ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2026
Nuclear Technology
August 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
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.
Delia Perez-Nunez, Leslie A. Braby
Nuclear Technology | Volume 168 | Number 1 | October 2009 | Pages 21-28
Detectors | Special Issue on the 11th International Conference on Radiation Shielding and the 15th Topical Meeting of the Radiation Protection and Shielding Division (Part 1) / Radiation Protection | doi.org/10.13182/NT09-A9095
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In this work a new single anode spherical tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) was developed for mixed field radiation dosimetry. The approach used was to divide the cathode into several rings with different thicknesses and adjust the potential difference between each ring and the anode to produce an electric field that is nearly constant along the length of the anode. A-150 tissue-equivalent plastic is used for the detector walls, the insulator material between the cathode rings is low-density polyethylene, and the gas inside the detector is propane. The detector, along with the charge sensitive preamplifier, is encased in a stainless steel vacuum chamber. This 1.8-cm-diam TEPC provides low electronic noise, a gas gain of 550 at 782 V, good spectral resolution (26 keV/m), and a full-width at half-maximum value of 17%. This spherical TEPC detector system will improve the accuracy of dosimetry in space and as a result improve radiation safety for astronauts.