The nuclear industry is built on more than technical expertise. A shared sense of purpose, enthusiasm and pride brings professionals together, encouraging collaboration, volunteering and connections across the sector.
Hannah Paterson, NI Board Director and Trustee and former Young Generation Network (YGN) Chair, has experienced that spirit throughout her career. After ten years at Sellafield Ltd, she recently joined Nuclear Transport Solutions as Head of International Partnering. Her involvement with the Nuclear Institute has taken her from volunteering with the Cumbria Branch to leading the YGN and serving on the NI Board.
We spoke to Hannah about what makes the nuclear community unique, how Branches, Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and industry events bring people together, and why volunteering and professional recognition are so important in building pride and inspiring the next generation.
Why do you think nuclear people have such a unique spirit and character?
“It’s quite a small sector and people are very proactive and passionate – we're all here because we're saving the world, right? We’re producing clean energy, transporting nuclear materials, decommissioning sites, supporting UK defence and working to continue to power the UK for decades to come. In the YGN community, I have likened us to superheroes – and with some of the other energy sectors, I don’t think you would say that!”
Why is that spirit so important?
“Over the past five years, there was renewed vigour from government in terms of funding for new and advanced nuclear and the UK fuel cycle, so there is a big opportunity here. We need to encourage a lot of people into the industry, and unless we're outspoken and talk positively about what we're doing, we're not going to be able to do that.
“Nuclear professionals have a real pride in what they are delivering and there’s so many people putting their hands up to do volunteering now. That combined passion and the willingness to share and collaborate is what keeps us innovative and will draw people into the sector and keep them here. That's why it's important – because it makes people want to get involved.”
How do Branches and SIGs help to build that professional spirit?
“Branches are like a regional family and people often see each other in their day jobs or when they’re out and about. They bring that spirit into the local region, going out to local schools, doing events and encouraging others to be part of the network. SIGs are topic-focused groups and an amazing platform for blue-sky, innovative thinking across all the different sectors of the industry, linked together by volunteers – and it is that pride and passion that makes them happen.
“Ultimately, people who get involved in volunteering are the ones that go ‘right, I cannot do it by myself, I need to go and meet people’ so that brings an importance in connections and networking, and I think that is one of the core aspects of nuclear.”
How have you been involved through your career?
“I started with the Cumbria Branch, organising tours, dinners and supporting the European Nuclear Young Generation Forum in 2017. That got me onto the YGN Committee and the European Nuclear Society YGN and I later became YGN Chair during COP26 in 2021, which was an incredible event to be involved in. I went on to join the Board of Directors for the European Nuclear Society, then became an NI Board Director and Trustee.”
Why did you get involved in volunteering?
“When I first came into the industry, having done a degree in Chemistry, I didn’t really know much about it. I moved to Cumbria by myself and I saw the Branch as a way of making friends, increasing my network and doing fun stuff that you wouldn't normally get to do in your first role. It was the people that enthused me, over and above anything else.
“Did I specifically think I’d want to be a YGN Chair or an NI Director? No, I joined up to these things because of how welcoming and friendly everyone is and because of their ‘can do’ spirit. You get on these committees and everybody is just so excited about doing things differently and working together to progress nuclear, you end up sucked into this bubble and it's such a nice feeling that you just stay!”
How do events and activities promote that nuclear spirit?
“It's all about the enthusiasm of being able to share such a vibrant industry. Take New Scientist Live, for example: when you finish, you're on cloud nine because you've talked to hundreds of school children and some go ‘oh, we've heard of those SMRs, we get it, tell us more’ while others rock up with a blank expression and you get to flip it so they go away with a little bit more knowledge that might, at some point, make them go ‘actually, it would be really cool to work in the nuclear industry.’
“That also extends to an international perspective. The YGN just won the bid to host the International Youth Nuclear Congress (IYNC) in 2028, which is the biggest event of this magnitude since we hosted the ENYGF in 2017. We can't just take people from the UK to fill these nuclear roles, we want to attract the best and the brightest from across the world, so this is another example of using that enthusiasm and spirit to expand our reach.”
How does the NI dinner promote that spirit of nuclear?
“Just look at how many people go; it’s sold out every single year. Nuclear is a very connected industry and the dinner is like a coming together of people you’ve worked with on different projects through your career so far. I love it, because you'll see somebody across the room and remember ‘oh, we worked on this thing 10 years ago’ and then go have a really nice reminisce with them. It’s an amazing way to build new connections because all parts of the industry are represented and there’s such a buzz, with a feeling of everyone wanting to build the UK nuclear industry and all wanting to help each other to achieve that.”
How do the wider NI member benefits help with nuclear spirit – like the clothing range?
“I think it's really special. We’re the professional body for the nuclear industry, so it gives us that brand associated with it – and I think it gives us more of a unity. At events, committee volunteers wear the branding so it’s easy to see who they are, and people buy items for friends and family, because it’s a good way to encourage discussions about nuclear. I think this year, if it doesn’t look too tacky, I might even buy one of the Christmas jumpers…!”
The NI recently ran its Top 100 campaign – how did that help build pride in the industry?
“Everybody in the Top 100 seemed shocked and honoured to be in it and I think it’s amazing. The number of social media posts the NI got, we’ve never seen that amount of engagement from such a wide group of people, but what I found most interesting was there were people who I knew, but also a lot of people who are doing cool stuff that I didn’t know about.
“That made me look them up on LinkedIn and add them as connections so that I can keep up with the outreach activities they are doing – and ultimately, I hope this connectivity and increased visibility will help to inspire the next generation to go on and do even more cool stuff in the future.
“The NI’s circle of contacts has now become much wider as a result of this campaign and it's spurring people on to think about what they would need to do in order to qualify next year which is creating some healthy competition.”