Name: Nuclear Energy and Applications, 19-20 October 2026 Illinois Urbana Champaign University
Start: 2026-10-19T00:20:00-05:00
End: 2026-10-20T18:30:00-05:00
Location: No location set

Nuclear Energy and Applications, 19-20 October 2026 Illinois Urbana Champaign University

from Monday, 19 October 2026 (00:20) to Tuesday, 20 October 2026 (18:30)

Monday, 19 October 2026

08:00 Registration

08:00 - 09:00
09:00 Welcome Remarks
09:00 - 09:20
Contributions

09:00 Welcome Remarks - Rashid Bashir

09:05 Welcome to the Workshop and Outlook - Cinzia Da Via (The University of Manchester (GB))
09:20 Nuclear Power: Fission and Technology Options
Fission and Technology Options
09:20 - 11:45
Contributions

09:25 Nuclear Fission and the Technology Choices Shaping the Future of Nuclear Power - Ross Ridenoure (Hadron Energy)

09:45 The Illinois Microreactor Demonstration Project - Caleb Brooks (Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign)

10:05 The Molten Salt Research Reactor at Abilene Christian University - Rusty Towell (Department of Engineering and PhysicsAbilene Christian University)

10:10 The IEEE NPSS International Schools - Martin Grossmann (Physicist and Senior Technical Advisor, Paul Sherrer Institute)

10:30 Fusion Technology Roadmaps and Gaps - Hanni Lux (Senior Technical Advisor, Tokamak Energy)

10:50 People and Instrumentation: IEEE-NPSS and the Nuclear Energy Transition - Sara Pozzi (Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences University of Michigan)
11:45 Luncheeon
Luncheeon
11:45 - 13:00
13:00 Moderated panel with industry speakers involved in developments at universities
13:00 - 14:00
Contributions

13:00 Nano Nuclear Energy Inc., KRONOS MMR Design Overview - John Judson (Senior Project Leader, NANO NUclear Energy Inc.)

13:10 Regulatory Landscape for Microreactor Transport - Steve Maheras

13:20 Oklo Isotopes: From Reactor Demonstration to Commercial Production - Xander Bard (Oklo)

13:30 Panel Discussion
14:00 Nuclear Applications Beyond Energy
14:00 - 15:20
Contributions

14:00 From Neutrons to Patients: Small Modular Reactors for Medical Isotope Production - Laura Ravasi (Medical and Scientific Advisor, Oncidium Foundation)

14:15 Nanofluid-based Accelerator-driven Transmutation Recycler (NATURE): A Liquid-Lead Suspended-Fuel Subcritical Blanket for Nuclear Waste Transmutation - Yan Cao (Principal Nuclear Engineer, Argonne National Laboratory)

14:30 Small Modular Reactor Applications to Nuclear Medicine, Maritime Deployment, and Waste Transmutation - Cayle Bradley

14:45 Nuclear Medicine – Towards Universally Accessible Personalized Health Management - Vesna Sossi (Physics and Astronomy and Medicine, The University of British Columbia)
15:20 Coffeee
Coffeee
15:20 - 15:30
15:30 Social, Ethical, and Workforce Dimensions (presentations and panel discussion): Social, Ethical, and Workforce Dimensions (presentations and panel discussion)
Social, Ethical, and Workforce Dimensions (presentations and panel discussion)
15:30 - 17:00
Contributions

15:30 Fusing Europe. Thermonuclear fusion cooperation between science diplomacy and political integration, 1957–2006 - Roberto Lalli (Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin, Research Scholar at the Innovation and Science Diplomacy School)

15:45 Czech Nuclear Program - Roman Holy (Senior Ministerial Officer, Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIT))

16:00 Uncertainties in the legal and regulatory landscape - Arden Rowell

16:15 Panel Discussion
18:00 Reception
Reception
18:00 - 20:00
Tuesday, 20 October 2026

08:00 Registration/Coffee
Registration/Coffee
08:00 - 08:30
08:30 Day 2: Regularoty Landscape and Role of the Professional Societies
Regularoty Landscape and Role of the Professional Societies
08:30 - 10:10
Contributions

08:30 Advanced Reactor Licensing: Navigating the Dual Statutory Mandates of Adequate Protection and Regulatory Efficiency - Zahra Mohaghegh (Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

08:50 The Nuclear Landscape and the Role of Professional Societies - Craig Piercy (Chief Executive Officer, American Nuclear Society)

09:10 Activities of the IEEE Standards Association - Maike Luiken (Western University, Chair of IEEE Planet Positive 2030)

09:30 Managing Nuclear Materials: How the INMM is Supporting Advanced Nuclear Deployment - Claudio Gariazzo (Group Leader of Nonproliferation Innovation, Argonne National Laboratory)

09:50 Advanced Reactor Regulatory Landscape: The Present and the Path Forward - Tony Nakanishi (Nuclear Regulatory Commission)
10:10 Coffee
Coffee
10:10 - 10:20
10:20 Reactor Monitoring and Sensors Preparing for SMRs
10:20 - 11:40
Contributions

10:20 Neutron flux detectors in Nuclear Reactors - Raymond Cao (Director of the Nuclear Engineering Program at The Ohio State)

10:40 Instrumentation for New Fuel Cycles - Angela Di Fulvio (Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

11:00 Opportunities for Optical Fiber-Based Sensors in Emergent Small Modular Reactors - Tony Birri

11:20 Radiation-Hardened-by-Design FPGA-Based Systems for Operation in Neutron Radiation Environments - Raffaele Giordano (Department of Physics, Subnuclear Physics, University of Naples "Federico II", Italy)
11:40 Luncheon
Luncheon
11:40 - 12:40
12:40 Digital Twins for Advanced Analytics, Safeguards and Security
12:40 - 13:40
Contributions

12:40 Towards Agentic Foundation Models: Digital Twin Solutions for Virtual Sensing in Inaccessible Locations - Syed Bahauddin Alam (Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

13:00 The PUR-1 Dynamic Cyber-Physical Digital Twin - Sylianos Chatizidakis (Associate Reactor Director, and Direcotr of Nuclear Engineering Radiation Laboratory, Purdue University)

13:20 Advanced Reactor Safeguards and Security: Application of Digital Twins - Ben Cipiti (Principal Member of the Technical Staff, Safeguards and Security for Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycle Facilities, Sandia National Laboratories)
13:40 coffee
coffee
13:40 - 13:55
13:55 Alternative Energy, Energy Storage and Grid Integration PES
13:55 - 14:55
Contributions

13:55 Advanced Energy Storage for Flexible Nuclear Power and Resilient Low-Carbon Grids - Kwan San Hui (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Saudi Arabia)

14:15 Grid Integration of AI Data Centers and Small Modular Reactors: The Role of Energy Storage - Wencong Su (Chair, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn)

14:35 IEEE Alternative Energy Generation and Storage Initiative - Hong Chen (Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri)
14:55 Closing Remarks by the Organising Committee
Closing Remarks by the Organising Committee
14:55 - 15:05

15:05 Closed Session
Closed Session
15:05 - 16:30