ETSON Conference 2025: First Prize of the ETSON Awards for ASNR
The 2025 edition of the ETSON Conference, organized by the UK TSO RSD on October 27–28, 2025, in Manchester, brought together around forty experts and researchers from across the network. On this occasion, the ETSON Awards “Science Slam” also took place.
ETSON Conference
The main theme of the ETSON Conference was “The challenges facing national TSOs in maintaining robust scientific and technical independence in a rapidly changing nuclear landscape”.
The program included several sessions dedicated to the ongoing work of expert groups, as well as discussions related to the conference theme. External speakers also provided valuable insights to complement ETSON’s work, including Mr. Mark Foy (WENRA) on opportunities for cooperation between WENRA and ETSON, and Mr. Jacques Repussard, who presented the ELSE and DMaLSE safety leadership training programs from the Université Côte d’Azur.
Finally, the General Assembly was an opportunity to review the network’s main ongoing initiatives and to discuss current nuclear issues, key challenges for TSOs, and ETSON’s overall strategy.
ETSON Awards
Five teams of young engineers and researchers — three of them from ASNR — competed for the awards, presenting their scientific contributions to nuclear safety and radiation protection.
The candidates’ papers were pre-evaluated by a jury composed of experts from ETSON member organizations, while attendees of the Science Slam were invited to vote for the best presentation.
The first prize was awarded to a team of researchers led by Mr. Clément Viron, in partnership with GRS (the German TSO), for their work on “fluid-structure interaction simulation to explain thermal sleeve wear mechanisms in a pressurized water reactor.”
The second prize went to Ms. Isabella Feagan from the Paul Scherrer Institute (Swiss TSO), for her study on “image-based analysis of condensation on in-vessel passive containment cooling systems in the PANDA facility.”
Mr. Frederic Wheeler (ETSON Vice-President) and Mr. Federico Rocchi (ETSON President) presented the first and second prizes to the winners and emphasized ETSON’s commitment to supporting the young generation of nuclear experts, notably through initiatives such of the Junior Staff Program like the ETSON Awards.
Congratulations to Clément Viron for winning first prize, and to Amel Kort and Try Meng for their excellent presentations!
All finalist papers from the ETSON Awards will soon be published on the ETSON website.