Are We Nearly There Yet?

Miranda Kirschel is an avid supporter of UK Nuclear and has worked in Commercial and Business Director roles interfacing with nuclear companies for over 20 years. In her current role she is a Commercial Director for Circular1Health, which provides services to businesses to ensure their workplaces are Covid secure and able to test their staff.

Miranda grew up in Cyprus where she had a happy childhood, but felt she wasn’t particularly academic. Her main focus and passion was ballet and she spent most of her days at ballet lessons.

Miranda then moved from Cyprus to London to live with her Grandmother. She started a course in French and German for a year before changing to study European Politics.

After completing her degree, Miranda moved to the USA where she worked as a nanny in Los Angeles where she took a step out of her comfort zone and felt she learnt a lot of life lessons. Miranda then moved back to the UK where she got a job at the Nuclear Industry Association as a PA as well as supporting the media manager which got her involved in media and marketing. Miranda worked at NIA for seven years and quickly got involved with the Young Generation Network.

After progressing to Corporate Affairs Manager at NIA, Miranda felt she was ready for a new challenge, so she moved to CH2M Hill as a Director of Business Development for four years. Miranda then moved from Atkins to EY. During this period Miranda was founder, former President and Chair of Women in Nuclear UK and was awarded an MBE in 2017 for: Services to Equal Opportunities in the Nuclear Industry.

For more information please visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miranda-kirschel-mbe-a0776614/

Hannah Paterson is the Technical Manager for the Spent Fuel Consolidation Programme at Sellafield Ltd. She is also engaged in outreach activities, including Chair of the Nuclear Institute Young Generation Network.

Hannah studied medicinal Chemistry at the at the University of Edinburgh where she was successful in securing a two-month paid for summer placement at Gallus BioPharamceuticals, St Louis Missouri, USA working in the process development laboratory. The experience she gained here made Hannah realise she wanted to get a job in industry rather than carrying on studying for a PhD.

Hannah spent, what felt like a long time, searching for a job before coming across the ‘Nuclear Graduate’ scheme where she initially started at Sellafield before working for a number of companies over a two-year period, including a secondment to the US Department of Energy (DoE) where she led on international cooperation activities for the International Programs Office for the DoE Office of Environmental Management. She also went to the Scottish Government in the area of nuclear decommissioning as a Waste Policy Advisor and to NNL R&D working on phase transformations during hot isostatic pressing of plutonium waste forms.

Hannah then took a one-year secondment into the NDA as a National Waste Inventory Manager working on the materials and samples strategy, working with all the NDA group companies writing a paper.  

Hannah is now back at Sellafield as a Technical Manager in Spent Fuel Management working on strategy and technical aspects, including the Spent Fuel Consolidation Programme tasked with receipt and long-term storage of a range of fuels from Dounreay.

For more information visit: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/hannahpaterson

Saralyn Thomas is a Senior Consultant for Nuclear Safety working for Abbott Risk Consulting (ARC) in Newbury and Vice-Chair of the Nuclear Institute’s Young Generation Network looking after International Liaison, including COP-26.

Saralyn lives just outside Oxford and in her free time likes to bake and share the cakes that she’s baked!

She went to Amman Valley School in Carmarthenshire South Wales and was part of the school choir and chemistry club. She really loved school and got stuck into everything taking an extra-curricular GCSE in Russian during her A-levels! – she got in trouble with her mother for this at the time as she was worried she was taking on too much work.

Saralyn then went to study Physics at the University of Bristol which she struggled with and found it was a big jump from school.

She then went on to do a masters in Nuclear Science and Technology at Manchester and during that time she did a placement at NNL which took her into their laboratory – this was where she realised her passion for nuclear and enjoyed it a lot more than her university degree.

Saralyn then took a role in Orano in nuclear safety as a Safety Assessor. After a couple years of working at Orano, she picked up three hats – one in safety cases, one as an Account Manager, and one in waste management using a process for making decisions.

She recently joined Abbott Risk Consulting undertaking HAZIDs and safety assurance for defence as she knew this was a good place to work in Safety and liked the good connection with the YGN.

Saralyn is also Vice chair of the YGN which she really loves – some of her best memories over the last 5 years have been at YGN and she has made friendships and relationships for life in being a part of it.

For more information, please visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saralyn-thomas-39a55474/

Andy Worrall is currently the Integrated Fuel Cycle Section Head in the Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Deputy Director of the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN), a U.S Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy initiative.

Rob Hurlston is the Principal and Chief Engineer, Fidelis Engineering Associates based in Michigan.

Rob lives in Canton, Michigan in the US with his wife Jessica and one year old son Rory. In his free time he likes to play golf. He grew up in Stalybridge near Manchester and went to West Hill School.

Rob was always drawn towards Maths and Sciences and as a child, Rob’s Grandfather used to make locomotives in his garage which they would take to the tracks which started his interest in engineering.

Rob went to Ashton Sixth Form College to do Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Rob then went to University of Manchester to study Materials Science with a year of Industrial Experience where he got a 1st Class Masters.

After University, Rob became a Research Engineer (EngD) at Serco before moving to the USA where he worked for a variety of projects under University of Manchester, including the development of a Nuclear Reactor Simulator game for public engagement and school’s outreach. Play the Reactor Simulator game here: lotus.itservices.manchester.ac.uk:8080

Rob and his wife then moved to Michigan, Rob got a job as a Project Engineer at Caelnyx for a couple of years before being loaned out to American Axle & Manufacturing in Detroit.

