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LECTURERS
  • Next Event:  NINE Headquarters, LUCCA (Italy), 22-26 September 2025
  • Early Registration 25 July 2025

MMARS - Lecturers

M. Avramova (NCSU, USA)     
M. Kristof (NNEES, Slovakia)     A. Petruzzi (NINE, Italy)
M. Cherubini (NINE, Italy) R. P. Martin (BWXT, USA)     T. Quinn (Technology Resources, USA)  
F. Corleoni (NINE, Italy) M. Modro (NINE, Italy)   R. Sanders (AREVA, USA)  
D. De Luca (NINE, Italy) M. Morichi (CAEN Sys, Italy)   N. Muellner (BOKU, Austria)
I. Vrbanic (APOSS, Croatia) W. Giannotti (NINE, Italy)    Sergiy Lobach (NINE, Italy)
A. Viktorov (CNSC, Canada)      
         

 


cherubiniDr. Maria Avramova is an Associate Professor in the Nuclear Engineering Department of North Carolina State University (NE NCSU). She is the Director of the Consortium for Nuclear Power (CNP) and the Director of the Reactor Dynamics and Fuel Modeling Group (RDFMG) at NCSU. Dr. Avramova earned her Ph.D. degree in nuclear engineering from the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) in 2007. Prior to joining PSU in 2001, she held a research scientist position at the Institute of Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Science, Sofia, Bulgaria. After her graduation, Dr. Avramova has held positions at PSU of post-doctoral scholar, Assistant Professor, and Associate Professor of Nuclear Engineering. She joined NE NCSU in 2015. Her background includes development, verification, and validation of thermal-hydraulics sub-channel, porous media, and CFD models and codes for reactor design, transient and safety computational analysis. Her latest research efforts have been focused on high-fidelity multi-physics simulations and on uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of reactor design and safety calculations. Dr. Avramova has led high visibility international projects such as the OECD-NEA/U.S. NRC BFBT benchmark, the OECD-NEA/U.S.NRC PSBT benchmark, and the OECD LWR UAM Benchmark. She has advised and graduated 12 PhD students, 19 MS students, and 38 MEng students. She has published more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals and proceedings of international conferences.

 

Course: Thermal-Hydraulics Core Analysis: Phenomenology and Computational Tools

 


 

cherubini

Dr. Marco Cherubini is the Vice-President of NINE and current Head of the Core Behavior Area devoted to prediction and analysis of NPP core by different disciplines viewpoint. Prior to join NINE, he worked over 7 years in the Nuclear Research Group of San Piero a Grado (GRNSPG) being responsible for System Thermal-Hydraulics simulations. He got his PhD Degree in “Nuclear and Industrial Safety” Course of the “Leonardo da Vinci” Doctoral Engineering School in 2008, discussing a thesis dealing with Accident Management in VVER-1000. In the last three years Nuclear fuel behavior became his first priority topic of interest, continuing its involvement in thermal hydraulics activities. He is taking part at different International OECD-NEA and IAEA activities including code benchmarking, noticeably for the nuclear fuel.

 

Course: Fuel Behavior Analysis: Phenomenology and Computational Tools

 


 

delucaDomenico De Luca is an engineer at the Nuclear and Industrial Engineering (N.IN.E.) in plant thermal hydraulics area. He graduated from the University of Pisa with a degree in Industrial and Nuclear Safety Engineering in 2008. He got the Master degree in Nuclear and Industrial Safety Engineering at the University of Pisa in 2013, with a thesis related to the analysis of the thermal-hydraulic system response of a PWR during LOCA and core blockage scenarios. During his master degree (2010-2011), he was a research assistant at the Nuclear Research Group of San Piero a Grado (GRNSPG) led by Prof. F. D’Auria at University of Pisa. Then, he spent 8 months (2011-2012) in internship at the Nuclear Engineering Department of Texas A&M University as non-affiliated student technician II, under the supervision of Prof. Y. A. Hassan. In 2011 he started to work in N.IN.E. (since its foundation) in the field of system thermal hydraulics, focusing mainly in safety and licensing analyses of NPP. He is involved also in several international IAEA and OECD/NEA activities.

