International Conference on Research Reactors: Achievements, Experience and the Way to a Sustainable Future

Observer Registration (Virtual Attendance Only)

The conference will be held as an in-person event for those that are Invited Persons or officially registered through the InTouch+ Platform. If you are presenting a paper or poster, it is expected that you will attend in person. For those that would like to follow the conference sessions virtually only as an observer, you can register by following the link above. 

Background

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has promoted and fostered exchange of scientific and technical information on research reactors for many years. An important mechanism for this exchange has been the periodic meetings, seminars, symposia and conferences organized by the IAEA. In recent years, the Agency has organized major international conferences on topics of interest to the research reactor community every four years. The last such meeting was the International Conference on Research Reactors: Addressing Challenges and Opportunities to Ensure Effectiveness and Sustainability, Buenos Aires, Argentina, November 2019.

Since the 1950s, research reactors have been centres of innovation and development for nuclear science and technology programmes around the world. Research reactors primarily produce neutrons, rather than generate power, for utilization in research, education and training, as well as for other applications in areas such as industry, environment, medicine and agriculture. In addition to the currently operating research reactors, a number of new research reactor programmes are being planned and developed. Feedback from IAEA activities demonstrates the importance of highlighting the achievements of research reactors and exchanging experiences that contribute to a sustainable future where research reactors continue to positively impact society. Ensuring safety, security, adequate resources, managing ageing of these facilities and strategic planning, all lead to effective and sustainable operation and utilization. Some other challenges include effective leadership and management, spent fuel management, and the need to establish nuclear infrastructure for new research reactor programmes.

In the above context, IAEA is organizing this international conference on research reactors, postponed from the original dates of 27 November – 1 December 2023. Like earlier IAEA conferences on research reactors, the forthcoming one will play a vital role in the national and international efforts to ensure maximization of benefits to society, with a primary focus on the achievements, experience and the way to a sustainable future for these facilities.

Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of the Conference is to foster exchange of information on operating and planned research reactors. It is a forum in which reactor operators, managers, users, regulators, designers and suppliers can share experience in all relevant areas including safety, security, operation, fuel front and back-end options, utilization, infrastructure and capacity building, and management, and showcase how achievements and experience attained with research reactors in these areas, contribute to a sustainable future for these facilities.

Target Audience

The conference targets a broad range of research reactor experts. It aims to bring together representatives from regulatory bodies, operating organizations, users, designers, suppliers, research organizations and other relevant stakeholders.