b'recent examinations and to alsothe ongoing work and future help shape the direction of futureactivities. Joint sessions provided an examinations based on traveleropportunity to share best practices expertise and experience within nuclear materials microstruc-performing similar examinations attural characterization techniques, ORNL hot cells. Supporting partici- exchange views on cross-cutting pation in this meeting will enhanceactivities within the WPFM, and U.S. high burnup and ATF expertisefurther develop synergies with the and visibility and allow the travelerNEA FIDES-II effort.to learn from the experience ofOther topics of interest to the group other fuel performance expertsincluded materials ageing, materials from Studsvik who are performingacceleration platforms and high-complimentary experiments. entropy alloys, artificial intelligence Working Group on Fuel Safety (AI) and machine learning (ML) Charles Folsom attended the NEAfor nuclear fuels, separate effect Working Group on Fuel Safetyvalidation of fuel micro-mechanical (WGFS) meeting in Boulogne- models, thermodynamic data collec-Billancourt, France March 6-11,tion and gap analysis to identify 2023, to represent AFCs interest inneeds for modelling and experi-the WGFS RIA database. Participa- ments on fuels and materials.tion in the meeting allowed input ofDan Wachs, chair of the NEA WPFM, needs for the data being generated asdirected the meeting at NEA. As chair part of the NEA FIDES High Burnupof the WPFM and co-chair of the Experiments in Reactivity initiatedFIDES Technical Advisory Group, Accidents Project.Dr. Wachs participated and reported Working Party for Fuels andthe status of efforts to the NEA NSC Materials/Expert Groups onat NEA. Participation in the NEA Fuel Materials working parties is critical to meeting Paris, France: The NEA WorkingU.S. nuclear technology development Party for Fuels and Materials (WPFM)and deployment objectives.was held in Paris, France. TheTarik Saleh attended the EGSM and WPFM of the NSC has been recentlyassociated meetings. He participated established with the objectives toin a site visit at the French Alternative connect modelling and simulationEnergies and Atomic Energy Commis-(M&S) analysis across differentsion (CEA) Paris-Saclay to discuss the scales, to introduce machine learningMatrix shipment. Saleh also presented approaches in the analysis, and toan AFC-based advanced cladding build closer links between M&S androadmap at the EGSM. experimental activities.The WPFM and the two ExpertLuca Capriotti attended the EGFM Groups on Fuel Materials (EGFM)meeting (and ancillary meetings) as and on Structural Materials (EGSM),part of the newly formed Working met on 23-25 May at the NEA forParty on Materials Science Issues the first in-person WPFM week.in Nuclear Fuels and Structural More than 50 participants from 13Materials. He attended the meeting NEA member countries discussedas a U.S. representative. This group 2023|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS 27'