Brittany Tyler (she/her)

About me

I was born/grew up in: Didsbury, Alberta

I now live in: Ottawa, Ontario

I completed my training/education at:  Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto

What I do at work

I make licensing recommendations on applications to import and export nuclear substances. This also includes equipment and information related to nuclear substances. These applications may be for military and/or commercial use. My work is based on the Canadian nuclear non-proliferation policy and technical specifications. This policy states Canada’s goal to reduce and eliminate nuclear weapons worldwide.

I provide advice and guidance on both Canada’s nuclear non-proliferation and export control policies. I advise the management and staff of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.  I also work with other organizations in Canada and around the world.

I review and inspect importers and exporters to see how they are following Canadian legislation. I work with Canadian and international agencies to put counter-proliferation measures into effect. I also decide whether goods stopped at the border should be admitted into Canada.

My career path is

I never expected to work in nuclear non-proliferation. However, I did write an article in defense of nuclear power when I was in high school. I was clearly interested in the general field even then! I loved math and science. I also enjoyed reading and writing. I find these skills help me a lot in this career.

I am motivated by

My job is the perfect mix of policy and technical matters. My role is not strictly engineering, but my engineering background does come in handy. I use it when I need to evaluate the technical specifications of an application.

How I affect peoples’ lives

My work directly affects the safety and well-being of people around the world. I make sure that nuclear substances, equipment and information are used for peaceful reasons. This means they are not used to produce nuclear weapons. I make licensing recommendations on applications to import and export nuclear materials and related information. These applications may be for military and/or commercial use.

Outside of work I

My two favorite activities to do outside of work are reading and hiking! I read over 100 books every year. One year I read 250 books! I also like hiking whenever I get the chance.

My advice to others

Try to learn about the ways policy and technical matters interact, and feed into each other.