2026 ANS Winter Conference & Expo

The conference examines market and technology trends in bulk, rare, and specialty gases used in electronics, for executives, buyers, product managers, and strategic planners across the electronic-gases value chain. Sessions address U.S. semiconductor public policy, CHIPS metrology, gas-system challenges as Moore’s Law advances, vapor-phase materials, large-grain molybdenum deposition, solid precursor delivery, and tungsten powder supply-chain issues. A low-GWP adoption session discusses fab direct emissions, coordinated gas substitution, and industry-wide collaboration. Other technical topics include contamination control and yield, hydrogen-halide contamination, deuterium supply and purity, isotropic dry-cleaning technology, zero-nuclear-spin isotopes for semiconductor fabs and quantum computing, and new etch gases. The program also covers gas-delivery sealing, contamination and reliability tradeoffs; AI applications in automated gas handling; EUV tool gas purification; High NA EUV lithography infrastructure; sub-fab roadmaps and collaboration; precursor delivery and control; abatement; and emissions monitoring. Metrology sessions address MoCl5 stability and impurity measurements in electronic-grade rare gases and ultra-high-purity gases. Market sessions examine the global economy and semiconductors, fab capacity and equipment, helium, and specialty gases.

The technical program solicits new, significant work relevant to the nuclear industry, with summaries and abstracts presented orally. Topics include advanced reactors and power systems; energy storage integration with nuclear plants; fusion; nuclear fuel recycling, waste forms, transmutation and disposal; AI applications in nuclear safety and materials research; nuclear nonproliferation; advanced and additive manufacturing; and thermal hydraulics. Embedded topics include Decommissioning Environmental Sciences and Remote Technology, covering robotics and remote systems, decommissioning, environmental remediation, nuclear cleanup, used-fuel management, and related AI, digital-twin and regulatory topics. Accelerator Applications covers accelerator facilities and design, nuclear data, materials science, medical and industrial applications, security and forensics, and environmental studies. Accepted and presented summaries are slated for publication in ANS Transactions.

Jointly hosted by the American Nuclear Society and the Nuclear Energy Institute, NECX brings together utilities, advanced reactor developers, suppliers, regulators, policymakers, investors, engineers, researchers, project leaders, and innovators. Programming includes executive plenaries, technical sessions, and expert-led discussions focused on nuclear deployment, commercialization, investment, and industry growth. Focus areas include advanced nuclear deployment; manufacturing and AI innovation; regulatory affairs; project integration; supply-chain sourcing; workforce development; plant reliability and engineering; and emergency preparedness. The expo-hall Spotlight Stage features presentations on emerging technologies, practical insights, and solutions related to nuclear deployment, operations, innovation, and commercialization.

The program spans project execution, nuclear energy, and grids, AI, and infrastructure. Sessions address financing and delivering the U.S. energy buildout; grid capacity, interconnection, transmission, reliability, and cost allocation; and the effects of data-center and industrial demand on power planning. Nuclear topics include power for data centers, first-of-a-kind project cost and delivery, nuclear finance, HALEU and fuel supply, utility choices among large reactors, SMRs, and microreactors, and pathways to SMR deployment. Other sessions cover LNG security, trade, and investment; energy storage and grid-edge technologies; AI in energy operations; and project bankability, permitting, policy, supply-chain, and delivery risks. The program also includes executive roundtables, a project-execution clinic, and an energy startup pitch competition.

The conference brings together industry and government experts to discuss nuclear security program implementation inspections, lessons learned, industry trends, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission updates. The event includes general sessions, breakout sessions, regional security association meetings, and an exhibit hall featuring security technology and services. Intended participants include technical security experts, advanced reactor developers and security program managers, plant security executives, security program auditors, security training staff, researchers, licensing and regulatory affairs personnel, and vendors and suppliers serving nuclear professionals.

The conference covers radioactive-material management and nuclear-facility decommissioning. Its 12 tracks include crosscutting policies and programs; high- and low-level radioactive waste, spent fuel, and long-lived alpha/transuranic waste; nuclear power plant waste and on-site spent-fuel storage; packaging and transportation; decontamination and decommissioning; environmental remediation; communications and workforce; and advanced reactors and fusion. The program highlights the United Kingdom’s nuclear-sector developments, including waste management and decommissioning for legacy sites, new nuclear capacity, small modular reactors, and advanced nuclear deployment. The featured U.S. Department of Energy site, Savannah River Site, focuses on tank waste cleanup, nuclear materials processing, advanced manufacturing, AI, and applied research and development, as well as partnerships among government, contractors, regulators, stakeholders, and surrounding communities.

The program brings together energy, industrial transformation, and advanced manufacturing, with cross-cutting themes of workforce development, standards, finance, AI and digital transformation, policy, and resilience planning. Roundtables, workshops, and demos are designed to address tradeoffs involving affordability, risk, standardization, and deployment speed. Program tracks include Powering Growth, with sample sessions on data-center power and cooling, new nuclear deployment, solar cost reduction, and scaling geothermal; Industry Reimagined, covering industrial heat electrification, next-generation steel, and EPC project-delivery costs and risks; Next-Gen Manufacturing, addressing hardware investment and bankability, additive manufacturing, and sustainability tradeoffs in product design; and Future Workforce, on nuclear workforce readiness, apprenticeships, and aligning training programs with real projects. Additional sessions are in development in areas including energy storage, fusion, industrial efficiency, critical minerals, and sustainability tradeoffs. The listed sessions are samples and subject to change.

A leadership summit and global broadcast focused on deploying small modular reactors and advanced nuclear. Themes include financing, first-of-a-kind project risk, supply-chain resilience, regulation, technology, project execution, and partnerships among utilities, developers, technology companies, finance, and regulators. The event frames nuclear as a scalable option for energy security.

The conference covers four technical tracks: SR-1 and spacecraft reactors, including reactor physics, fuels and materials, power conversion, thermal management, controls, testing and civil, commercial, defense, and science mission applications; LR-1 and planetary surface reactors, including lunar and Mars power architectures, deployment, power distribution, and integration with habitats, mobility, ISRU, and science payloads; Dragonfly and radioisotope power systems, including isotope production, fuel fabrication, testing, safety, and mission operations; and building the space nuclear industrial base, including infrastructure, manufacturing and qualification supply chains, regulatory frameworks, safety, standards, workforce, and industrial partnerships. Special programming includes the 2nd Workshop for Fission Instrumentation and Controls for Space, on sensors, actuators, software, and conditioning electronics, and a special session on innovative spacecraft structures and thermal systems for nuclear propulsion and power, including deployable assemblies, vehicle aggregation, in-space assembly, and mission flexibility. Accepted and presented papers and abstracts will be published in the conference proceedings. Submissions are evaluated for originality, methodological rigor, quality of results, and scientific impact.

The conference includes two embedded topicals: Young Professionals Congress (YPC 2027) and Advances in Nuclear Nonproliferation Technology & Policy Conference (ANTPC 2027).