Wednesday 19 June 2024

Dr Fiona Rayment OBE, Special Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer at National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), and Dr Deborah Hill, NNL Head of Fellowship, have both been elevated to the grade of Fellow of the American Nuclear Society (ANS).

Fiona’s expertise in the nuclear fuel cycle and waste management, and Deborah’s specialism in criticality safety – the branch of safety which relates to accident prevention and protection from an uncontrolled nuclear fission chain reaction – were recognised at the ANS Annual Meeting in Las Vegas on Monday 17 June.

The award of Fellow is the highest membership grade of ANS, to which only a small group of nuclear science and engineering professionals are elected. Fiona and Deborah have nearly 60 years of combined experience in nuclear and NNL is proud that their expertise has been recognised in this way.

Dr Fiona Rayment has held senior positions across the international nuclear industry, including the ANS Board and International Committees and is also a Fellow of the Nuclear Institute where she currently serves as President. She is passionate about enhancing diversity and inclusion within nuclear, and promoting the different skills required throughout the sector.

Fiona said:

“To become an ANS Fellow in the same year that I am serving as President of the Nuclear Institute is such a huge honour and I am humbled that my peers across the nuclear sector have nominated me. The growing recognition by society on the potential of nuclear as an answer to our energy needs, and a tool in scientific discovery, is as exciting now as it was when I first came into the industry. I look forward to playing my role in enabling nuclear as a significant component of the future energy mix.”

Dr Deborah Hill’s career has seen her serve as Chair of the UK Working Party on Criticality and Chair of the ANS Nuclear Criticality Safety Division, receiving a Distinguished Service Award and a Presidential Citation for her ANS work. Already a Senior Fellow in Criticality Safety at NNL, Deborah has been recognised by ANS for her technical excellence, expertise and leadership within the international nuclear community.

Deborah said:

“I’m passionate about promoting criticality safety across the nuclear industry, which in turn helps to show nuclear as a safe source of energy to the wider public. I’ve been honoured to work with so many exceptional people who share the same goal and I’m delighted that they have nominated me to be recognised by ANS at the highest level.”

Click here for more about NNL’s work.

For more information about the ANS Annual Meeting 2024, click here.