The only U.S.-origin and patented laser uranium enrichment company, LIS Technologies Inc. (LIST), has appointed John Olvera as Integrated Safety Analysis (ISA) Manager, underscoring its focus on nuclear safety as it advances its proprietary CRISLA uranium laser enrichment technology.
Olvera brings more than four decades of experience in nuclear safety, hazard analysis, and risk assessment. In his new role, he will oversee the development of ISA processes and ensure that safety standards are integrated into every stage of technology deployment.
LIS Technologies is developing CRISLA, or Crystalline Laser Enrichment Technology, a patented U.S. innovation. The company says CRISLA could provide a more efficient and secure way to enrich uranium, reducing U.S. dependence on foreign suppliers and strengthening domestic nuclear fuel supply chains.
Olvera began his career as a nuclear safety engineer with the Tennessee Valley Authority, contributing to safety analysis at the Browns Ferry, Sequoyah, and Watts Bar nuclear plants. He also worked on power ascension testing at Wolf Creek and carried out safety assessments for the Point Beach nuclear plant. His expertise extended into the petroleum and chemical industries, where he conducted hazard and risk analyses, giving him broad cross-sector safety experience.
He has held senior roles with Nuclear Safety Associates, Atkins Energy, and SHINE Medical Technologies, where he supported medical isotope production facilities. At Boston Government Services, he worked on projects covering uranium enrichment, isotope production, and nuclear fuel fabrication.
Olvera holds a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from Northwestern University and a master’s degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Tennessee, where he also pursued doctoral research. He is a long-standing member of the American Nuclear Society and has held professional engineering licenses in three U.S. states.
Jay Yu, Executive Chairman and CEO of LIS Technologies, said Olvera’s appointment reflects the company’s commitment to safety as it moves toward commercialization. “John has built an extensive career in the nuclear sector and will play a pivotal role in development and commercialization,” Yu said.
Christo Liebenberg, President of LIS Technologies, said Olvera’s expertise will help ensure responsible deployment of CRISLA. “John’s expertise in ISA and safety analysis is invaluable as we build a safe, secure, and sustainable pathway to commercialization,” he said.
Chief Technology Officer Viktor Chikan said Olvera’s leadership will support the company’s efforts to integrate safety into scaling up the CRISLA process. “Safety is critical to protect the industry and the communities we serve,” he said. “John’s leadership will help ensure the safe introduction of our CRISLA technology.”
LIS Technologies holds several U.S. patents for its CRISLA enrichment process, which uses lasers to selectively excite and separate uranium isotopes. The method is designed to be more energy-efficient and cost-effective than conventional gas diffusion or centrifuge techniques. The company believes CRISLA can transform nuclear fuel production by offering a secure, U.S.-controlled enrichment capability. This could reduce reliance on imports from countries such as Russia, which continues to supply a significant share of enriched uranium used in American reactors.
The company is advancing CRISLA from laboratory-scale research toward commercialization. Olvera’s role will be to ensure that safety protocols are embedded as the technology moves into pilot projects and potential licensing stages. LIS Technologies describes itself as the only U.S.-origin laser uranium enrichment company with granted patents, aiming to position CRISLA as a strategic technology for nuclear energy, medical isotopes, and advanced reactor fuel.
