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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.
Radiation Protection and Shielding Division 2024 (RPSD 2024)
Elina Charatsidou obtained her BSc in Physics from AUTh Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece in 2017. She completed her MSc in Nuclear Energy Engineering at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in 2020. She is a PhD student within the SUNRISE Centre for sustainable nuclear energy research in Sweden, at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. She is working with Uranium Nitride (UN) fuel for fast reactors, integrating experiments and modeling analyses. Elina Charatsidou is a science communicator and creator of a scientific YouTube channel ‘Your Friendly Nuclear Physicist’ on public awareness of nuclear energy.
Last modified June 20, 2024, 2:43pm EDT
