Catching Up with the 2024 Anthony J. MacKay Student Paper Contest Winner

Presenting at the CRPA Conference Helped to Shape a Career in Radiation Protection

In 2024, I was excited to receive an email confirming that my abstract had been selected as a finalist for the Anthony J. MacKay Student Paper Contest. The CRPA conference organizers graciously offered to cover the cost of conference registration and hotel accommodations in Edmonton, AB, to allow me to present my paper. I was fortunate enough to attend the CRPA conference thanks to the support of my organization’s professional development committee.

CRPA has already had a profound impact on my professional journey, and I’m eager to continue supporting and contributing to this exceptional community of radiation protection professionals.

The conference in Edmonton was a transformative experience for my career in radiation protection. It was very informative to learn from presenters about various aspects of radiation protection. I took extensive notes during the presentations and returned to my organization with new ideas and approaches. It was very engaging to see other organizations navigate clinical scenarios or radiation protection projects similar to those happening in my own hospital.

What truly set this conference apart was the opportunity for meaningful networking. Unlike larger conferences, CRPA’s more intimate setting fostered genuine connections during both the sessions and evening events. I found these informal interactions invaluable, as I left Edmonton with a new network of radiation protection professionals from across the country.

The actual presentation of my paper was slightly nerve-racking, knowing that there was such a large group of radiation protection experts that were listening and judging. Despite the initial nerves, the encouragement and positive support from attendees about my presentation made it an incredibly rewarding experience.

After the conference in Edmonton, I started a new management position at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) in London, ON. Prior to this management role, I was the radiation safety specialist for LHSC and St. Joseph’s Healthcare London, supporting the nuclear and X-ray radiation safety program for both organizations.

Initially, the new role was a management position with the Molecular Imaging and Theranostics program (formerly named Nuclear Medicine) at LHSC, including our cardiac nuclear medicine, general nuclear medicine, and radioligand therapy programs. Leading a multidisciplinary team of approximately 30 nuclear medicine technologists, nurses, and support staff helped me develop my management skills. There was a lot to learn in this new role.

A few months after starting this position, I went through another career shakeup. Our hospital completed a large organizational review and restructuring. As a result, my portfolio expanded to include clerical and radiation safety within Medical Imaging. With this change, the radiation safety officer (RSO) and radiation safety team, the coordinator of central bookings, and the coordinator of clerical staff began reporting to me as well. This transition felt like a bit of a homecoming to radiation safety, and I was excited to return in a leadership capacity.

I was able to leverage the contacts that I made during the CRPA conference. It gave me a network of RSOs and radiation protection professionals across the country that I was able to consult or share knowledge with.

In this new role, I was able to leverage the contacts that I made during the CRPA conference. It gave me a network of RSOs and radiation protection professionals across the country that I was able to consult or share knowledge with. This type of collaboration helped provide insight into a number of new developments in radiation safety.

LHSC was the first hospital in Ontario to complete a publicly funded treatment of Lutetium-177 PSMA (prostate-specific membrane antigen) (tradename PLUVICTO) in December 2024. The announcement of public funding for this therapy resulted in a large influx of patient referrals from across the province. Being able to share knowledge about post-therapy release criteria, patient restrictions post-therapy, or travel considerations was incredibly useful in our rollout of this new service. In addition, our organization is also moving toward the discontinuation of mandatory lead shielding for patients undergoing diagnostic X-ray procedures, and being able to consult with RSOs from other organizations was helpful as we rollout this change. These are just a few examples of how participation in the Edmonton conference continues to impact my career in a positive manner.

Outside the National Academy of Sciences in Yerevan where Shayen Sreetharan presented on his work with the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP).

Since the presentation in Edmonton, I have continued the work that I presented with the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). Alongside members of the ICRP task group, I am now completing a systematic review on the topic of multigenerational effects of ionizing radiation in non-human species to expand on the results of the review that I presented at the CRPA conference. We are also beginning the initial draft stages of the final ICRP task group publication, and it is exciting to see my role in that research progress toward the final deliverable of an ICRP publication that will be made available to the global radiation protection community.

In 2025, I was also invited to participate in a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and McMaster University sponsored workshop on the topic of low-dose-radiation risk in Yerevan, Armenia, at the National Academy of Sciences. I presented on the same project that was presented in Edmonton, and participation in this intimate workshop was invaluable, allowing me to connect with other low-dose-radiation researchers across North America and Europe.

Shayen’s daughter reading her favourite nuclear medicine textbook with her dad.

Outside of work and research, there has also been a major change in my personal life. In April 2024, my wife and I welcomed our first child. Our daughter arrived shortly before the CRPA conference, making the Edmonton trip my first extended time away from her. We recently celebrated her first birthday and have transitioned her to daycare. Watching her grow has been a source of tremendous joy.

Looking ahead, I plan to prepare for and write the CRPA(R) exam as I continue to settle into my expanded management role. I also look forward to future participation in CRPA events and workshops. CRPA has already had a profound impact on my professional journey, and I’m eager to continue supporting and contributing to this exceptional community of radiation protection professionals. In closing, I would like once again to thank CRPA and the conference organizers for the opportunity to participate in the Edmonton conference. It was a career-defining experience, and I remain eternally grateful for the opportunity.

Read an interview with Shayen (and his fellow finalists from 2024): 2024 Anthony J. MacKay Student Paper Contest: Meet This Year’s Finalists

Read Shayen’s abstract: Ionizing Radiation Exposure Effects Across Multiple Generations in Non-Human Biota

Read an interview with Shayen (and his fellow finalists from 2024): 2024 CRPA Award Winners