Nuclear Energy and Applications, 19-20 October 2026 Illinois Indiana Champaign University
Motivation
Electrification, decarbonization, and resilience goals for 2030–2050 require firm, low‑carbon power and high‑temperature heat that complement renewables and modern grids. Nuclear technologies—including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Microreactors (MMRs), to fusion R&D and advanced fuel cycles—are re‑emerging as practical tools for clean electricity, process heat, desalination, hydrogen production and energy storage. In parallel, nuclear‑enabled technologies continue to transform medicine, sensing, and materials science.
Background
· IEEE SusTech “Innovation, Engagement & Collaboration Committee” is developing a multi‑society project to evaluate installing MMRs at two university campuses.
· IEEE NPSS organized two workshops showcasing NPSS assets in nuclear and plasma fields: “Nuclear and Power Solutions for Energy and Society” (Tampa, 2024) and “Nuclear and Power Opportunities for Energy and Society” (Yokohama, 2025).
· The IEEE Future Directions Second Webinar Series on Nuclear Energy is proposing cutting edge presentations throughout 2026 with unprecedented attendance.
· The IEEE Future Direction Alternative Energy Generation and Storage Initiative was approved in Fall 2024 and started in Spring 2025.
Building on this momentum, this 2026 in‑person event aims to convene communities that rarely sit together: IEEE NPSS, IEEE PES & Smart Grid, IEEE Standards, Reliability engineers, Control and Power‑Electronics designers, IEEE Computer Society, and social/ethical specialists from IEEE SSIT—along with external partners such as the American Nuclear Society, The Canadian Nuclear Society and the IAEA.
