Profile of Gloria Kwong: Leading the Way in Nuclear Waste Management and Environmental Remediation

Kwong's path from Canada to Austria, with a stop in France, highlights her expertise and dedication to ensuring sustainable nuclear energy development.

Growing up in a conservative Chinese household in Canada, Gloria Kwong was raised to prioritize education and avoid taking risks. Despite these traditional expectations, her professional journey has been marked by bold moves and a commitment to pushing boundaries in the male-dominated fields of nuclear waste management and environmental remediation.

Kwong's path from Canada to Austria, with a stop in France, highlights her expertise and dedication to ensuring sustainable nuclear energy development. Currently, she serves as Head of the Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation Section at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). She urges young women to follow their passions and embrace new opportunities, even if they come with risks.

Early Career and Shifts in Focus

Although Kwong initially aspired to become a professional chef, her parents encouraged her to focus on academics. After earning both her bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Toronto, she quickly rose to a managerial role at a telecommunications company. However, feeling drawn to more technically demanding work, she transitioned to the nuclear field as a design engineer at the Ontario Power Generation Darlington Power Station.

Kwong's career took another major turn when she pursued a PhD in materials engineering from Imperial College London. She then joined the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in Paris, where she held numerous leadership roles, including Deputy Head of the Office of Policy and Coordination and Senior Advisor to the Director-General. Her career in Paris was marked by her ability to embrace new challenges and lead diverse teams in the nuclear sector.

Leadership at the IAEA

In 2020, after over a decade at the NEA, Kwong moved to Vienna to join the IAEA. She now leads initiatives that promote nuclear decommissioning and environmental remediation, ensuring safe and sustainable nuclear energy. Kwong's team encourages countries to adopt circular economy principles in nuclear policies and facilitates global knowledge-sharing to enhance the safe reuse of resources.

Kwong is passionate about the potential of nuclear energy to narrow the energy equity gap, believing it can complement other clean energy sources. "I want to contribute to ensuring more people have access to affordable, sustainable, and clean energy," she explains.

Challenges and Advice for Women in STEM

Throughout her career, Kwong has faced challenges common for women in STEM, particularly in balancing work-life demands. She commends employers like the IAEA for introducing scholarships, flexible development programs, and HR policies that attract more women to the nuclear sector.

Kwong advises young women pursuing careers in nuclear fields to "follow your heart in decision-making, explore opportunities, and don't be afraid to take risks."

The IAEA's Gender Equality Commitment

The IAEA is dedicated to achieving gender equality in its workforce and activities. It strives for gender balance and offers initiatives like the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme and the Lise Meitner Programme, which support and train the next generation of women nuclear professionals. These efforts reflect the Agency's commitment to ensuring equal opportunities for all.

Kwong's story serves as an inspiration to women considering careers in STEM and demonstrates the impact of strong leadership and perseverance in traditionally male-dominated fields.