Faatu Nyanga Kanneh

General Info

What will be your most valuable contribution to your TechWomen host company?

As a woman working in the nuclear field in a developing country, and in an institution that is predominantly male, I will be proud to share my experiences -- the challenges faced and success stories achieved thus far.

The Top Three Things I Would Like to Learn or Experience During my Mentorship

1. Leadership skills building
2. Hands on experience/Visit to a Nuclear facility or activity
3. How to develop relevant policy framework

Mentorship Characteristic

• Visit an office or attend a site-visit
• Participate in a skills-building course, either provided by my mentor’s company or identify a free resource online
• Identify workshops or certificate programs to further my learning after the program has ended
• Focus on technical skills building
• Have exposure to specialized industry techniques

Ideal Company Type

My desired mentorship institution is a nuclear practice with nuclear safeguards and/or a nuclear security focus. As a woman of color, it is my desire to be placed in an industry that is race and gender unbiased.

Additional Technical Skills

Operational skills in the use of some radiation detection equipment.

What are three adjectives that best describe you in the work place?

1. Resilient
2. Trustworthy
3. Curious

What impact will your mentorship have on your career and professional path?

As someone who regards nuclear issues as a major global concern, I envisage that completion of this program will bring me several steps closer to being an active component in the solutions to challenges that plague my discipline in my country and worldwide. I am therefore eager to acquire more rigorous research training in order to carry out ground-breaking research and become an expert in nuclear safeguards and non-proliferation . This program would also assist me in impacting those who have not had the same opportunities as I have within my institution and other relevant stakeholder institutions in my country.

After participating in the TechWomen program, how will you leverage your mentorship experience to make an impact in your home country?

Upon return, with the help of my institution, I intend to engage relevant stakeholders in the education sector to see how best nuclear education can be incorporated in the current schools curriculum and collect data that will identify available facilities for nuclear education and training. I will contribute immensely to developing policy framework and curriculum for nuclear education to be presented to the Ministry of Education. It is my utmost conviction that this is the most effective approach to mitigate the current dearth in human resource in nuclear knowledge management development in Sierra Leone.

Work History

Years of Full-time Work Experience

6

Primary Professional Focus

• Scientist and researcher
• Technical training

Education History