Photo of Thad Adams Thad AdamsSavannah River National Laboratory

University of Tennessee, Bachelor of Science, Materials Science & Engineering

University of Florida, Masters of Science, Materials Science & Engineering

University of Florida, Ph.D., Materials Science & Engineering

Thad M. Adams is the Savannah River National Laboratory Director of Strategic Development and Innovation. Dr. Adams is developing the advanced manufacturing competency at SRNL, with specific emphasis on process intensification, smart manufacturing, and enterprise modeling in support of programmatic initiatives.…

Photo of Jess Atkins Jess AtkinsExelon Nuclear

Jess Atkins, MBA, has been working in nuclear power plants for the last decade.  While in nuclear power, Jess has worked as a corporate systems engineer, plant systems engineer, plant design engineer, auxiliary operator, responsible engineer (lead project engineer) and assistant project manager. From Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) training to designing and implementing new systems at the plant to replacing legacy systems like the turbine generator and the automatic voltage regulator, Jess has a wealth of knowledge of nuclear power plant life.…

Photo of Steven Biegalski Steven BiegalskiGeorgia Institute of Technology

Steven Biegalski is the Chair of the Nuclear and Radiological Engineering and Medical Physics Program at Georgia Institute of Technology. He has three degrees in nuclear engineering from the University of Maryland, University of Florida, and the University of Illinois, respectively. Early in his career, Dr. Biegalski was the Director of Radionuclide Operations at the Center for Monitoring Research.…

Photo of Heather Connaway Heather ConnawayX-energy

Heather currently works at X-energy as Lead, Microreactor Module, in the Government R&D Division. In this role, she coordinates the multidisciplinary engineering team performing reactor design for X-energy’s transportable microreactor technology. Prior to joining X-energy, she spent a decade at Argonne National Laboratory, where she was the manager of multimillion-dollar programs related to reactor design, software development, and fuel development and testing.

Photo of Dan DeBoer Dan DeBoerNextEra Energy, Inc.
Photo of Michael Fensin Michael FensinLos Alamos National Laboratory

Dr. Michael Lorne Fensin is a staff scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Michael’s areas of research include Monte Carlo code and methods development, radiation signature and detector characterization for homeland security and nonproliferation, space and terrestrial reactor design, reactor burnup, and radiation effects and shielding design. Michael was an MCNP code developer and class instructor for over a decade.…

Photo of Darren Gale Darren GaleX-energy

 Darren Gale, Vice President, Commercial Operations and ARDP Program Manager for X-energy ($2.5B Advanced Reactor Demonstration program at Energy Northwest), has been actively involved in the Nuclear Power industry for over 37 years, including Executive Management for the past 20 years. His significant profit/loss responsibilities span Fuels, Services, Engineering and Maintenance businesses.…

Photo of Kostadin Ivanov Kostadin IvanovNorth Carolina State University

Dr. Kostadin Ivanov is currently Professor and Department Head of Nuclear Engineering at North Carolina State University. Dr. Ivanov received a B.S. in nuclear engineering from the Moscow Institute of Power Engineering, Russia. He received his Ph.D. in reactor physics from the Institute of Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy (INRNE), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. He was senior research scientist at INRNE and an assistant professor at the Technical University of Sofia, Bulgaria.…

Photo of Azaree Lintereur Azaree LintereurPenn State University

Dr. Azaree Lintereur joined the Nuclear Engineering Department at Penn State University as an Assistant Professor in August 2017 and is developing a radiation detection based research program. Prior to joining Penn State University Dr. Lintereur was at the University of Utah, where she established a radiation detection laboratory. Prior to becoming a faculty member, Dr.…

Photo of Mano Nazar Mano NazarAeroEquity Industrial Partners

Mr. Nazar is an Operating Partner at AE Industrial, bringing over 35 years of extensive nuclear industry experience. Mr. Nazar currently serves as Chairman of the Board of BHI, an AE Industrial portfolio company.

Prior to joining AE Industrial in 2020, Mr. Nazar was president of the nuclear business unit at NextEra Energy, Inc., and currently serves as a consultant.…

Photo of Pierre Oneid Pierre OneidHoltec International

Mr. Pierre Paul Oneid is the Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer of Holtec International. Mr. Oneid earned an Executive Master of Business Administration from Queens University in Canada in 1998 and a B.A. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Ottawa, Canada in 1981. Mr. Oneid is a Professional Engineer with over thirty-five years of experience in the Nuclear Industry, including twelve years in mechanical and structural design, eight years in Business Development, and fourteen years in Executive Positions.…

Photo of Ricardo Perez Ricardo PerezWestinghouse/Tennessee Valley Authority (Retired)

Ric is an accomplished executive leader with a successful career in electricity markets, engineering businesses, and critical infrastructure management in both the private and public sectors. He was with Westinghouse for 32 years rising to the position of President and COO where his duties spanned every facet of the energy cycle from fuel, manufacturing, plant design, construction, maintenance, and decommissioning.…