The Nuclear Institute is proud to honour excellence and innovation in the nuclear field through various awards and prizes, including: The Pinkerton Prize, the European Nuclear Society PhD Award and the Young Generation Network Prizes.
2025 Awards ceremony
Lifetime Achievement Winner: Professor Laurence Williams OBE
The Pinkerton Prize, awarded in memory of JB Pinkerton, recognises authors and co-authors of articles of significant technical or scientific merit published in the Nuclear Institute’s bi-monthly Nuclear Future journal. JB (John Brownlie) Pinkerton was the founder of the Institution of Nuclear Engineers (INucE). The INucE was one of the predecessor organisations that eventually formed the Nuclear Institute.
2024 Winner: Carol Tansley
2023 Winner: Dr Alastair Baker
The European Nuclear Society (ENS) organises an annual Award to recognize an outstanding PhD thesis work. The ENS High Scientific Council (HSC) acts as the Selection Committee, and the Nuclear Institute, as the UK Member of the ENS, nominates the UK candidate for this prestigious award. UK candidates will be assessed by an NI team headed by Professor Laurence G Williams OBE FREng FNucI, a member of the ENS High Scientific Council. The successful candidate will become the UK Nominee for the HSC PhD award.
European Nuclear Society
2026 - Dr Connor Beer, University of Liverpool "Effect of Microstructure and Energy Deposition on Radiation-Induced Modifications in Zirconium Nitride: A Framework for Accelerated Qualification of Advanced Nuclear Fuels".
Previous Winners
2025 - Dr Sebastian Davies, University of Liverpool "Coupling of Subchannel Tools with Advanced Multiscale Core Simulations"
2024 - Dr Elizabeth Sharp, NNL "Development of an NDT method for pressure monitoring of special nuclear material containment”
2023 - Dr Matthew Lukacs, UKAEA. "Development of a Regulatory Framework for the Licensing of a Fusion Power Plant."
2022 - Dr Liberato Volpe. “High Temperature Oxidation Studies of Ni-base Alloys: Understanding the Role of the “Precursor Events” during the Early Stages of Stress Corrosion Cracking”
2020 - Dr Steph Thornber, NNL “The development of high fraction zirconolite glass-ceramics for the immobilisation of actinides in plutonium residues for long-term geological disposal” - Steph went on to be named winner of the overall ENS PhD Award.
The NI Young Generation Network awards two prizes annually, presented at the YGN Annual Dinner and the NI Awards Ceremony respectively.
The YGN Excellence Prize is an award for newcomers to the Nuclear Industry (less than five years’ nuclear experience) who have gone above and beyond the roles required of them. There is a specific emphasis on the individual’s achievement to promote the nuclear industry and fulfilment of the YGN Mission. The award is an attempt to recognise these individuals and their accomplishments over their brief time within the industry.
2025: Omal Jayawardena
2024: Lucy Jarvis
2023: Evie Smith
2022: Nicole Lee
2021: Nicole Tait
2020: Philippa Hawley
2019: Stacy Snook
2018: Reuben Holmes
2017: Bethany McKee
2024 Winner: Lucy Jarvis, Sellafield Ltd.
2023 Winner: Evie Smith
The YGN Prize for Outstanding Contribution is awarded annually to a senior figure in the nuclear sector whose great support to young people in the industry, primarily through the YGN Network, has gone above and beyond expectations. The YGN relies on the support of the prize winners and their peers in order to continue to deliver its portfolio of events, thus together, ensuring a bright future for nuclear energy.
2024 Winner: Beccy Pleasant
2023 Winner: Corhyn Parr HonFNucI
2025 - Saralyn Thomas MNucI
Previous Winners
2024 - Beccy Pleasant
2023 - Corhyn Parr HonFNucI
2022 - Professor Andrew Sherry FNucI
2021 - John McNamara
2020 – Alys Gardner
2019 – Professor John Fyfe
2018 – Mark Gardiner MNucI
2017 – Jon Baggs
2016 – Steve Barnes
2015 – Greg Willets
2014 – Dennis Thompson
2013 – Gareth Davies
2012 – David Powell
2011 – Adrian Bull HonFNucI
2010 – Neil Blundell
2009 – Ian Currie FNucI
2008 – Carl Dawson
2007 – Tub Aves
2006 – Dame Sue Ion OBE
2005 – George Jenkins
The Nuclear Institute's Young Generation Network (YGN) holds a speaking competition to encourage and showcase the talents of young professionals in the nuclear industry. The competition features regional heats, leading to a national final, where winners have the opportunity to present at the YGN Annual Seminar and Dinner. The national final is held during Nuclear Week.
2024 Winner: Becky Hicks, North West Branch
2023 Winner: Hannah Thompson, North West Branch
2025 - Reuben Bouchard-Saunders, Cumbria Branch - The energy of emotion: nuclear power in a fissioned world
2024 - Becky Hicks, North West Branch - The Importance of Human Factors in Supporting Nuclear Safety Cases
2023 - Hannah Thompson, North West Branch - 7 Year Itch: Perspective of an Industry Returner on Nuclear Gender Balance Progress
2022 - David Eastwell, Central England Branch - Seismic Surveying: using sound to map the Earth's Structure, and why we use it in geological waste disposal
2021 - Steve Smith, Scotland Branch - Hydrogen Advancing the Nuclear Industry from Carbon Neutral to Carbon Negative
