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Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Winter Conference & Expo
November 15–18, 2026
Phoenix, AZ|Arizona Grand Resort & Spa
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Sep 2026
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2026
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
October 2026
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
PPPL develops framework for unifying tokamak ML control models
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory announced that researchers at the lab, in collaboration with Princeton University, have developed a general algorithm for prediction and control in tokamak systems and have tested it at DIII-D, as presented in a recent Nuclear Fusion paper.
According to the paper, most machine learning (ML)–based tools for use in fusion machines have been implemented as stand-alone demonstrations, aiming to predict the plasma profile, suppress a form of instability, for example. PPPL’s project provides a framework that aims to accommodate these disparate models into an integrated system, which the team calls PACMAN (Prediction and Control Using Machine Learning).
August 17, 2026|11:00AM–12:00PM (12:00–1:00PM EDT)
Available to All Users
What’s next for the five states (Idaho, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Utah) DOE selected as Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus locations? Join us for a one-on-one discussion between ANS CEO Craig Piercy and U.S. DOE Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Spent Fuel and High-Level Waste Disposition, Marla Morales.
Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses are an effort launched this year to rebuild and modernize the nation’s full nuclear fuel cycle by co-locating functions such as fuel fabrication, enrichment, reprocessing used nuclear fuel, and disposition of waste. Innovation Campuses will be established through voluntary federal-state partnerships designed to advance manufacturing and regional economic growth, enhance national energy security and build a coherent end-to-end nuclear strategy for the country.
About Marla MoralesMarla is the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Spent Fuel and High-Level Waste Disposition. Prior to this role, she was the Director for the Office of Collaboration-Based Siting and Acting Director for the Office of Disposal Research and Development with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Previously, Marla worked for the NRC as a Project Manager working on the environmental analyses for consolidated interim storage facilities, fuel fabrication facilities, independent spent fuel storage installations, uranium recovery activities, and decommissioning facilities. Additionally, Marla led public outreach, government-to-government engagement, and Tribal consultation. Prior to joining the NRC, Marla was a Lead Scientist at SwRI where she began her career working on the Yucca Mountain site assessment. Ms. Morales is a licensed professional geoscientist for the States of Virginia and Texas. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Science from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
