PROGRAMME
DIVISIONS
- All Divisions
- Built Environment and Engineering Design (BE)
- Basic Science (BS)
- Chemical Engineering and Material Science (CM)
- Environment and Energy (EE)
- Electrical/Electronics Engineering & Information Engineering (EI)
- Life Science & Health (LH)
- Mechanical and Aerospace Technology (MA)
- Medical Science & Engineering (ME)
- Marine and Ocean Engineering (MO)
- Nuclear & Fusion Technology (NF)
- Women in Science & Technology (WS)
- Multidisciplinary Research (MR)
- Poster Session
Nuclear & Fusion Technology (NF)
Welcome to the Nuclear and Fusion Technology (NF) Division at EKC 2026. This division serves as an academic hub for recent progress in both nuclear fusion and fission technologies—two of the most credible pathways toward a sustainable, carbon-free energy future. As the field moves from theoretical promise toward practical deployment, fission continues to provide reliable clean power, while controlled fusion is pursued as a long-term source of large-scale clean energy.
The program is grounded in research abstracts submitted by leading international institutions, including KFE, Max Planck IPP, UKAEA, Cavendish Nuclear, IAEA, and the ITER Organization, along with a range of universities and industry partners. Together, the sessions connect fundamental physics with systems engineering and emerging AI integration, reflecting the field's response to growing global energy demand.
Key Technical Sessions & Core Focus Areas:
Historical Perspectives & Global Fusion Roadmaps: Opens the division with an overview of the origins of nuclear physics and the evolution of fusion research. The session reviews key milestones of international cooperation, presents updates on the revised ITER baseline configuration and research plans (IRP), and outlines South Korea's roadmap for the Compact Pilot Device (CPD) toward early fusion energy deployment.
Magnetic Confinement Fusion & Advanced Engineering Systems: Focuses on plasma confinement and stability physics in advanced tokamak and optimized 3D stellarator configurations. The session covers developments in high-precision diagnostics and remote maintenance, and examines the integration of digital twins, disruption mitigation modeling, and agentic AI architectures intended to accelerate reactor design cycles.
Advanced Fission Innovations & SMR/MSR Deployment: Examines the shifting European and UK civil nuclear landscapes alongside IAEA global projections for meeting rising energy demand. The session addresses Generation-IV systems, data-fusion architectures for real-time reactor monitoring, and commercialization frameworks for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) through public-private partnerships.
The EKC 2026 NF Division provides a platform for exchange between public research initiatives and a growing private-sector ecosystem, with the aim of supporting the commercial development of these clean energy technologies. We look forward to your participation and to the technical discussions ahead.
Programme Committee
| Date / Time | 2026-07-21 09:00 -- 10:30 |
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| Room | Mercure Hotel - We Boost |
| Conveners / Chairs |
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| Synopsis | The proposed session on "Overview and status of fusion energy development" aims to introduce fusion energy and provide an overview of the objectives and current status of fusion research in each experimental device. It will focus on magnetic confinement fusion, addressing theory, experiments and modelling. This session will provide not only an opportunity to update the latest fusion research for fusion researchers but also a comprehensive introduction to fusion for a general audience. The aim is to facilitate knowledge exchange and encourage international and interdisciplinary collaboration among speakers and participants. The session will include the following topics for presentation.
- Introduction to fusion and the status of fusion energy development
- Overview of the fusion experiment programme in each device
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| Date / Time | 2026-07-21 13:30 -- 15:00 |
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| Room | Mercure Hotel - We Boost |
| Conveners / Chairs |
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| Synopsis | This session explores fusion energy as a sustainable, climate-neutral, compact and effectively inexhaustible power source capable of supporting an AI-enabled future. It highlights the central role of plasma physics and fusion science, addressing key themes such as confinement, stability, transport and plasma–material interactions, which collectively determine the viability of fusion as a reliable baseload energy source and its potential for wider industrial deployment. The session also welcomes contributions spanning low-temperature, industrial and fusion plasma research, together with advances in data science and AI methods that support progress in plasma and nuclear fusion studies. By situating fusion energy science and plasma physics within the context of AI systems that continue to expand in scale and societal importance, the session emphasises their strategic significance for future scientific and technological development and promotes exchange between plasma physicists, fusion researchers and industrial plasma research communities. |
| Speakers |
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| Date / Time | 2026-07-21 15:30 -- 17:00 |
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| Room | Mercure Hotel - We Boost |
| Conveners / Chairs |
DR. LEE, David Sangcheol
Senior Radiation Shielding Consultant, Cavendish Nuclear, Babcock International Group Show Profile |
| Synopsis | Nuclear fission energy is at a critical inflection point. As global energy demand accelerates and climate imperatives sharpen, advanced fission technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs), advanced modular reactors (AMRs), and other emerging nuclear fission technologies. These technologies deliver reliable, scalable, low-carbon energy across electricity generation, high-temperature heat, and industrial applications.
Established nuclear nations are extending operational plant lifespans through digital modernisation and advanced monitoring, while new entrants mobilise around SMR platforms to meet diverse energy needs from grid-scale generation to remote heating and hydrogen production. Innovations in fuel cycles, advanced materials, passive safety systems, and AI-driven operational tools are fundamentally improving economics, safety, and public confidence in nuclear fission as a cornerstone of net-zero energy systems.
This session examines the technological frontier shaping nuclear fission's near-term future, covering the physics, engineering, and strategy underpinning the current nuclear renaissance.
Session Topics:
• Global nuclear fission landscape: status, deployment timelines, and drivers for SMRs and advanced reactors
• Design innovations and licensing pathways for SMRs, fast-spectrum systems, and accident-tolerant fuels
• Advanced materials, digital instrumentation, and autonomous systems for enhanced safety and efficiency
• Radiation detection systems, dosimetry technologies, and neutron production mechanisms in advanced fission systems
• Real-time monitoring, spectroscopy techniques, and detector response optimisation for reactor safety and operational intelligence.
• Advanced nuclear medicine applications through fission and fusion-based production methods.
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| Date / Time | 2026-07-21 17:00 -- 18:30 |
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| Room | Mercure Hotel - We Boost |
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| Synopsis | This ITER Special Session at EKC 2026, held in France, provides a comprehensive overview of the current scientific and engineering milestones of the ITER project. As the world’s largest international fusion experiment, ITER requires an integrated approach across various fields, including plasma physics, tritium technology, advanced materials, and large-scale plant engineering.
The session aims to share the latest progress in achieving ITER's operational goals and to discuss the technical challenges remaining on the path to first plasma. We welcome contributions from all areas of fusion research that support the ITER baseline and explore innovative solutions for future fusion devices.
Furthermore, this session serves as a strategic platform for talent networking and career development, highlighting the importance of recruiting next-generation scientists and engineers to the ITER Organization and its domestic agencies. By bringing together experts and aspiring researchers, the session will foster international collaboration and provide essential information on professional opportunities within the global fusion community.
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