Nebraska Women in STEM talked to OPPD’s Andi Barker about her path as one of a few women in radiation health physics.
Nebraska Women in STEM talked to OPPD’s Andi Barker about her path as one of few women in radiation health physics.
“Yes, I’m a woman, and I like physics. I think there’s something powerful in that. I embrace that I’m unique.”
Andi Barker is the Load Forecasting and Analytics Manager at Omaha Public Power District (OPPD). For 12 years, she worked at Fort Calhoun Station, OPPD’s decommissioning nuclear power plant and is one of only a few female Certified Health Physicists (CHP) in Nebraska.
Andi took a winding path into her career. She was a straight A student and valedictorian at Ralston High School and knew that she liked health and science, but didn’t know the right career path. She got a degree from UNMC’s in radiation science technology, and after several winds in the road, eventually got a master’s degree in health physics from Oregon State University.
Degree in hand, she started her career at OPPD as an instructor in 2011. Her job was to teach continuing education and radiation health physics, which is the study of radiation protection.
“Radiation health physics is important to keep people safe in the places we use radiation on purpose, whether it’s for science, research, or medicine. Hospitals and dentists’ offices are big ones and nuclear power.”