Two female Research Fellows in the Centre for Energy Research and Training, CERT, Zaria, have been granted Reactor Operator Licences as Operator Class ‘C’.
They are the first women qualified to be so licensed for the tank – in – pool 30kw Miniature Neutron Source Research Reactor, NIRR – 1, which is the only nuclear reactor in Nigeria.
They are Safiya Aliyu and Nana Fatima Abdulmalik.
They were issued ‘Temporary Reactor Operator Licences’ or Operator Class ‘C’ by the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, NNRA, Nigeria’s nuclear regulator, on 25th July, 2022.
Nana Fatima Abdulmalik was born on 22 October, 1988.
She joined Ahmadu Bello University on 6th September, 2017 and was deployed to CERT.
She holds a first degree in Geology and M.Sc. in Structural Geology in 2011 and 2016 respectively, both from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Nana is currently a Ph D candidate in Ahmadu Bello University, a Research Fellow II and Trainee Reactor Operator in CERT.
Born on 28 September, 1982 Safiya Aliyu joined CERT as an Assistant Research Fellow in September, 2010.
She graduated as an Electrical Engineer from Bayero University, Kano, in 2008 and has M. Sc. degree in Control Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University, 2018.
She is currently, a Ph D candidate in Ahmadu Bello University as well as a Research Fellow 11 in CERT.
A ‘Temporary Reactor Operator Licence’ or Operator Class ‘C’ means that the licensee, being a trainee reactor operator, can assist a Class ‘A’ licensee in the operation of NIRR – 1, but should not operate it alone, yet.
Bearing in mind how sensitive the nuclear industry is, this is seen as significant.
The Director, Centre for Energy Research and Training, Prof Sunday A. Jonah, while congratulating the Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Professor Kabiru Bala, said the feat attained by the two female staff of the Centre is “a landmark in the development of nuclear science and technology in Ahmadu Bello University in particular and the country as a whole.”
photo credit: abu.edu.ng
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