2017 ANA Award to Tony Irwin

Mark Ho, ANA President, presented the 2017 ANA Award to Tony Irwin at the ANA Lunch on Friday 1 December 2017 in the Club-on-East, Sutherland.

The award recognises Tony’s outstanding contribution to nuclear technology in Australia by his many factual and unemotive contributions to professional and media discussions on nuclear issues and his support and input to the nuclear technology courses at the ANU and UNSW.

As a prominent member and Fellow of Engineers Australia, Tony has provided leadership in promoting discussion of nuclear issues with engineers and other professionals.

Tony graduated in electrical power engineering and worked for British Energy (formerly the Central Electricity Generating Board) in the UK for more than 30 years commissioning and operating eight nuclear power reactors. Following the Chernobyl accident, he was a member of a World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) mission that reviewed operating practices at Russian RBMK reactors.

In 1999 he moved to Australia and joined the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) where he managed fuel strategies and provided the Federal Government with information on nuclear issues.

Tony was Reactor Manager between 2004 and 2009 responsible for the successful construction, commissioning and early operation of the new OPAL research reactor at ANSTO.

Since retiring from ANSTO in late 2009, he has been a visiting lecturer for Masters courses in Nuclear Technology at the ANU and University of Sydney.

Tony Irwin, FIEAust FAIE CPEng MIET, is a Chartered Engineer, Chair of Engineers Australia Sydney Division Nuclear Engineering Panel and Technical Director of SMR Nuclear Technology Pty Ltd.

The ANA is very pleased to give the 2017 Australian Nuclear Association Award to Tony Irwin.