Chinese scientist Xiao Chen has been named as the chairwoman of a committee that sets international standards for nuclear equipment.
Xiao will head the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)’s technical committee for nuclear instrumentation, which is responsible for setting the standards for nuclear facilities, systems and equipment as well as aspects of nuclear safety and security.
“I intend to actively try new methods and new tools proposed by the IEC. My aim will be to improve the efficiency in the compilation of standards as well as to promote the community through the development of more projects,” Xiao said.
She will succeed Gerhard Roos, managing director of the German Nuclear Safety Standards Commission, who has been chairman of the IEC committee since 2016.
Xiao, a graduate of Tsinghua University’s precision instruments department, has more than 20 years’ experience in the nuclear industry and also holds positions at the Chinese Institute for the Standardisation of the Nuclear Industry and the Standardisation Administration of China.
Her work includes designing protection and control systems, as well as research work concerning the French-based International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, the world’s largest nuclear fusion experiment.
The state-owned China National Nuclear Corporation said Xiao was the first person from Asia to be selected as chair of the committee and this showed “China’s contribution is highly recognised internationally” in the field of nuclear instrumentation and standardisation.
“China will seize the opportunity … to collaborate with standards experts worldwide and make greater contributions.”
The Geneva-based International Electrotechnical Commission is responsible for setting international safety standards for a wide range of technologies.
The nuclear instrumentation committee, which sets safety standards for the civilian nuclear industry, has 36 members, including Britain, Canada, China, France, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Ukraine and the United States.