Jonathan Jeyarajah is the President of the North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NAYGN) Durham Chapter and a Society member since 2021. He is an Assistant Technical Engineer at OPG.
Q: What made you want to run for the position of NAYGN Durham Chapter President?
Jonathan: I ran for the position because I saw how impactful NAYGN was when I served as the Durham chapter’s professional development chair, which was from Sept. 2023 to April 2025. Under my leadership, our team ended up winning the 2024 continental award for “Best Chapter for Professional Development.” We hosted lunch-and-learns, facility tours, and webinars on various topics. I wanted to continue that momentum. It really resonated with me to take that next step in my own leadership. I wanted to develop a platform to share technical knowledge and build community in the industry and in Ontario Power Generation (OPG) as well.
Q: Can you tell me a bit more about the chapter’s work?
Jonathan: The NAYGN Durham Chapter is one of the most active chapters in Canada. In 2024, we also won the award “Best chapter in the Canadian region.” We did really great work. We had over 50 events across 2024. We focused on five key pillars: professional development, public outreach, community outreach, social engagement, and equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I).
With ED&I, a lot of our work is about representation in the nuclear industry. We helped host OPG’s first in-person Black History Month event. We had leaders of Black heritage come and speak about their experiences and careers. We held similar events for Asian Heritage Month in May and Latin American Heritage Month in October, where we collaborated closely with the OPG Society Local. The Society of United Professionals supported these events by providing funding, volunteers, and speakers. Through these efforts, the Society has helped young professionals expand their networks within the nuclear industry.
We also hosted several technical webinars. We organized a webinar for CANDU MONARK with over 300 attendees. The webinar discussed technical details of the MONARK design and potential new builds at Bruce C and Wesleyville. We also hosted webinars on the BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor (SMR) that OPG and GE Vernova are building at Darlington.
We also organized several facility tours. We visited the Cameco facility for fuel manufacturing in Port Hope, hosted a McMaster Nuclear Reactor tour, and visited the Nuclear Waste Organization’s (NWMO) facility in Oakville.
We host lunch-and-learns whereby we invite folks with different career paths within the nuclear industry to have fireside chats. They share information on their companies and career paths. We have invited professionals in Operations, Engineering, and Project Management.
A key piece is public outreach. At the Durham Chapter, we have a 30-person team. We visit schools and universities, and advocate and inform the public about the nuclear industry. We discuss careers and pathways in the industry. An essential part is speaking about myths surrounding the nuclear industry and demystifying them. We speak on topics such as nuclear radiation and nuclear waste classification and storage.
We also host social events for our chapter members such as NAYGN dragon boat racing, escape rooms, and board game nights. Additionally, we support community events like tree planting in the Durham region.
Q: How does NAYGN engage in the leadership development of young people?
NAGYN Durham’s chapter and the chapters across the nuclear industry offer hands-on leadership opportunities. Many of the executive members and chairs plan, organize, and drive their own events. They manage their own budgets, and they build partnerships with organizations such as the Society of United Professionals, Women in Nuclear, OPG, and other companies. These experiences give young professionals the ability to learn real-world skills in project management, stakeholder engagement, public speaking, and strategic planning – all things that directly translate into their careers.
Q: How can young Society members get involved in NAYGN?
You can sign up to get involved on the NAYGN website, and choose a chapter related to your region or organization.
NAYGN is a great space for young Society members to grow their network. They can develop leadership skills, have their voice heard, and push for their own development. Whether you’re interested in public speaking, community outreach, or learning technical knowledge, there is a platform for young professionals in the nuclear industry to make a meaningful change.
If you are interested in joining a local chapter such as the NAYGN Durham Chapter, you can attend events and volunteer for our committee. Even attending one event can change your perspective and spark your involvement. For members in the Durham region, you can visit the NAYGN Durham website: www.NAYGN-Durham.com and sign up for our mailing list.
Society members Elton Nazareth, Joy Gurney, Leon Simeon, Lisa Robles, Kelly Reid, and Jonathan Jeyarajah at Asian Heritage Month.
Society members Veeshesh Sunassy, Calista Jonah, and Jonathan Jeyarajah at the 2025 NAYGN Continental Conference. The Society is a sponsor of the annual conference.
