The IAEA profiles employees to provide insight into the variety of career paths that support the Agency’s mission of Atoms for Peace and Development and to inspire and encourage readers, particularly women, to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) or STEM-adjacent fields. Read more profiles of women at the IAEA.   

Born and raised in Cuba, Luisa Betancourt Hernandez’s career has been defined by resilience, and a commitment to nuclear regulation. A nuclear engineer by training, she has navigated her career by breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field and shaping the regulatory landscape in her home country and beyond. Yet, what makes her journey remarkable is how many of her defining moments began as unexpected detours — opportunities she was initially reluctant to embrace but that ultimately contributed to shaping her career. 

A Career Forged in Science

Hernandez always had a keen interest in science, mathematics and physics. Encouraged by her father, she chose nuclear engineering as her path, drawn by Cuba’s ambitious nuclear power programme. Graduating in 1985 from Havana University, she expected to be assigned to work at the Juragua Nuclear Power Plant under construction in Cienfuegos. Instead, she was sent to Cuba’s Centre for Radiation Protection and Hygiene responsible for the regulation of radiation applications in medicine, industry, and research. 

“I wanted to be at the nuclear power plant—it was the exciting place to be,” she recalls. “At first, I was reluctant to work as a radiation protection specialist, but it opened my world to the regulatory framework.” 

Her early career saw her travelling across Cuba, inspecting facilities and gaining first-hand experience in regulatory control. However, the dream of contributing to Cuba’s nuclear power programme persisted. She eventually had the opportunity to apply her expertise to radiation protection in the Juragua Nuclear Power Plant. 

However, in 1991, Cuba’s nuclear ambitions were halted due to an unforeseen situation, with the dissolution of the partner country in the project, the former Soviet Union. In the 2000s, the programme was officially closed. 

“For nuclear engineers, it was heartbreaking,” she says. “But I was lucky, I was already deeply involved in radiation safety.” 

From Radiation Safety to Nuclear Security

Over the years, Luisa climbed the ranks in regulatory control. By 2002, she was appointed Director of the National Centre for Nuclear Safety, Cuba’s nuclear regulatory body. A year later, when Cuba signed the IAEA Nuclear Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol, she played a key role, including coordination with the IAEA about inspections and information exchange . Her leadership extended beyond Cuba, contributing to regional projects in Latin America aimed at developing regulatory frameworks for medical and industrial nuclear technology applications. 

While Luisa had dedicated most of her career to nuclear and radiation safety, her transition into nuclear security came unexpectedly. In 2007, she was chosen to complete a master’s degree in national security and defense — an assignment she initially resisted. However, the programme broadened her understanding of security issues and, in hindsight, proved essential to her later career. 

In 2014, she was appointed President of Cuba’s Nuclear Energy and Advanced Technologies Agency, overseeing all the country’s nuclear applications, from medicine to industrial use. Yet, life had another challenge in store. When her husband, a nuclear physicist, was offered a position at the IAEA, they decided to relocate to Vienna. 

“I arrived in Vienna in 2016 without a job, which was hard for someone as active as me, but I wanted to keep our family together.” 

However, this move ultimately led her in 2019 to a full-time position with the IAEA, working on the Regulatory Infrastructure Development Project with a focus on nuclear security. 

“For me, regulation is in my blood,” she says. “Safety and security in nuclear applications are crucial, and I’ve dedicated my life to ensuring they are upheld.” 

Embracing the Unexpected

Initially, Luisa was one of the few women in her field. Only 5 of her 21 classmates were women when she began her studies. 

“In Cuba at the time, engineering was seen as a man’s career,” she explains. “Women were expected to go into other fields. Over the time this has changed, and today, we see a much better balance.” 

Looking back, Luisa sees a pattern in her journey — some of the best opportunities were ones she was initially not seeing as such. Her master’s degree, for example, ultimately played a critical role in expanding her expertise from nuclear safety to include nuclear security. 

“At first, I thought it was a setback. I went from being a director to a student. But later, my national security and defense degree helped me progress in my career,” she says. “It taught me that sometimes, what seems like an obstacle is an opportunity.” 

Luisa’s story is one of adaptability and an unyielding passion for her field. Whether shaping Cuba’s regulatory framework or contributing to international nuclear safety and security, she has played a significant role in strengthening global regulatory standards.  

Her advice to young women considering a career in science? 

“Be open to opportunities. Even if they don’t seem ideal at first, they may lead to something great. And above all, be resilient. Nowadays, women have more opportunities than ever—take them.” 

The IAEA’s Commitment to Gender Equality

The IAEA is committed to gender equality and to supporting the ability of all individuals, regardless of gender, to equally contribute to and benefit from its programmes and activities.  

Additionally, in 2020, the IAEA launched the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme (MSCFP) to support the next generation of women nuclear professionals by offering scholarships for master’s degree in nuclear-related fields. A new IAEA initiative launched in March 2023, the Lise Meitner Programme, offers early- and mid-career women multiweek training visits to nuclear facilities.  

Read more about the IAEA’s work on gender equality, and apply for vacancies, internships or pipelines.