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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
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August 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
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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
Monday, July 22, 2024|1:00–2:50PM CDT|Madison Ballroom
Session Chair:
Rosaria Villari (ENEA Frascati)
Alternate Chair:
Iole Palermo
Session Organizer:
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Design Progress for a Spherical Tokamak Advanced Reactor (STAR)
1:00–1:25PM CDT
J.E. Menard (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), J. Berkery (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), T. Brown (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), N. Bertelli (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), L. Delgado-Aparicio (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), F. Ebrahimi (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), E. Emdee (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), N. Ferraro (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), N. Gorelenkov (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), M. Gorelenkova (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), A. Khodak (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), A. Kleiner (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), B. Linn (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), R. Majeski (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), R. Maingi (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), M. Ono (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), A. Pankin (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), J. Parisi (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), V. Pillai (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), C. Rana (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), K. Shah (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), P. Titus (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), Y. Zhai (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory)
Paper
Recent Progress on the HELIAS Dual Coolant Lithium Lead Breeding Blanket (DCLL BB) Program
1:25–1:50PM CDT
I. Palermo (CIEMAT), J. Alguacil (UNED), G. Bongioví (Università di Palermo), J.P. Catalán (UNED), I. Fernández-Berceruelo (CIEMAT, Spain), S. Giambrone (Università di Palermo), G. Fonfría (CIEMAT, Spain), T. Lyytinen (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland), J.A. Noguerón (CIEMAT, Spain), V. Queral (CIEMAT, Spain), F.R. Urgorri (CIEMAT, Spain), A. Snicker (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland), D. Sosa (CIEMAT, Spain)
Project LIBRA: Investigating Tritium Breeding and Extraction Efficiency for Fusion Reactors
1:50–2:10PM CDT
Mahmuod Bakr (Univ. Bristol), Hugo Dominguez-Andrade (Univ. Bristol), Alex Little (Univ. Bristol), Norbert Wegrzynowski (Univ. Bristol), Alicja Szczepanska (Univ. Bristol), Yannick Verbelen (Univ. Bristol), Tom Mooney (Univ. Bristol), Rob Havell (Univ. Bristol), Thomas Scott (Univ. Bristol)
Nested Pebble Bed Blanket (NesPeB)
2:10–2:30PM CDT
V. Badalassi (ORNL), J.W. Bae (ORNL), K. Borowiec (ORNL), A. Sircar (ORNL)
