Category: Regular Columns
CRPA president Corie Houldsworth looks back at CRPA’s past and at the history of radiation protection in Canada and beyond. She is also looking forward to what the future holds. She talks about how this ties in with this year’s conference theme: “Forging the Future.”
In this instalment of the Health Physics (HP) Corner, Jeff is checking the activity estimate for monazite ore, which nominally contains 10 MBq of Th-232. If the ambient dose equivalent gamma constant for Th-232 is essentially zero, why is the measurement at 10 cm more than 1,000 times as high as you might expect?
Scott Nichelson, from Texas, is CRPA’s self-proclaimed southernmost member. He is also a member of the Health Physics Society (HPS) and regularly provides updates on HPS events that might be of interest to CRPA Bulletin readers.
In her inaugural message, interim chief editor Tanya Vlaskalin introduces herself to Bulletin readers, thanks outgoing chief editor Dave Niven, for the incredible job he has done over the past seven years, and introduces the theme for this annual conference issue: “Forging a Connection.”
In this instalment of the Health Physics (HP) Corner, Jeff explores dead time—the period after the recording of a particle or pulse when a detector is unable to record another.
In his last CRPA editorial, Dave Niven explains his reasons for leaving, thanks the many people who have supported him over the years, and wishes his successor well.
Dave Niven interviews Corie Houldsworth, CRPA’s president-elect. She talks about wanting to see a return to vital, energetic CRPA conferences.
Grant was writing his editor’s message just ahead of the 2024 conference. He commended the organizing committee for putting together an excellent program and encouraged readers to attend the great talks, the AGM, and the awards banquet, and (of course) to check in at the hospitality suite! He also encouraged readers to make a point of introducing themselves to colleagues from across the country (and beyond) so that they can learn from the successes and challenges of people from various disciplines within radiation protection.
Grant Cubbon asks Brian Bewer, a radiation specialist at the Canadian Light Source, about his job and why he wanted to be CRPA(R) accredited. Brian talks about the knowledge he’s accumulated and the benefits of having a community of experienced radiation safety officers.
Jeff Fleming uses his last president’s message to encourage you to attend our annual conference this year in Edmonton, consider signing up for a professional development session, and support our corporate members.
This issue brings together expertise in an integral area of radiation protection—the continual process of emergency preparedness—with an article about emergency response drills conducted by McMaster University and University Health Network last fall and Canada’s Emergency Preparedness Review (EPREV) mission led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).