 

Course: System Thermal-hydraulics Analysis: Phenomenology and Computational Evaluation Model

 


 

giannottiDr. Walter Giannotti has PhD graduated in Nuclear Engineering at Pisa University. He is a senior nuclear engineering of the Nuclear and Industrial Engineering srl (NINE). He has more than twenty years of experience working in the system thermal-hydraulics safety analysis. He performed code applications for safety analysis o PWR, BWR, VVER and PHWR nuclear power plant related to thermal-hydraulic and severe accident analysis. He worked on Code Assessment (Relap, Cathare, Melcor, Smart) and Best Estimate Plus Uncertainty Methods (UMAE). From 1996 to 2012 he was a consultant of University of Pisa in the EU Tacis Project devoted to Deterministic safety analysis for VVER, RBMK and the preparation of the Chapter 15 of FSAR for the Argentinean NPP Atucha-2, SA analysis (Melcor, SCDAP, Gothic codes) of WWER (Temelin, Kozloduy), RBMK (Ignalina), PWR (Angra), PHWR (Atucha). He was senior expert in ”European Project for Technical Assistance for Implementing Nuclear Safety Project - Thermo-hydraulic experiments at the PSB-RBMK integral Test facility”. He performed, as tutor, courses concerning Nuclear Safety for VATESI-Lithuania (spent fuel), CNEN-Brasil (severe accident), CNPE-China (severe accident), ANRA-Armenia (safety analysis).  From 2013 is a consultant of IAEA for supporting the development of nuclear competences in severe accident. He is in the Task Group WGAMA - OECD for “Long-term management guide” and “Informing SAM guidance and actions”. In 2012 he worked as nuclear expert in the ”Final Design for the EUREX plant in Saluggia of the Waste Management Facility (WMF)”. He is qualified radioprotection expert (first level) and he is involved in radioprotection field (shielding and safety analysis) in nuclear and conventional environment.

 

Course: Severe Accident Analysis: Phenomenology and Computational Tools

 


 

kristofDr. Marián Krištof, CEO of the Network of Nuclear Engineering and Energy Services (NNEES), manages the international network of senior experts in the area of nuclear safety assessment and licensing to support various organizations ranging from regulatory authorities, TSOs and research institutes to nuclear power plant operators. He is international consultant specializing on diverse aspects of nuclear safety including TH safety calculations, uncertainty analysis, preparation and/or review of the safety related documentation, preparation of trainings and lectures and management of domestic and international projects in the area of nuclear safety. For several years he is assisting the IAEA in development and implementation of its SAET (Safety Assessment Education and Training) program. The objective of the program is to support the embarking countries in their safety assessment competence building. He worked over a decade for the Slovak regulator as an analyst performing independent safety assessment of the NPPs including code calculations, prepared and reviewed the regulatory documents such as acts, regulations or safety guides and reviewed of the safety related technical documentation to support the regulatory decision-making.

 

Course: Preparation and Review of Safety Related Documentation (FSAR)

 


 

Lobach photoDr. Sergiy Lobach graduated from National Technical University of Ukraine in 2002 with major in nuclear engineering.

From 2001 to 2004 and later from 2009 to 2011 worked at Kiev-based “Nuclear Power Plant Operational Support Institute. At that time was involved in the development of SAR and EIA for major facilities under construction at Chernobyl NPP site (namely, Industrial Complex for Solid Radwaste Management – ICSRM - and spent fuel Interim Storage Facility - ISF-2 -). In 2004 -2008 studied in the US universities at PhD level with the focus on radiochemistry (separation technologies) and TRISO fuel production for Very High Temperature Reactors. In 2011-2012 worked as Deputy Head of department for international cooperation in State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety. This Technical Support Organization (TSO) provides assistance to the Ukrainian nuclear regulatory authority. Since 2013 while working for Belgian-based Tractebel Engneering as part of Project Management Unit (PMU) provides technical and consulting services during decommissioning of Ignalina NPP in Lithuania. Also in the period of 2015 – 2017 served as Deputy Project Manager for B2-project (construction and commissioning of Radwaste Management and Treatment Facilities). Since 2018, moved to Tractebel’s headquarter in Brussels. As a project manager mainly was responsible for implementation of activities related to Decommissioning & Waste Management Program at EU-JRC Ispra site. Further assignments include the support to UK Office for Nuclear regulation and international cooperation in with Lithuania, Bulgaria and Ukraine.

Since 2021, while representing Italian-based “NINE” has joined the on-site team at JRC Ispra. Currently he is involved in the activity related to radwaste management facilities and collaboration in the development of decommissioning plan for the whole site.

 

Course: Preparation and Review of Safety Related Documentation (FSAR)

 


martinDr. Robert Martin (Nuc Eng Phd 1996, Penn State; Nuc Eng BS ‘87, MS ‘89, Texas A&M) is a Technical Consultant at BWX Technologies leading the safety analysis methods team for the mPower™ small modular reactor program.  He has over twenty-five years of professional experience in the development and regulatory defense of nuclear-thermal-hydraulic evaluation methodologies for both design-basis coolant system faults and severe accidents.  The development of these methods has been through industry- and DOE-sponsored programs advancing conventional LWRs, the SRS production reactors, AP600, SBWR, PIUS, USEPR, VHTR (gas), mPower and the TWR-P (sodium) designs.  His experience includes employment at the Idaho National Laboratory supporting development of the RELAP5-3D thermal-hydraulic systems computer code.  He is also a long-standing member of the American Nuclear Society (ANS), serving on executive committees for both the Thermal-Hydraulic Division and the Nuclear Installation and Safety Division. 

