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Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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Jul 2026
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2026
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2026
Nuclear Technology
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.
2022 International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference Speaker
Dr. Ammerman has been at Sandia for 34 years working in the area of radioactive material transportation safety. He is the chairperson for the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code committee that is responsible for design rules for radioactive material packages and the vice-chair for the committee responsible for the construction of these packages. He was the technical program chairperson for the PATRAM 2013 and PATRAM 2019 conferences. PATRAM is the triennial international conference on the packaging and transportation of radioactive material. Doug has published over 100 technical articles and reports devoted to the safety of radioactive material transportation, is the lead author on the latest NRC spent fuel transportation risk assessment, and is the technical lead for Sandia’s work in design, analysis, and testing of radioactive material packages. He is the technical leader for Sandia’s Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Grid Modernization Center, holding regular meetings with the senior technical staff and management regarding all aspects of the work being performed
Last modified October 27, 2022, 11:37am MST
