Advancing PRA for Operating and Advanced Nuclear Power Plants
Method development for rigorous, decision-relevant PRA across operating fleets and new reactor technologies.
Read Theme 1 in ResearchResearch Scientist · NPRE SoTeRiA · University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Advanced Risk Analysis for Safe and Efficient Nuclear Energy Deployment
I am Ha Bui, Ph.D., Research Scientist at UIUC and Associate Director of the Socio-Technical Risk Analysis (SoTeRiA) Lab. My research advances probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) for operating and advanced nuclear reactors.
Research Themes
My research is organized around four connected themes.
Spatiotemporal Modeling of Coupled Human-Physics-Digital Technologies
Integrated socio-technical modeling of human actions, physical failure/degradation mechanisms, and digital technologies.
Read Theme 2 in ResearchValidation and Uncertainty Quantification with Sparse Data
Validation and uncertainty analysis workflows designed for sparse-data and high-consequence operating contexts.
Read Theme 3 in ResearchRisk-Informed Decisionmaking and Regulation
Risk-informed, performance-oriented methods supporting transparent technical and regulatory decisions.
Read Theme 4 in ResearchFeatured Publications
Representative publications across PRA, probabilistic validation, and socio-technical risk analysis.
2019 · Reliability Engineering & System Safety
An Algorithm for Enhancing Spatiotemporal Resolution of Probabilistic Risk Assessment to Address Emergent Safety Concerns in Nuclear Power Plants
Go to publication entry2023 · ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, Part B
Probabilistic Validation: Theoretical Foundation and Methodological Platform
Go to publication entry2024 · ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, Part B
Probabilistic Validation: Computational Platform and Application to Fire PRA of Nuclear Power Plants
Go to publication entry2026 · Nuclear Engineering and Design
Developing Temporal Coupling of Human Performance, Physical Twin, and Digital Twin Models for Probabilistic Risk Assessment in Nuclear Power Plants
Go to publication entryCurrent and Ongoing Work
- Simulation-informed dependency treatment for operational flexibility and safety in operating plants and advanced reactors (2024–2026).
- Context-based analysis for risk-informed, performance-based regulation of advanced reactors (2024–2027).
- Socio-technical risk analysis of coupled human, physical, and organizational factors in complex systems (2024–2027).
- International collaboration on risk-informed education and deployment pathways for SMRs through OECD-NEA NEST (2022–present).