Current News

Ken Gavlik, Section President
Kevin Banks, Section President-elect

Call for Abstracts

The Health Physics Society (HPS) Decommissioning Section is issuing a call for abstracts for the 70th HPS Annual Meeting, which will be held 13–17 July 2025 at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison, Wisconsin.

Members are encouraged to submit abstracts (and later presentations or posters) describing their decommissioning topics and projects, focusing on unique solutions and lessons learned.

When submitting, please specify that you would like your presentation to be included in the Decommissioning Special Session. The deadline for abstract submission has been extended to 7 March 2025. Abstracts should be submitted through the 2025 HPS Abstract Submission page,

Abstracts should not be submitted via email.

Other Matters

One thing the section Board would like to do is initiate a monthly spotlight on current decommissioning projects, regulatory issues, and/or recent Health Physics Journal papers relevant to decommissioning. We intend to do this through monthly webinars. Please reach out to us with your interest.

We look forward to hearing your feedback via email (President Ken Gavlik, President-elect Kevin Banks).

Do you have professional health physics books you no longer use but that would be helpful to someone else in the field? As you clean out your office, consider listing the books you want to share on the HP Professional Book Sharing page on the Health Physics Society (HPS) website.

Are you looking for professional health physics books, but have a limited budget? Peruse the titles on the HP Professional Book Sharing page and see if any fit your needs. Then contact the person giving away the book to arrange shipping. The book giver and receiver are responsible for arranging and paying for shipping. The upcoming annual meeting would be a good time to deliver books to each other to avoid having to ship them.

To have a book that you want to give away listed on the page, email HPS News Editor Mary Walchuk a photo of the cover; the title, author, publisher, and publication date; and your email address and we will list your book(s).

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values for Physical Agents Committee is looking for a volunteer who can help guide the organization regarding ionizing and nonionizing radiation. Ideally the individual would have some general background knowledge of industrial hygiene but, most importantly, should be willing to support other authors on the committee when drafting new threshold limit values.

For more information and to express interest in this opportunity, please contact ACGIH Executive Director Phillip Rauscher, 513-742-6176, prauscher@acgih.org, www.acgih.org.

Final Deadline – 7 March 2025

The 70th Health Physics Society (HPS) Annual Meeting will be held in Madison, Wisconsin, 13–17 July 2025. Madison is a vibrant and dynamic city that blends the charm of a small town with the energy and opportunities of a capital city. Nestled between picturesque lakes Mendota and Monona, Madison is renowned for its natural beauty, offering a mix of scenic parks, outdoor activities, and stunning waterfront views. As the capital of Wisconsin and home to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the city boasts a thriving academic community, a rich cultural scene, and a progressive spirit. Its diverse industries, from biotechnology to education and government, make it a hub for innovation and collaboration. Madison's downtown area is filled with a vibrant mix of restaurants, cafes, and businesses, creating an engaging environment for all to enjoy. The HPS is looking forward to a fantastic meeting, and we want you to be part of it. Give a talk or share a poster! Authors can present live in-person oral or posters.

If there is a special topic that would be of interest to the health physics community, a special session is a great way to introduce it and initiate scientific dialog among your peers. For more information, please contact Task Force Chairs Josh Hayes and Bill Hinchcliffe.

Technical Sessions
Technical sessions are scheduled throughout the week and include many aspects of the practice of radiation safety. Typical session topics include:

• Accelerator Health Physics
• Academic Radiation Safety
• Air Monitoring
• Decontamination and Decommissioning
• Dose Reconstruction
• Emergency Response
• Environmental Monitoring
• External Dosimetry
• Homeland Security Monitoring
• Industrial Radiation Safety
• Internal Dosimetry
• Instrumentation
• Medical Health Physics
• Military Health Physics
• Power Reactor Health Physics
• Radiobiology – Biological Response
• Regulations/Licensing
• Risk Assessment
• Waste Management

Please submit your abstract (including special session abstracts) through the meeting platform website by 7 March 2025.

Note: there will be no extensions! INSTEAD if you need a little more time, reserve a slot by contacting the task force chair with your subject and topic.

Abstracts will be printed directly from your electronic submission. Minor editing (punctuation and grammar) may be performed on your abstract; you will not see a revised version before publication. If you experience problems or it is not possible to submit your abstract electronically, please contact the Secretariat at 703-790-1745 (or fax 703-790-2672) for further instructions.

PLEASE NOTE: Abstracts submitted via email will not be accepted.

A submitted abstract is a commitment to present; cancellations should be avoided. All presenters must register and pay for the meeting by May 2025 to be included in the final program. If extenuating circumstances prevent the presenting author from making the presentation, it is the author's responsibility to find an alternate presenter. Presenters who submit more than one oral abstract and cancel should find alternate presenters; otherwise, you may be limited to one abstract for future meetings.

