Inside The Innovations

Phong Nguyen

Phong Nguyen

Radiological Control Technician

High Flux Isotope Reactor

Phong Nguyen is a Radiological Control Technician at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), where he ensures that visitors and personnel at the High Flux Isotope Reactor stay safe and exercise caution around radiation. He enjoys swimming, going to the gym, and watching Louisiana State University football games. Phong has worked at ORNL for 26 years.

My job is to make sure personnel aren’t exposed to unsafe levels of radiation while working at the High Flux Isotope Reactor. We train researchers on how best to use our facilities so that they conduct their experiments safely, and we also survey their equipment, their samples—pretty much anything that was exposed to the beamline—to make sure it’s safe for them to take out of the lab.”

“Engineers and scientists from around the world come here to do their science, and when I see them get the data they need, that makes me happy. But coming to ORNL is also how I met my wife, and I think making that connection at a food court in Oak Ridge has to be the most memorable part of my career.”

–Phong Nguyen