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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|Technology Research and Development
Tuesday, April 28, 2026|1:00–2:00PM EDT|Room 302/303/304
Session Chair:
Garrett Pohl
Alternate Chair:
Ron Faibish
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Oscillating Heat Pipes for Space Nuclear Power
1:00–1:06PM EDT
Alex Miller (ThermAvant Technologies)
Paper
Recent Advances in Multiphysics Analysis of Failsafe Heat Pipe Cooled Nuclear Reactor
1:06–1:12PM EDT
Aanchal Gupta (Univ. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), Magdi Ragheb (Univ. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), Rizwan-uddin (Univ. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign)
Structural and Thermal Assessment of Ti-H2O – GFRC Heat Pipe Radiators for Fission Surface Power
1:12–1:18PM EDT
Sandeep Hatte (Advanced Cooling Technologies Inc.), Zayed Ahmed (Advanced Cooling Technologies Inc.), Calin Tarau (Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc.), Jeffrey Diebold (Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc.), Srujan Rokkam (Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc.)
LEU-Fueled Natural-Circulation Microreactor for Heat Supply on the Moon
1:18–1:24PM EDT
Naoyuki Takaki (Tokyo City Univ.)
Preconceptual Study of a Hypothesized Deep Space Surface Mission Power Source
1:24–1:30PM EDT
Blake Coghill (Virginia Commonwealth Univ.), Jackson Place (Virginia Commonwealth Univ.), Joshua Piper (Virginia Commonwealth Univ.), Ethan Villarreal (Virginia Commonwealth Univ.), Cassie Bowman (Arizona State), Lane Carasik (Virginia Commonwealth Univ.)
Triply Periodic Minimal Surface Recuperator Design for a 100-kWe Nuclear Closed Brayton Cycle for Space Power
1:30–1:36PM EDT
Aubrey Olson (Univ. Wisconsin, Madison), Noah Kleitsch (Univ. Wisconsin Madison), David Hall (Univ. Wisconsin Madison), Rafe Smith (Univ. Wisconsin Madison), Logan Rapp (Sandia), Rodney Keith (Sandia)
FENRIR: A Reactor Multiphysics Modeling Suite for Nuclear Electric Propulsion Systems
1:36–1:42PM EDT
Corey Smith (AMA), Jacob Stonehill (AMA), Christopher Harnack (AMA), Matthew Duchek (AMA)
NEP Trade Design Studies: Comparison Between MSR and HPR Concepts
1:42–1:48PM EDT
Pablo R. Rubiolo (University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LPSC), Francisco Szmandiuk (University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LPSC), Nicolas Capellan (University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LPSC), Gonzalo De La Iglesia (University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LPSC), Julien Giraud (University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LPSC), Ignacio Lobardo (University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LPSC)
Future-Proofing Investments in US Development and Deployment of Advanced Nuclear Propulsion Technologies
1:48–1:54PM EDT
Tony S. Hill (Starr Nuclear), James Werner (AMA), Lindsey Holmes (AMA)