 

Course: Severe Accident Analysis: Phenomenology and Computational Tools

 


 

modroDr. Nikolaus Muellner is Senior Scientist and Deputy Director of the Institute for Safety and Risk Sciences ISR of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences BOKU. He is chairman of the International Nuclear Risk Assessment Group, INRAG. His fields of research include nuclear safety, nuclear installation licensing, deterministic and probabilistic safety analysis, severe accidents, but also renewable energy issues and general modeling of thermo-hydraulic systems. After completing his studies in physics at the University of Vienna, he worked for ten years at the Pisa University of Technology, Nuclear Research Group San Piero a Grado, before moving to the ISR. In his role as coordinator of the Licensing, he was e.g. scientifically responsibility for the development of the chapter "Accident and Transient Analysis" of the safety report of the nuclear power plant Atucha 2. He is a founding member of the company "Nuclear and Industrial Engineering s.r.l." N.I.N.E.
N. Müllner is the representative of Austria in the "Nuclear Safety Standards Committee" of the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA 2013-2020 and adviser to the Austrian Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism, Nuclear Coordination. He is the author of numerous publications in journals, conference proceedings and specialist publications of the IAEA and OECD / NEA.

 

Course: Radiological Consequence Analysis

 


modroMr. Mike Modro has over 40 years of experience in research and engineering, including over 30 years in Nuclear Reactor Design, Licensing and Safety Research. His field of expertise includes: Analyses and Research related to Nuclear Power Plant behavior during accident conditions; Assessment and Validation of various Computer Codes used to simulate nuclear plant behavior; Development and conduct of Experimental programmes in support of nuclear safety needs; Programme and line Management, Business and Resource development. He worked over 25 years within the Idaho National Laboratory  (United States) and 6 years as Senior Safety Assessment Officer for the International Atomic Energy Agency (for whom he is currently a Senior Consultant). He is a Guest Lecturer for the Imperial College of London (UK). He has a background in Physics from the University of Bern (Switzerland) and the University of Warsaw (Poland).

 

Course: Preparation and Review of Safety Related Documentation (FSAR)

 


 

modroDr. Massimo Morichi is the President of CAEN SyS and Executive Vice President of CAEN S.p.A.
Dr. Morichi has more than 25 years’ experience in management, research, engineering, product & program management, Technology scouting, Intellectual Property Management, Technology Merge & Acquisition. He was CTO-VP R&D Innovation of BU Nuclear Measurements (CANBERRA BUNM of AREVA) and later SVP-Director of R&D Innovation of the AREVA Group (2004-2016) (now FRAMATOME and ORANO) and was coordinating a group of Physics and Engineering of 280 people and Chairman of the College of AREVA Experts (800 experts in all nuclear technology domains). In March 2011 took the responsibility in Japan of the AREVA Fukushima Project as WG Leader of the site remediation and mitigation plan where he realized many systems including the first on-site contaminated water treatment system. He established key technology developments with CEA, DOE National Laboratories, IAEA and major nuclear industries and he actively promote and participate to the creation of the “Nuclear Reactor Institute” (EDF-CEA-AREVA) He is a certified AREVA international Senior Expert on Instrumentation, Nuclear Measurements and Safety & Protection and he’s a Certified Radiation Protection Expert. He was member of Visiting Committee member of IRSN and has been Board member of the Nuclear Experimental Reactor J. Horowitz. He’s Board member of the D&D section of the American Nuclear Society and Chairman of many sections of Scientific Conferences (ANIMMA and IEEE-NSS). Dr. Morichi supervised and tutored many Master Thesis and PhDs from several universities. He has been awarded with three International Patents and has more than 40 International Scientific Publications.

 

Course: Nuclear Decommissioning, Waste Management and Environmental Site Remediation

 


 

APDr. Alessandro Petruzzi is President of the Board of Directors of Nuclear and INdustrial Engineering (NINE) since 2011. He received Ph.D. in Nuclear and Industrial Safety from University of Pisa where he worked on development of Uncertainty Methods for system thermal-hydraulics codes and application of BEPU methodology to Safety Analysis in Licensing framework. From 2007 to 2013 he acted as deputy manager of GRNSPG (University of Pisa) working on the preparation of Chapter 15 of FSAR of Atucha-2 NPP in Argentina. His current research concentrates on thermal-hydraulics, multi-physics methods for reactor safety analysis, forward and inverse methods for uncertainty quantification and he is member of several NEA working group both at NSC and CSNI. In 2013 he was the main organizer of NURETH-15 in Pisa.

