Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering is a contributor to the 2025 Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report launched at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin in June 2025. This Research Topic highlights one of the featured technologies, Advanced Nuclear Technologies: Bringing Next-Generation Nuclear to Power Progress, and aims to foster community collaboration around its development and impact.

Advanced nuclear technologies are at the forefront of the evolving energy landscape, driven by demands for safer and scalable green energy solutions. Innovations such as small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced cooling systems offer enhanced safety, efficiency, and fuel performance. Generation III and IV reactors are leading the way with improved fuel efficiency and reduced radioactive waste, while research in fusion energy continues to make significant strides. These developments promise not only better electricity generation but also extend potential applications to industrial needs as well as nuclear propulsion in space travel, all while addressing global energy demands and environmental concerns. Complementing these innovations, digital and AI-driven technologies are being employed to fine-tune reactor designs, optimize reliability, and guide smarter, more sustainable energy solutions.

This Research Topic explores the significant impact of advanced nuclear technologies on the future of energy. Objectives include examining efficiency improvements in modern reactors, progress in fusion research, and the integration of AI in enhancing nuclear operations.

This collection invites submissions of Original Research, Reviews, and Perspectives that deepen understanding and foster discussion around critical aspects of modern nuclear energy, such as:
• Innovations in reactor design and engineering
• The role of AI and digital tools in reactor safety and efficiency
• Progress in next-generation fusion and fission technologies
• Industrial and aerospace applications of nuclear energy
• Environmental and sustainability considerations of advanced nuclear systems.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Advanced Nuclear Technologies: Bringing Next-Generation Nuclear to Power Progress