The NEA held the third edition of its International School on Simulation of Nuclear Reactor Systems (SINUS) from 5 May to 2 July 2025, offering training that integrates hands-on experience in multiphysics modelling and simulation (M&S) as well as methodologies for validation, verification and uncertainty quantification (VV&UQ).
The third edition of SINUS (SINUS-3) emphasised light-water small modular reactors (LW-SMRs). The programme included remote lectures and hands-on training sessions as well as a project phase where international teams of three to four participants collaborated on a challenge problem. An in-person workshop took place from 30 June to 2 July 2025 at the Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, in partnership with the Cambridge Nuclear Energy Centre, United Kingdom. Out of over 300 applicants, 40 trainees representing 19 countries were selected, highlighting the strong international interest in the SINUS programme.
This year, SINUS was collaboratively organised by North Carolina State University (NCSU), the Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the NEA Working Party on Scientific Issues and Uncertainty Analysis of Reactor Systems (WPRS), with additional support from France’s Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, or CEA). The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) provided support to enable trainees to participate in the in-person hands-on training programme.
The in-person component coincided with the WPRS Benchmarks Workshops 2025, affording trainees a valuable opportunity to network with leading experts from the WPRS community. The next edition of SINUS is scheduled for the second quarter of 2026, with registration opening in November 2025.
