Nuclear Engineering

Nuclear engineer Paul Thompson talks about what's next on his agenda. "I am particularly interested in the potential merging and applications between nuclear and hydrogen." He stresses, given climate change concerns, the importance of getting nuclear established in areas of Canada that don't have hydro-electric power. "I think there's tremendous synergies in the advanced reactors, which are high temperature, and hydrogen." He also describes the need to think about where the future is headed, and the benefit of trying to proactively be there before it arrives.

Tracy Primeau recalls a "huge" transport leak that occurred while she was working as a field operator at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station in 1994. They had to go into the reactor and manually close a valve after the unit came offline. The event, and response, became well known in the nuclear industry and formed the basis of changes to design and operating practices. Then she experienced a reactivity event, where the unit "spiked" but then responded appropriately. It was also well-known and studied. When these events came up in discussion, she would say "Yes, I was there" and "yes, I was at that one too". She describes being able to tell the actual story from her first hand experience – and usually get a free beer at a nuclear conference.

Nuclear engineer Fred Dermarkar describes the importance of humility in complimenting teamwork. "If you want to get things done, you really need to view everyone as your equal and everyone as someone you can learn from." He reflects on the successful application of this philosophy to a team of thousands that complete a very challenging response to a major nuclear accident.

Tracy Primeau grew up in Kincardine, Ontario "right beside the largest nuclear plant in the world". Her father, then a shift mechanic at Darlington, suggested that she become an operator in training, and she signed up for an internship. It took 18 months to qualify as a field operator, one of the very first women to serve in this role. On her first shift, her hand became trapped in a contamination monitor – it was designed for men, who have larger hands. She subsequently discovered that he relatively small size allowed her to work in tight spaces that did not readily accommodate larger men. She enjoyed her work with the emergency response team, recalling a "huge" transport leak at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station in 1994, where they had to go into the reactor and manually close a valve after the unit came offline. After ten years, she was promoted from field operator to control operator – in part because it reminded her of the command deck of the Enterprise in "Star Trek: The Next Generation". As an Authorized Nuclear Operator, was involved with refurbishing Units 3 and 4 and then 1 and 2 of the Bruce A reactor. Eventually she was promoted to control room shift supervisor and the shift manager – the first and only woman to do that from the shop floor. After retiring in June, 2021, she joined the Ontario Power Generation Board of Directors. She also chairs the Women's House in Kincardine, works on the local hockey club executive, and operates a small consulting company, Agile Bear. She is active in efforts to increase the numbers of women in engineering and is part of a LinkedIn group called DAWN – "Driving for the Advancement of Women in Nuclear". Her leadership philosophies are guided by "seven grandfather teachings" in the indigenous world that include truth, respect, wisdom and humility.

Paul Thompson's father and brother are engineers, so it is not surprising that he studied Engineering Mathematics with the Nuclear Science Option at Queen's. His first job was with the Mississauga office of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL), in the Safety Analysis Branch, starting roughly at the time of the Three Mile Island accident. At the time, Pickering B, Gentilly-2 and Point Lapreau were being constructed and Bruce B was being designed. was under construction. He realized the importance of teamwork in achieving safety by eliminating cracks between disciplines and strove to be successful co-ordinating teams. An early mentor helped him become "street smart", to have his ideas and initiatives accepted by management – to become an "influencer". He tried to emulate the good aspects of his bosses and stay clear of the less successful aspects – and to develop skill in verbal and written communication, and listening. In 1986 he joined New Brunswick Power, where he managed nuclear safety before becoming involved with the refurbishment of the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station. He was pleased that, at the time of the accident at Fukushima, NB Power had already developed a response to the unit losing all power for several days. His future interests and projects may include exploring the "potential merging and applications between nuclear and hydrogen." . Finally, heHis first job offers advice to high-school students interested in careers in engineering and newly graduated Engineers-in-Training.

Fred Dermarkar was inspired to become an engineer by his father, a civil engineer, his uncle, a mechanical engineer and by a love of math, physics, and chemistry and math and physics puzzles. He graduated as a mechanical engineer from the University of Toronto at a time when the Pickering B, Bruce B and Darlington nuclear power plants were under construction. His first job involved developing the sequence of channels to successfully refuel a reactor. He describes subsequent experiences: commissioning a reactor that almost went very badly; resolving an acoustics-created problem that was causing fuel rods at the Darlington reactor to break; developing contingency plans after the 2011 accident at Fukushima Daiichi in Japan. He described his current role, leading Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL), developer of the CANDU reactor and the National Research Universal reactor that produced molybdenum 99 for medical diagnostics around the world. AECL, is now busy developing small nuclear reactors for factory settings and developing new technologies to manage nuclear waste. He describes the characteristics of a good mentor: their confidence in the mentee, their ability to stand back and let the mentee proceed; and that they never settle for mediocrity. Finally, he offers advice to a high-school student considering a career in engineering, and a newly graduated Engineer-in-Training.