What did you study at A-level (or equivalent) and why did you select those subjects?
Chemistry, Maths and Physics. I was unsure at what I wanted to study at University, or what career I wanted to pursue, so I chose these subjects in order to keep my options open.
What degree/PhD did you study?
BSc Physics with Medical Application, MSc Radiometrics: Instrumentation & Modelling and Nuclear Physics PhD. All studied at the University of Liverpool.
What inspired you to choose and study your degree subject?
I was always mindful of choosing a degree that would help me get a good career. I happened to stumble upon Medical Physics, as it included a combination of areas I was interested in. For example, I always found being involved in Medicine interesting, but I knew I wasn’t going to have a career as a medical Doctor/nurse! Plus it involved the areas of Physics I enjoyed most! I did some research into what a career in medical physics looked like, and from there I knew it was what I wanted to study at University.
What jobs have you had during your career?
Research Associate at University of Liverpool and Nuclear Physics Visiting Lecturer at University of Chester.
What is your current job and what do you enjoy about it?
I am currently a Decommissioning Characterisation Consultant for Jacobs Clean Energy. My role has a range of responsibilities, from characterising legacy nuclear facilities, health physics, radiometrics development, and radiation protection advice for smaller clients that use radiation generating equipment (not in the medical sector).
I enjoy my role as it has allowed me to apply a multitude of skills and aspects of my degrees directly into my job. It has given me the opportunity to travel to different nuclear sites, not just in the UK, with new challenges being faced with the different projects we are involved with.
Do you have an area of expertise / research?
Nuclear instrumentation - high-resolution gamma spectroscopy, Compton cameras.
What has been your most exciting project or career role?
I’ve been lucky to visit a number of sites, each with their own characteristic challenges. One of the more interesting ones was a former ‘hot-cell’ facility. ‘Hot-cell’ is a term used to refer to a containment chamber that is well shielded against radiation. The ‘hot’ is due to the levels of radioactivity present within the cell. The cells are so high in activity, that a person cannot enter without receiving a high dose. Therefore, our team had to identify a way to characterise the areas, using only tele-manipulators to remote-handle equipment.
Do you have any advice to share?
There are a multitude of opportunities available in the nuclear industry. The skills you develop in University in any STEM subject will be transferrable, so don’t worry to much if you don’t have one particular skill. There will be plenty of time to learn on the job!
Don’t let anyone stop you from fulfilling your potential. Otherwise, the other piece of advice I would give would be to not dwell on the small things. The amount of times I would beat myself up over one tiny thing, forgetting all the major contributions that I had delivered successfully.
Why are you passionate about your subject / career / research / STEMM?
I’ve always had an interest in science, and I’ve always been inspired to try and be successful in a male-dominated subject area/industry. I have always been passionate about ensuring science and all STEM industries are represented accurately. As a woman in a STEM subject, I am hoping that I can be an aspiration for young girls deciding on their future, especially for my own daughter.
Find out more about Jaimie, and keep up to date with her work on LinkedIn.