My name is Brian, and I’m writing you from Hartsville, South Carolina. It is a small town of about 8,000 friendly folks, and I moved here just three weeks ago to begin my new career in nuclear power. Hartsville has a small college, a lake, a charming downtown, and lots of BBQ places. I’m also told that Aziz Ansari went to high school here. You know, Tom from Parks and Recreation on NBC?
My last four years were spent in Atlanta, Georgia getting a degree in Nuclear Engineering from Georgia Tech. Before that, I grew up outside of Augusta. My dad worked out at the Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina helping to clean up nuclear waste left over from Cold War nuclear weapons production. It was through him that I gained an appreciation for the great power held within the atom. As I got older, I became interested in using nuclear power for peaceful purposes, like making electricity. The thing that really cemented my choice of careers was when I learned that some of our nuclear power actually came from Russian uranium that was once destined to be used in nuclear bombs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megatons_to_Megawatts_Program). The idea that I could generate much needed electricity and simultaneously make the world a safer place really connected with me.
While going to school in Atlanta, I tried to branch out as much as possible. If you’re in college or going to be soon, I encourage you to do the same. It’s the best opportunity to figure out what you like to do. Try to say “Yes!” to new opportunities, experiences and adventures because you’ll never know if you like something unless you try it. I cleaned up trails with the hiking club, shot bb’s with airsoft club, spun records on the college radio station, hosted a nuclear engineering student conference, and somehow found time to complete a senior design project and graduate.
And now here I am in Hartsville on a brand new adventure. I’m currently training to be an Auxiliary Operator at Progress Energy’s H.B. Robinson nuclear plant. I’ll explain what that is later, or you can beat me to it by googling it.
I’m excited to be writing this blog for the Nuclear Literacy Project. I hope you’ll join me as I begin my newest adventure, a career in nuclear power. There’s lots to talk about, but for now I’ve got a new town to explore.
Peace!
Brian
[jbox width="600" color="blue" title="Brian Dyke"] Brian is currently a Nuclear Auxiliary Operator with Progress Energy. He enjoys music, riding bikes, eating, cooking and saving the planet. The opinions expressed here are Brian’s alone, and do not represent his employer, who he greatly appreciates for providing him a job that he loves as well as the flexibility to write this blog. [/jbox]