Prof. Alireza Haghighat, Director, VT Nuclear Engineering Program, will give a talk entitled "My Continuing Journey – From Punch Card to AI"

September 05, 2025

@10:10 am, 6-051, VTRC, Arlington (in-person), 440 Goodwin Hall
For remote participants, click here to register

Abstract
Over the past four decades, the field of nuclear engineering has undergone a remarkable transformation, driven by exponential advances in computing power, algorithms, and data-driven technologies. This keynote presentation traces my personal and professional journey from the era of punch-card computing in the 1980s to the development of physics-informed artificial intelligence and machine learning tools for real-time reactor analysis in the 2020s.

Early work focused on deterministic transport methods, variance reduction techniques, and hybrid deterministic–Monte Carlo algorithms, leading to the development of codes such as PENTRAN, TITAN, and A3MCNP. Building on these foundations, the multi-stage response-function transport (MRT) methodology was introduced to partition complex reactor problems into solvable subproblems, enabling unprecedented accuracy and computational efficiency. This innovation gave rise to the RAPID code system, capable of simulating reactor kinetics, burnup, detector response, and criticality in real time.

Recent advances extend RAPID into RAPID-2, incorporating machine learning, multimodal detection, and physics-informed AI/ML algorithms to support reactor monitoring, fuel management, and multiphysics applications. Validation efforts with benchmark reactors such as the JSI TRIGA and Watts Bar have demonstrated RAPID’s capability to perform high-fidelity whole-core calculations with dramatic speedups compared to conventional Monte Carlo simulations.

Looking forward, the integration of AI/ML with RAPID and immersive virtual reality environments offers a new paradigm for nuclear reactor design, operation, and workforce training. This journey underscores how sustained innovation in computational methods, combined with the latest in AI, is reshaping the future of nuclear science and engineering.

Bio
Dr. Alireza Haghighat is the Robert E. Hord, Jr. Endowed Professor and Director of the Nuclear Engineering Program at Virginia Tech, housed within the Department of Mechanical Engineering. From 2001 to 2009, he served as Chair of the Nuclear & Radiological Engineering (NRE) Department at the University of Florida (UF) and directed the UF Training Reactor (UFTR) from 2008 to 2010. Prior to his tenure at UF, Dr. Haghighat was a faculty member in the Nuclear Engineering Department at Pennsylvania State University for 15 years.

A Fellow of the American Nuclear Society (ANS), Dr. Haghighat leads the Virginia Tech Theory Transport Group (VT3G). Over his distinguished 38-year career, he has been a pioneer in developing advanced particle transport methodologies and computer codes for modeling and simulation of nuclear systems. His innovative work has impacted diverse fields, including nuclear reactor analysis, security and safeguards, and medical applications. Among his significant contributions are the development of advanced software tools such as PENTRAN, A3MCNP, TITAN, INSPCT-s, AIMS, TITAN-IR, and RAPID, the latter of which features a state-of-the-art virtual reality system (VRS) web application. Ongoing efforts include development physics-informed AI/ML algorithms using RAPID and measurements for design, optimization, and online monitoring nuclear reactor systems.

Dr. Haghighat has authored over 280 publications and received multiple best paper awards. He is also the author of the widely acclaimed textbook Monte Carlo Methods for Particle Transport (CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group), published in two editions (2014 and 2020). His expertise has earned him recognition both nationally and internationally, as evidenced by his numerous invited workshops, seminars, and keynote presentations.

Dr. Haghighat’s achievements have been honored with prestigious awards, including the 2023 Gerard C. Pomraning Memorial Award for his groundbreaking contributions to particle transport methods, the 2021 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Service from Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering, and the 2011 Radiation Protection Shielding Division Professional Excellence Award. In 2009, he was recognized by the U.S. Office of Global Threat Reduction for his leadership in converting the UF Training Reactor from HEU to LEU fuel.

A committed leader within ANS, Dr. Haghighat has held key positions, including Chair of the Reactor Physics Division (2012–2013) and the Mathematics and Computation Division (2005–2006). He co-founded the Computational Medical Physics Working Group, chaired the committee on computational methods for pressure vessel fluence calculation, and served as Chair of the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) (2006–2007).

Dr. Haghighat is the founding Chairman (2015) and current Vice-Chair of the Board of the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium (VNEC), a nonprofit dedicated to advancing nuclear technology, research, and education in Virginia and beyond. He also serves as Chief Scientific Officer for the Virginia Innovative Nuclear (VIN) Hub, a newly established nonprofit focused on workforce development, public engagement, and R&D in nuclear science and engineering.