Research Reactors: Safe Management and Effective Utilization : Summary of an International Conference Held in Vienna, 16-20 November 2015

The International Conference on Research Reactors: Safe Management and Effective Utilization was organized by the IAEA and held in Vienna on 16-20 November 2015.

It is the major networking event for the research reactor community worldwide taking place every four years.

The multidisciplinary scientific and technological applications that research reactors supported and continue supporting have spawned advances in academia, industry, medicine, food and agriculture.

On the other hand, research reactor organizations need to address challenges such as: the management of ageing of facilities and staff; the need to enhance regulatory effectiveness and to address the relevant lessons from the Fukushima Daiichi accident; the security of fuel supply and the management of spent fuel; the need for increased vigilance to prevent malicious acts; and the need for more effective and efficient utilization of the facilities to justify operation and maintenance costs; as well as the strain of shrinking resources, both financial and human, while fulfilling an expanding role in support of nuclear science and technology development.

New research reactor projects also challenge Member States in developing their national infrastructure and human resources to ensure a successful implementation.This publication provides a summary of the conference, the major findings and conclusions of the sessions, and the opening and closing addresses.

The accompanying CD-ROM includes the individual technical papers and presentations.

These proceedings are expected to serve as a valuable source of information for specialists involved in research reactor operation and utilization as well as for regulatory authorities in the IAEA Member States.