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.
I. Kodeli, A. Milocco, A. Trkov
Nuclear Technology | Volume 168 | Number 3 | December 2009 | Pages 965-969
Miscellaneous | Special Issue on the 11th International Conference on Radiation Shielding and the 15th Topical Meeting of the Radiation Protection and Shielding Division (PART 3) / Radiation Measurements and Instrumentation | doi.org/10.13182/NT09-A9334
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Several benchmark experiments performed in the past using the time-of-flight technique are stored in the SINBAD database distributed by the Nuclear Energy Agency Data Bank (e.g., OKTAVIAN, FNS, and IPPE benchmarks). These benchmarks proved to be useful for the validation of the computer codes and nuclear data evaluations, but some expertise is required from the users for the proper modeling and interpretation of the problems. The iron spheres experiment carried out in the 14-MeV facility at IPPE, Obninsk, Russia, was proposed as one of the problems in the scope of the Coordinated Network for Radiation Dosimetry (CONRAD) project sponsored by the European Commission within its 6th Framework Programme. The objective was to test the skills of the participants in the use of the computer codes and the nuclear data but also to obtain feedback information on how suitable the information contained in SINBAD is for the nowadays users and the computer codes. Outcomes of the intercomparison provide guidance for the future compilations in order to facilitate the use of the experimental data.