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Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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August 2026
Latest News
The transformation of the NRC: 50 years of commissioners
The dust is beginning to settle following the whirlwind of changes at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission over the past year, and 2025 ultimately may be viewed as a transformative year, as well as the year the NRC celebrated its golden anniversary. The 12 months of that milestone year brought more change to the agency in its composition, its mandate, and its relationship to the executive branch than any comparable period in the preceding four decades.
Now at 51 years and counting, the NRC is working with a full commission and issuing new rulemakings to both regulate and support the next round of nuclear deployments. With the turbulence of 2025 still fresh in our minds, Nuclear News decided it was a good time to revisit the professional backgrounds of all 42 NRC commissioners who have served over the agency’s 50-year history to see how the composition of the commission has evolved over time.
Workshop
Thursday, April 4, 2024|9:00AM–12:00PM EDT|Pattee and Paterno Library Room W003
Session Organizer:
Aamer Bashir (Penn State University)
Presented in partnership with Sara Eskandari and Gabrielle Hoelzle at the University of Michigan, participants will be able to virtually explore fission and fusion facilities developed by Penn State and Michigan researchers through the Penn State Center for Immersive Experiences. Participants will also engage with STAND, a software tool developed at the University of Michigan to apply different criteria for placing a hypothetical advanced reactor in the US. Participants will then give short pitches on why their sites would be perfect for an advanced reactor! Attendees should bring a laptop or internet capable device and request access to the University of Michigan’s FPTZ system.
Speakers
Sara Eskandari
Mx. Sara Eskandari is an XR software developer & adjunct lecturer at the University of Michigan. They specialize in developing VR/AR/MR apps for research, medical, and educational use. Graduated from University of Michigan's STAMPS School of Art & Design with a minor in Computer Science, Dari has spent time working as a programmer for games such as Heart Shaped Games's We are the Caretakers, and lead artist for Chess Heroes Inc's Chess Heroes and 3615 Theatre's Dark City. A passionate interdisciplinary developer and designer, Dari works to increase the accessibility of new technologies to their students while discussing the rapid and undulating effects of immersive technologies on daily life and entrepreneurial pursuits including products, pitches, and production pipelines.
Gabrielle Hoelzle
Ms. Gabrielle Hoelzle is a senior technical project manager and former lead data scientist at the Fastest Path to Zero Initiative (FPTZ) at the University of Michigan’s Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences. She led the development of a series of web applications supporting the rapid and equitable deployment of advanced nuclear reactors in the U.S. and internationally.
