(Photo: ANSTO)
The IAEA's flagship initiative to support career development for women in nuclear fields continued its work this month in Australia through a two-week professional visit focused on nuclear medicine production, nuclear technology and science research and applications. The visit was the first of several Lise Meitner Programme (LMP) visits planned for 2026.
Named after the Austrian-Swedish physicist Lise Meitner, who helped discover nuclear fission, the programme aims to boost women's career development in the nuclear sector through professional visits hosted by IAEA Member States. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), with support from the Australian Government, hosted 22 women professionals from 9 to 20 February in Sydney. This was the seventh LMP visit since the programme began.
"ANSTO's facilities and expertise exemplify how nuclear research infrastructure and applications can be integrated to deliver tangible social benefits, from advanced research reactors and radioisotope production to environmental science and industrial applications," said Najat Mokhtar, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications. "We are deeply grateful to Australia and to ANSTO for their openness, excellence and commitment to international cooperation and for their unwavering support to the IAEA Lise Meitner Programme."
Exploring Nuclear Applications Across Sectors
This visit highlighted how nuclear science and technology supports the Sustainable Development Goals and provided participants with tools to communicate these benefits effectively. It explored cutting-edge applications in human health, environment, agriculture, ocean health and industry.
The Royal North Shore Nuclear Medicine Facility invited LMP participants to tour the Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine Department, and the National Total Body PET/CT Facility and Therapeutics Labs (Photo: ANSTO).
"Participating in the IAEA Lise Meitner Programme has been both a joy and a privilege. The knowledge and hands-on experience I have gained are incredibly valuable, especially since my country is developing its first research cyclotron to produce radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals for positron emission tomography (PET) scans in cancer diagnosis and tuberculosis detection," said Firliyani Ningsih, a Researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) in Indonesia.
Technical Visits Enhance Capacity
As part of the visit, the group toured the Open Pool Australian Lightwater (OPAL) reactor, a 20-megawatt research reactor running on low enriched uranium produces commercial quantities of radioisotopes for both medical use and research. Participants also toured the ANSTO Nuclear Medicine Production Facility, the Australian Centre for Accelerator Science as well as the ANSTO Minerals and Gamma Irradiation Facility.
LMP participants take part in a tour of the OPAL multipurpose research reactor located in Sydney, Australia (Photo: ANSTO).
"Hosting the IAEA Lise Meitner Programme reflects the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation's commitment to empowering women to lead, innovate and shape the future of nuclear science and technology," said Jasmine Reay, Group Executive of Infrastructure and Engineering Services at ANSTO. "The LMP enables participants to build long-lasting professional relationships, creating a cross-cultural community of women professionals in nuclear."
In addition to the programme's technical components, it also placed a strong emphasis on strategies to accelerate career growth and personal development in the nuclear sector. Sessions included modules on resilient communication and the role of emotional intelligence in the workplace to strengthen leadership presence and to further their careers in the nuclear field, where they represent less than a quarter of the workforce.
Participants and experts from the 2026 LMP cohort onsite in Sydney, Australia (Photo: ANSTO).
Building on Past Success and Preparing for the Future
To date, more than 100 women from 45 countries have taken part in the LMP since its launch by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi in 2023. Previous visits took place in Argentina, Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States of America.
The programme complements the IAEA Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme (MSCFP) , which provides scholarships for master's programmes to women in nuclear related studies and internship opportunities facilitated by the IAEA. Both programmes work to address the growing need for a nuclear workforce with diverse expertise by tackling the underrepresentation of women in the nuclear field.
The next LMP visit will take place in the Russian Federation, hosted by Rosatom and the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR). Subsequent visits are scheduled in Austria , hosted by Orano and the IAEA, followed by a second visit to France, hosted by the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). Details and dates for these visits will be announced soon and interested professionals will be able to apply here .
