science & Technology (S&T) Agenda. Her broader industry leadership also includes past service as Chair of the ANS Professional Divisions Committee.
Last modified July 30, 2025, 8:26am CDT
