Home » Events » WUN for ALL- Monthly Get Together – A career in the nuclear industry, including working at Chernobyl.

WUN for ALL- Monthly Get Together – A career in the nuclear industry, including working at Chernobyl.

19th May 2021

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1:00 - 2:00 PM

FREE

Location

Online

Information

We are delighted that our speaker will be Radiation Protection Advisor Annette Morris.

Annette will share with us some highlights from her 36 years in the nuclear industry. This will include personal experiences from working at Chernobyl and her time at the WANO Paris Centre where she participated in nuclear safety reviews as far afield as South Korea and Argentina.

After completing a degree in Pure Physics and a masters in Radiological Protection (RP), Annette carried out various roles associated with RP, including as Health Physics Manager on the UKAEA decommissioning sites at Windscale and Dounreay. After more study she was awarded a Chartership in health and safety, and became an Internal Regulator on the Magnox Decommissioning Sites. In 2010 she joined EDF-Energy at Hunterston as Head of RP.

Annette is passionate about nature conservation and sees nuclear power as key to a cleaner environment. She is also an accomplished athlete and if time allows will explain how attributes of being an athlete have benefitted her career

Please note your zoom registration link will be sent out on the day of the event . Meanwhile contact [email protected] if you have any questions.

For those of you interested in find out a little more about our speaker ……

EDF Interview with Annette Morris

What are your career highlights? I have been in the nuclear industry for 35 years in radiological protection and safety management. After completing a degree in Pure Physics and a masters in Radiological Protection, I’ve carried out various roles associated with radiological protection, including a Health Physics Manager on the UKAEA decommissioning sites at Windscale, Dounreay and Harwell.

After more study I was awarded a Chartership in Occupational Safety and Health, and became an Internal Regulator covering the Magnox Decommissioning Sites. Then I travelled over to Eastern Europe for a few years (more on that later). In 2010 I joined my current employer EDF Energy.

Why did you choose the nuclear industry?

As a child I watched the Heysham power stations being built and visited them with school. I could see this was clean energy; I’d seen the impacts of working in coal mines on relatives. I’ve always been an environmentalist hence was delighted to see the Natterjack toad colony by Sellafield – this rare toad only survives in pollution free environments.

Tell us about your work abroad?

From April 2015 I was seconded to the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) Paris Centre for 3 years where I took part in Peer Reviews, mostly in Europe but also in the US, South Korea, Argentina and China. The WANO mission is to maximise the safety and reliability of nuclear power plant worldwide by working together to assess, benchmark and improve mutual support and exchange of information. I was an ex-pat in Paris and thoroughly enjoyed the travel, working on power plants worldwide and learning about different cultures. From 2002 to 2006, after obtaining a project management qualification, I became a project manager on nuclear safety related projects in Central and Eastern Europe. I concentrated on change management for powerstations that were transitioning from operational to decommissioning.

What has been your most memorable work experience?

Working at Chernobyl was an amazing experience. I project managed the production of the overarching decommissioning safety case for Units 1 and 2. My team comprised graphite moderator reactor experts from Windscale. My project included training Ukrainian safety case experts on how to produce decommissioning safety cases.

I hear you’ve been an international athlete and an accomplished mountaineer

I do like to analyse, plan, prepare and then do. To complete the ironman triathlon in less than 11 hours I certainly needed those skills. For high altitude mountaineering team work was essential; to climb to 7000 meters, we individually had to be competent, but without a synergistic team we would not have reached our goal.

What’s next? I want to continue enjoying my job and contribute to nuclear safety. I’m currently in the Independent Nuclear Assessment department, which utilises my broad range of skills. As for the last 35 years, I ensure I have options for the future, by staying flexible and open minded.

Last question – what do you think are the main attractions of the nuclear industry for a young scientist or engineer?

As an environmentalist I feel strongly that anything we do (whatever the role) in support of the nuclear industry is contributing to powering a cleaner environment. Most of the nuclear sites I have visited around the world are in attractive locations, which is perfect for someone like me who loves the great outdoors. I have found people in the nuclear industry professional, welcoming and sociable. In EDF Energy there is a variety of roles in many disciplines; we have the opportunity to transfer between disciplines

 

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