Sabine Mayer has been Head of the Division for Radiation Safety and Security (ASI) since the beginning of the year. Hence, she is responsible for security at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), from its in-house fire brigade over occupational health and safety to radiological monitoring. Nonetheless, the importance of the Division extends far beyond PSI: the Swiss authorities have confidence in its pool of experts and she, therefore, plays an active role in shaping safety policy in Switzerland. The interview.