Sophie Rodrigue

Dosimetry Service Program Officer with the Radiation Protection Division

Sophie Rodrigue has been working with the CNSC since 2017.

Expertise and education

Sophie joined the CNSC as a business continuity planning officer and, a year later, became a licensing specialist with the Nuclear Substances and Radiation Devices Licensing Division. After 2 years, she turned her expertise to dosimetry in radiation protection.

Sophie earned a diploma of college studies (DCS) in laboratory technology: biotechnology, at the Cégep de l’Outaouais. This was followed by a Bachelor of Science with a specialization in environmental science (magna cum laude) at the University of Ottawa.

She became more interested in science when she worked as a student at the City of Gatineau water treatment plant, where she conducted daily analytical laboratory tests and collected environmental monitoring samples.

Roles and responsibilities

Sophie is responsible for coordinating reviews and evaluating the effectiveness of licensing activities related to licensed dosimetry services. Dosimetry services are facilities licensed by the Commission to measure and monitor radiation doses to people.

She reviews the technical and management system requirements for dosimetry service licence applications to determine if the service meets the CNSC’s regulatory requirements. Part of the review focuses on ensuring doses are monitored with sufficient accuracy and precision to allow licensees such as new nuclear facilities and small modular reactors to:

• evaluate the effectiveness of their radiation protection programs
• ensure doses are ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable)
• ensure dose limits are respected in accordance with the Radiation Protection Regulations

Her work contributes to the CNSC’s strategic priority to be a modern nuclear regulator whose decisions are based on science and evidence, and whose actions are risk informed.

Other roles

Sophie developed the Dosimetry Service Verification Strategy to ensure that a systematic, consistent and risk-informed approach is applied to the planning and conduct of compliance verification activities of dosimetry service licensees. This strategy includes a 10-year baseline compliance plan and various work instructions.