Alternate Field of Study

Nuclear Engineering

Lewis graduated from the University of Toronto and obtained a chemical engineering degree that comes with various job opportunities. One that is very interesting is nuclear engineering which involves designing or working with nuclear reactors, a source of power. A nuclear engineer has many duties, some include:

- Creating nuclear equipment such as reactors, fuel rods, radiation shielding and power plant designs.

- Operating machinery that assist in creating nuclear energy as a safety precaution and to ensure that they are working efficiently.

-Discovering new ways in which waste from the reactor can be disposed of or stored out of harm’s way.

-Be able to act appropriately in case of an emergency and shut down a nuclear plant.

-Analyse nuclear accidents and discover ways to create preventative actions in new reactors and power plants.

-Monitor individuals in charge of creating designs for improvements and make sure they meet safety regulations



Most nuclear engineers work in offices with others to collaborate on many designs for future reactors and improvements that could be made in power plants for safety concerns. The work setting for a nuclear engineer also varies because some could be physically working at a nuclear plant to supervise all activities. Another location would be in National Laboratories operated by the Department of Energy or in consulting firms located across Canada. In addition to working with other nuclear engineers, they have the opportunity to collaborate with mechanical engineers and electrical engineers to incorporate their professions into designs. There are various companies for nuclear engineers to work for such as Candu Energy, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Bruce Power and Cameco. Another aspect of nuclear engineering includes utilizing radiation for medicine and technology, giving it another purpose aside from nuclear power.


When hiring nuclear engineers, employers look for many characteristics in an individual’s personality:

Math skills: Individuals must be able to solve problems in their designs using algebra, calculus, trigonometry and other advanced mathematics.

Analytical skills: It is crucial for nuclear engineers to identify flaws in designs and create new ways to efficiently create structures.

Communication skills: Working as a team and collaborating with others to achieve a task is very important in this field. Without  proper communication, tasks are unable to be completed as efficiently and by deadlines.


Problem-solving skills: nuclear engineers must have the ability to predict problems in designs before they occur and correct them.


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