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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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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. Robert Ledoux currently serves as a Program Director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy. His areas of interest include the intersection of nuclear physics and non-proliferation, energy production, and transportation. He is the program director of the ARPA-E ONWARDS program, which aims to reduce the disposal impact of advanced reactor waste.
Prior to joining ARPA-E, Dr. Ledoux served as the Founder, President, and CEO of Passport Systems, a technology company in non-intrusive cargo inspection. At Passport Systems Dr. Ledoux co-invented powerful new technologies with the US Department of Homeland Security Domestic Nuclear Detection Office to aid in the non-intrusive inspection of cargo and co-authored over 20 US and international patents. Prior to founding Passport Systems, he served as Vice President of Pyramid Technical Consultants, developing hardware and software for the control of magnetic scanning systems and accelerator control used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Previously as an Associate Professor of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he studied high-energy nuclear interactions in search of new phases of hadronic matter.
Last modified October 27, 2022, 11:28am MST
