President’s Message, May 2021

I hope you’re all safe and healthy—both physically and mentally. It’s been my pleasure to be your first distanced president. Even though we were cut off from our normal lives and I was not able to see you in person, I think we were able to accomplish a lot over the past year! Here are some of my highlights:

• The PD Committee and board of directors providing CPRA members and non-members with five different virtual professional development courses
• CRPA co-hosting a virtual town hall with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)
• CRPA and CNSC co-hosting Rad Women in Canada, a webinar to showcase the work and lives of Canadian women at various stages of their careers working in the radiation sciences and nuclear industry

In the past year, we also created the new strategic plan for 2021–2025 and balanced the budget! These will be discussed in more detail at the annual general meeting on June 1, so be sure to attend to learn more.

I was truly blessed to work with a great board of directors! I want to express my personal gratitude for the effort and extra time the board members have put into the organization. I know the board has put in a lot of extra time, above and beyond the call of duty, and this has truly helped ensure we meet our goals in a timely fashion.

Remember, the CRPA board members are here to serve you. It’s important to surround yourself with colleagues and friends who lift you up, encourage you, share your vision, and inspire you. If you need anything, you can always reach out to your CRPA family.

Looking forward, the joint International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP)–CRPA conference (ICRP 2021), set for November 2021, promises to be a great event. We’re in this together—whether it will be face-to-face or physically distanced—to advocate for radiation safety in Canada and abroad.

Before I sign off, I would like to thank each and every one of you again for your continued support. This pandemic has taught me that we can control only the moment we are in right now. Just remember to never doubt yourself; we’re all capable of amazing things. Soon, when this pandemic is over, we’re going to look back on this period of our lives and be so glad we didn’t give up!

Stay safe and stay strong!