The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation’s (UNSCEAR) is the world authority on radiation science and the estimation of global levels and effects of ionizing radiation that serves as the scientific basis for evaluating radiation risk and for establishing protective measures. For the first time since before the pandemic, their annual session took place in person in Vienna, Austria from May 9 to 13, 2022. At the session, UNSCEAR elected a new bureau; endorsed a new strategy for data collection, analysis, and dissemination; and called for member states to participate in the evaluation of public exposure to ionizing radiation.
The 6th International Symposium on the System of Radiological Protection (ICRP 2021) was scheduled to take place in November 2021, but it was postponed due to the pandemic. The meeting (ICRP 2021+1) will now take place November 7 to 10, 2022, in Vancouver, BC. We interviewed ICRP 2021+1 program committee member Brian Ahier to find out what’s in store.
In recognition of the need for gender equity in the nuclear sector, and to continue to build on a reputation that values STEM education and careers, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) launched the Women in STEM (WISTEM) initiative in 2019. Julie Leblanc is the WISTEM special advisor at CNSC. Julie answers questions about the initiative, why it’s important, what it has done for her (personally), how it relates to CRPA, and what’s on the horizon for WISTEM.
Manitoba’s Shared Health and the Radiation Protection Services department of CancerCare Manitoba have a history of collaborating on radiation safety matters. As a result of recent changes in personnel and changing work patterns due to COVID-19, members of their respective radiation protection communities were eager to find ways the two organizations could create a concerted collective to serve as a robust resource in radiation safety in Manitoba. To that end, members of both organizations met in November 2021 to share presentations about their various roles and responsibilities.
Scott M. Nichelson, self-proclaimed southernmost CRPA member in North America, reminds CRPA members about the upcoming Health Physics Society (HPS) annual meeting to be held in Spokane, WA, July 17 to 21, 2022; shares highlights from the first in-person meeting of his home chapter of HPS, the State of Texas Chapter, since 2019; and, of course, brings us up to date on the adventures of Sasky Pack.
In this issue, Stéphane Jean-François comes to your “emotional rescue.” Yes, you, the radiation safety officer, the radiation safety professional, the health physicist. He reminds you that your work is really about people and, to reach those people in a meaningful way, you may need to be more than a safety officer. You will need to have a dialogue based on trust that has been built over time.
In this issue of the Bulletin, continuing his tradition of interviewing interesting people involved in radiation protection, Chief Editor Dave Niven talks with Leah Shuparski-Miller, CRPA’s president-elect. He asks her about her life, her history with CRPA, her motivations for becoming president, and what she hopes to accomplish during her tenure. She says, “Sharing information openly helps us all grow and strengthen our radiation protection community.”
In his editorial, Deputy Editor Grant Cubbon reflects on his role as a member of the CRPA board of directors. After three terms on the board, he chose not to run in this year’s election, saying that, “it’s time to make room for one of the many young professionals among our membership to take a leadership role in the association.” He also reflects on contributions of the many experts, from CRPA and beyond, who have volunteered their time to provide great articles for the Bulletin.
In June 2020, in response to protests and riots against police brutality and systemic racism taking place in the US, Canada, and the rest of the world, CRPA committed to re-evaluating their code of ethics and created the President’s Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI Task Force).
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