 

Courses: System Thermal-hydraulics Analysis: Phenomenology and Computational Evaluation Model; Preparation and Review of Safety Related Documentation (FSAR)

 


 

quinnMr. Ted Quinn has over 40 years of experience in managing nuclear and fossil utility contracts and personnel in support of both project and supplemental assignments at various utilities in the U.S. He is past President of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) (1998-1999) and currently serves as the Chairman of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) SC45A Working Group A9 on Nuclear Instrumentation Systems. He has managed and performed projects in licensing and compliance, electrical and controls design, startup and operation, including Standards development for the Instrument Society of America (ISA) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and is the author of over 100 papers and presentations on nuclear instrumentation and control subjects. He has been an instructor at the MIT Summer Reactor Safety Course for over 15 years, the NRC Digital I&C Licensing Course for 6 years, a number of IAEA country I&C training courses, and a Board member of the nuclear engineering programs at both Oregon State and The Ohio State University. He currently provides licensing support to TerraPower for their Instrumentation and Control Program, in 2013 completed the licensing and engineering for eight awarded IOM nuclear projects in China, and was a team member for the Diablo Canyon Plant Protection System Replacement Project License Amendment, which received NRC approval in December, 2016. In 2009, he was awarded the highest award in IEC, the 1906 Award, for the development of standards, and in 2011, he received the ANS Walter Zinn Award, named after the first President of ANS and in 2017 was awarded the ANS Don Miller Instrumentation and Control Engineering Award, named after Dr. Don Miller from The Ohio State and in 2018 was recognized as a Fellow of the International Society of Automation (ISA).

 

Course: Digital I&C Training

 


 

APDr. Robert Sanders (Nuc Eng MS 1986, Nuc Eng BS ’85, Univ. of Tenn.) is an Advisory Engineer at AREVA NP in both the Radiological and Severe Accident Groups. He has over 30 years of professional experience in developing and performing severe accident research studies on various types of reactor designs, including the U.S. EPR, Bellefonte NP, and KERENA. As part of his career in Severe Accident Research, he spent several years at Oak Ridge National Laboratory incorporating several new models into the severe accident code, MELCOR. These models included: improved bottom head failure assessment as well as emergency condensers for BWR designs. He has also served on two expert panels for MELCOR in support of the NRC’s SOARCA and Crosswalk Projects. Currently he is engaged with DOE/NRC/EPRI/NEI on the US Efforts in Support of Examinations at Fukushima Daiichi.

 

Course: Severe Accident Analysis: Phenomenology and Computational Tools

 


 

martinDr. Alex Viktorov has been involved in the areas of fuel design and performance, containment safety and severe accident analysis during the over thirty years in the nuclear engineering field. Within the CNSC, he contributed to the evaluation and implementation of the lessons arising from the Fukushima accident, in particular with respect to the accident management and emergency response. He represented Canada in many international working groups such as the Multinational Design Evaluation Program, NEA Working Group on Analysis and Accident Management, and a number of IAEA activities. For several years he served as the Director of a CNSC group responsible for the regulatory oversight of reactor containment and moderator design, severe accident analysis evaluations, severe accident management, and technical assessments in support of emergency response. Currently he is Director of a Regulatory Program Division accountable for the regulatory oversight of a power plant safety performance. In this capacity he is responsible for planning, implementation and analysis of all compliance and licensing activities for a Nuclear Power Plant. One area of particular interest at this time is the development of a strategy for the planned end of commercial operations of a nuclear facility.

 

Course: Regulatory Fundamentals and Best Regulatory Practices

 


 

martinDr. Ivan Vrbanic is one of the founders of and a senior consultant for nuclear safety in APOSS. He has a background of 28 years in risk and safety assessments and analyses. Of those, the first 16 years he spent in the Engineering Division at Krsko NPP being involved in developing and applying PSA and risk models in support of differrent aspects of plant’s operation, licensing and design. The remaining 12 years he has been spending as a full-time consultant in APOSS. He was involved, in supporting, co-ordinating or leading roles, in a number of projects concerning risk and safety analyses and their applications internationally. Those included PSA applications to support ranking and implementation of plant modifications, risk assessment from natural hazards such as earthquakes, high winds and aircraft crashes, PSA support to in-service inspection programs, risk aspects of aging of structures and equipment and a number of others. The end users of the results and/or services were utilities, regulators, technical support organizations and industry in different countries. This also included lecturing at workshops and training courses on the topics of risk assessment, PSA and safety evaluations., as well as a number of IAEA expert missions and assignments worldwide. Dr. Vrbanic is a scientific collaborator in the field of electrical engineering to the University of Zagreb and wrote or participated in writing of a number of papers published in the proceedings of international conferences and magazines.

 

Course: Advanced Course on Key Elements of Risk Quantification and PSA