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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|Radioisotope Power Systems
Wednesday, May 7, 2025|10:00–11:40AM CDT|Salon EF (Marriott)
Session Chairs:
Chris Whiting (NASA Glenn Research Center)
Emily Hsu (DOE)
Track Organizer:
Harold Gerrish (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center)
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Modeling the Performance of a Cascaded Thermionic-Thermoelectric Energy Conversion System for Space Nuclear Power Systems
10:00–10:25AM CDT
Elizabeth D. Juette (Univ. California, Berkeley), Van P. Carey (Univ. California, Berkeley), Jean-Pierre Fleurial (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Paper
A Mixed Methods Approach to Modeling Performance Losses In Thermoelectric Generators Due to Material Sublimation
10:25–10:50AM CDT
Carter D. Gassler (Univ. Pittsburgh), Michael J. Durka (Univ. Pittsburgh), Matthew M. Barry (Univ. Pittsburgh)
Qualification Testing of the ESA Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator
10:50–11:15AM CDT
Ramy Mesalam (Univ. Leicester), Alessandra Barco (Univ. Leicester), Rob Tute (Univ. Leicester), Kris Bell (Univ. Leicester), Hannah Sargeant (Univ. Leicester), Emily Jane Watkinson (Univ. Leicester), Tony Crawford (Univ. Leicester), Christopher Bicknell (Univ. Leicester), Richard Ambrosi (Univ. Leicester), Christophe Fongarland (ESA)
Testing and Characterization of Industrial Thermoelectric Modules for Space Applications
11:15–11:40AM CDT
Kenton Sherick (Univ. Dayton Research Institute), Boyd Allen Tolson (Univ. Dayton Research Institute), Matthew Johnson (Univ. Dayton Research Institute), Asa Palmer (Univ. Dayton Research Institute), Christopher Venturella (Univ. Dayton Research Institute), Rebecca Hoffman (Univ. Dayton Research Institute), Chadwick Barklay (Univ. Dayton Research Institute)