Rob then made the brave decision to set up his own company called Fidelis Engineering Associates (www.fidelisfea.com/) with his business partner Bill Webster.

For more information please visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fea-rob-hurlston/

Melissa is the PA to the Board at NNL and also supports a number of executives and will soon move into recruitment at NNL.

Mel lives in Leigh with her husband Kieron and dog Bruce and is a fan of all things sports related – she holds a season ticket for Wigan Warriors – Rugby League. She even played for Wigan Athletic Ladies football team when she was younger.

She studied at Westleigh High School in Lancashire and then went to St Mary’s Sixth Form College in Manchester, being the only one from her school. She claimed she had the best two years of her life here, finding her confidence and meeting lots of friends similar to her.

Mel then went onto work at UK Mail in a customer service and data input role. In the middle of 2013, she was made redundant.

Next in her career, she found employment at NNL in the Business Services team. Mel then became a PA for one of executives after being approached by the HR and Strategic Director. She began this role part time to test the water and naturally really enjoyed it and began working full time within this role. She then started looking after the board, learning everything from scratch, making the role her own.

Mel has now picked up even more roles and is now interviewing and recruiting people and helping with their onboarding.

For more information visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-evans-2844a9151/

Dave Goddard is a Fellow at NNL and a technical specialist in nuclear fuel manufacturing with over 25 years of experience supporting plants and fuel development in the UK.

Dave grew up in Cambridgeshire on a small holding with around 1,000 free range chickens! He studied Physics at Sheffield University – where he met his future wife. He now lives in Manchester with wife Jaddy and two children.

After university, Dave worked at AWE for six months before going on to do a PhD at the Corrosion and Protection Centre, UMIST, Manchester focussing on high temperature corrosion of superconductors.

After his PhD, Dave secured a job at British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) on the Springfields site. During his time there he transitioned from a scientist to a technical leader. He was recruited into company research laboratory – setting up research laboratory outside of the ‘core’ business areas. During this time, he did work with NASA, working on a meteorite to examine – even meeting the people from NASA.  

Dave has remained technical throughout his career and has more recently been heavily involved in the Government’s new nuclear innovation programme looking to develop the next generation of fuels for the next generation of reactors.

When Dave isn’t working on the next generation of nuclear fuels, he likes to run, and has an allotment where he grows his own fruit and vegetables.

'The Conversation'

To celebrate the first year of the podcast series 'Are We Nearly There Yet?’ we have a special conversation between one of the nuclear industry’s newest recruits and one of it’s earliest pioneers.

Dr Tim Gregory is a geologist who did a PhD in cosmochemistry. He became a meteorite scientist at the University of Bristol and the British Geological Survey until 2020 when he joined the National Nuclear Laboratory at Sellafield Ltd as a nuclear analytical chemist.  He published his popular science book, ‘Meteorite’ in 2020.  Tim is a scientist, an author and a speaker having appeared on television and radio.  His own episode of 'Are We Nearly There Yet?' can be found here: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-gkez5-105b3cf

Professor Juan Matthews joined the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority at Harwell in 1962 as a Scientific Assistant in the Metallurgy Division. He pioneered uranium fuel for the UK’s prototype Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor at Windscale before doing a physics degree at Surrey. He has worked on plutonium fuels for the UK’s Fast Reactor programme.  He became Programme Manager for General Nuclear Safety and Fast Reactors.  He was Regional Director for Asia Pacific for AEA Technology plc, based in Japan with operations also in South Korea, Hong Kong, China, Singapore.

This is a fascinating conversation.

For more information about Dr Tim Gregory and his book, ‘Meteorite', see: https://www.tim-gregory.co.uk/

For more information about Prof. Juan Matthews see: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-matthews-518313/

Gwen Parry-Jones is Chief Executive of Magnox Ltd and President of the Nuclear Institute. Gwen was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to science and technology.

Gwen lives on the island of Anglesey in North Wales near Wylfa power station. She also has a passion for horses.

She grew up in North Wales and also in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia as her dad went to work there. After a few years of living abroad, she came back home to a boarding school in North Wales which gave her, her independence. Her head teacher, Mr Peacock, was a huge influence and taught her about the importance of every individual having a view and requiring respect.

She went to college in Colwyn Bay and then moved to Manchester to read Physics joining the physics undergraduate population – she liked the uniqueness of there not being many female students. She also enjoyed the Manchester city lifestyle.

Gwen then went on to do banking and finance in Bangor at a master’s level. Following this, Gwen joined the Central Electricity Generating Board at Magnox Wylfa as a reactor physicist. When she first started as a nuclear operator, there were no female changing rooms, toilets or work clothes!

Gwen successfully developed her career within the nuclear industry to become the first female station director of Heysham 1 – an achievement she still feels very privileged to have done to this day.

The turning point in Gwen’s career is when she stopped trying to do everything herself and realised it was okay not to know everything and she believes you really start adding value when you start talking about what you think.

For more information visit: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/gwen-parry-jones-b489a594

AWNTY is entering the Manchester Publicity Inspiration Awards 2021 which recognise the amazing talent across the city, and inspiring future talent, innovation and creativity.

As part of our award entry we need to showcase a selection of podcasts from the past year to showcase the variety of interviewees. If you've not heard any of our previous episodes then I'm sure you'll be hooked after you've listened to this!