“Take every day as it comes.” Dr Sue Ion, Independent expert and advisor on nuclear power

Dame Sue Ion, is an independent expert and advisor on nuclear power.

Sue initially started life in Carlisle before moving to Preston at the age of eight.  Sue went to  Penwortham Girls Grammar School where she enjoyed the science subjects and learnt things that weren’t in the syllabus in the science club. Her chemistry teacher introduced her to materials science, a mixture of physics and chemistry which explained while materials failed. Following this inspiration, it encouraged Sue to go to Imperial College, in London to study Materials Science.

Sue found Imperial College a very different environment from an all-girls school to a mainly male environment and from being the top of a class to be with other very clever people. Sue stayed on to do a PhD. as she’d had a very supportive supervisor and knew all the technicians so realised this would help her complete her studies within three years.

After university Sue went on to work for BNFL as a Technical Officer in the chemical engineering at Springfields. From here, Sue went to Sizewell B in the sales and marketing department to bid for fuel commercially before moving back to Springfields as their Head of Research and Development. In 1992, Sue was successful in being promoted to Executive Director of Technology. Sue is now a high-profile, independent advisor in nuclear providing expert advice.  

Sue is a passionate advocate of women in science and engineering. She is strong supporter of increasing diversity of the nuclear workforce featured in the Nuclear Industry Strategy.