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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.
Technical Session|Panel|Space Nuclear Propulsion
Tuesday, May 6, 2025|1:00–2:40PM CDT|SPOC A (Space & Rocket Center)
Session Chair:
Julia E. Cline
Session Organizer:
Track Organizer:
Harold Gerrish (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center)
This discussion will include panelists who are working on tangential technologies in the area of in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing that will benefit space nuclear propulsion architectures.
Will Grier
NASA Langley Research Center
Mitchell Rodriguez
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Kerry Timmons
Lockheed Martin
John Lymer
MDA Space