Profile

My current job in the nuclear industry (which I’ve now been doing for just over 4 months) is my first job since university, where I studied physics. I’m on a scheme (nucleargraduates) which will let me move between different nuclear companies around the UK to try out different things!

What about my life before this? In June 2021 I finished my university degree in physics. Before that I was in secondary school doing mostly science, but also a fair amount of history.

I’ve always enjoyed outdoorsy stuff like hiking and camping, which I did a lot with my family. Since finishing school I’ve also discovered other great outdoor sports like mountain biking and rock climbing.

I work in the nuclear industry. The most interesting part of this industry (in my opinion) is the nuclear power stations, where they split apart lots of really really tiny things called atoms* to release energy. This energy is converted to the electricity which powers our daily lives, from lights to computers!

Like any industry (others include manufacturing, farming, construction…) some waste/rubbish always gets produced. In nuclear this might include anything from worn-out protective clothing to old nuclear fuel. The problem is, in nuclear some of this waste is radioactive, meaning it fires off particles/energy (imagine tiny invisible bullets) which are bad for humans and the environment.

My job is to make sure we get rid of radioactive waste in a way that is safe to humans and the environment e.g. some stuff gets squashed and packed into a shipping containers filled with cement! (helpfully, the cement absorbs the “tiny invisible bullets” fired by the waste)

* If we’re being picky, its actually the tiny core at the centre of an atom (called a nucleus) which gets split.

Alongside my typical work I’m also leading my team to set up a small business for charity – we’re currently just at the stage of coming up with ideas. Hopefully it can be good for people and the planet on top of raising lots of money for charity!