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Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2026
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Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Launching into tomorrow: NRIC guides new era of research and deployment
In June 2025, the Department of Energy announced the Reactor Pilot Program, an authorization pathway that allowed reactor developers to partner with the DOE to get first-of-a-kind (FOAK) reactors built and tested. Soon after, the DOE rolled out a complementary Fuel Line Pilot Program, which aimed to fast-track fuel projects. In all, 20 projects were accepted into the new programs.
Technical Session|Panel|Panels
Saturday, April 5, 2025|3:15–4:35PM MDT|Tijeras
Session Chair:
Osman Anderoglu
Alternate Chair:
G. Ivan Maldonado
Session Organizer:
Ashley Machado
From sodium cooled fast fission reactors to liquid lead lithium blankets in fusion reactors, liquid metals play a crucial role in nuclear technologies. This panel will discuss current research and industry projects involving liquid metals, examining their scope, and how the nuclear industry as a whole stands to benefit. A majority of the focus will be given to the design, objectives, and lessons learned from liquid metal facilities such as the Lobo Lead Loop and the upcoming Lobo Lead-Lithium Loop. Additionally, the discussion will cover the future of liquid metals as coolants in both fusion and fission reactors within the scope of these two research projects.
Son Quang
Univ. Tennessee, Knoxville
Jennifer Espersen
Xavier Angus
Univ. New Mexico
Daniel Levario