Brant Ulsh, CHP, PhD, Health Physics Editor in Chief

The March 2025 issue of the Health Physics Journal is a special one. It provides readers with a glimpse into radiation protection efforts conducted at the state level, with authors from the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) writing about their work. Guest Editor Angela Leek has assembled a lineup that provides a broad snapshot of the hot topics, including:

• "About CRCPD" by Ruth McBurney.
• "Establishing Consensus with Users of Research Irradiator Devices to Facilitate Source Type Replacement" by Danette R. Fennesy, et al.
• "Monitoring and Remediation of Tritium Contamination in Groundwater at a New Jersey Nuclear Power Plant" by Karen Tuccillo, et al.
• "Comprehensive Review of CRCPD Efforts in the Disposition of Disused Radioactive Sources" by Ruth E. McBurney and Kimberly Steves.
• "A 10-Year Personal History of the Radiological Operations Support Specialist" by William Irwin.
• "CRCPD E-43 Committee for Interagency Environmental Data Sharing and Communications Endorsed RadResponder Threshold Sets" by Jill Slubowski, et al.
• "Radiation Communication: Thoughts and Considerations" from Steve Sugarman and Holly Hardin.

Developments at the national level tend to get a lot of attention, but implementation occurs at the state level. Make sure to take a peek through this window and see where the rubber meets the road in our field!

Ben Giese

Photo courtesy of Dr. Thomas Johnson

Photo courtesy of Dr. Thomas Johnson

Photo courtesy of Connor Williams

Through the Mountains & Plains Education and Research Center (MAP ERC) and in collaboration with Colorado State University (CSU) alumni at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), a group of five students from CSU and the University of Colorado Anshutz Medical Campus visited INL for a week in early January 2025. This trip allowed the students to see what life was like working at a national laboratory and how health physics is used in the field. While at INL, the students were able to tour many of the facilities involving both environmental cleanup/management and the design of new fuels and materials for modern reactor technologies.

Students were able to tour the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC), where fuel rods are prepared for analysis within large lead and concrete "hot cells" where workers use mechanical arms to manipulate the objects within the cell. These hot cells allow the workers to work with material that would be too dangerous without the mechanical arms and thick shielding. Students were also given the opportunity to learn how to get dressed up in protective Tyvek® suits to do work in areas that are contaminated with radioactive material. It was a great experience learning the process of getting into the suits and then getting out of them without contaminating the street clothes underneath.

The students had the opportunity to talk with several radiation control technicians about their day-to-day work at INL, which allowed the students to see life at INL from a different point of view from the radiological engineer, who is the gracious CSU alumnus who hosted the group.

CSU alumni, radiological engineer, and history buff Connor Williams arranged a tour of Experimental Breeder Reactor 1 (EBR-1), which lies on the INL site and is open for tours in the summer. EBR-1 was once a power plant that supplied power to INL and was the first breeder reactor to produce more fissile isotopes than it consumed. It now serves as a piece of history that you can walk through and see what the inside of a nuclear power plant looks like.

Very few university students have the ability to tour a national laboratory, but thanks to the MAP ERC and our alumni, we were able to visit two sites.

Charles Wilson, Continuing Education Programs Chair

Are you looking forward to the upcoming 70th Health Physics Society Annual Meeting, which will be held 13–17 July 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin? Do you want to share your wisdom or experience? The Continuing Education Programs (CEP) Committee is calling for you to be a part of the program! Please click here to submit your proposed Professional Enrichment Program (PEP) or Continuing Education Lecture (CEL) course.

PEPs (90+ minutes and most likely to be held Sunday) and CELs (less than one hour and held during the week) will be renumerated at the normal HPS rates.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact CEP Chair Charles Wilson. The (only and final) submission deadline is 28 March 2025. Authors will be notified in April.

We are also still looking for more abstracts for the scientific program! Click here to submit yours now.

Tom Johnson

The Central Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Health Physics Society (CRMCHPS) met on 30 January 2025, and Marcia Anderson, CHP, gave a fantastic overview of accelerator health physics. Her talk included interesting information about a variety of accelerator types as well as multiple standards and references that provide useful support for any health physicist working with an accelerator. Marcia felt that ANSI Standard N43.1 (2011), "Radiation Safety for the Design and Operation of Particle Accelerators" was very well done and is essential to any type of particle accelerator. The talk was attended by both CRMCHPS members and members of the HPS student branch from Colorado State University.

Attendees at the January 2025 CRMCHPS meeting
Photo courtesy of Tom Johnson

Congratulations to the Health Physics Society (HPS) officer and Board of Directors members who will take office in July at the 2025 HPS Annual Meeting in Madison, Wisconsin.

Treasurer-elect
Deirdre Elder

Director
George Tabatadze

Director
Zach Tribbett

Nominations deadline is 1 March for most awards.

Elizabeth Brackett, Awards Committee Chair

The Health Physics Society (HPS) annual meeting takes a lot of preparation, so planning starts early. Now is the time to start thinking about awards that will be presented at the 70th HPS Annual Meeting, which will be held 13–17 July 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin. I've heard rumblings recently that the same small group of people seem to get all the recognition, so now is your chance to nominate a deserving individual.

The Society has several awards designed to recognize the achievements of our members and, in some cases, nonmembers who have made significant contributions to the field of health physics. Complete details of the criteria and nomination requirements for each award can be found in HPS Rule 13. All nominations must be submitted to the HPS Awards Committee chair. A brief summary of each award is given here.

The following require nominations be made by chapter presidents, section presidents, or a petition of any six members and are due 1 March.

• Elda E. Anderson: Presented to a young member of HPS to recognize excellence in research or development, discovery or invention, devotion to health physics, or significant contributions to the profession of health physics.
• Distinguished Scientific Achievement: Recognition for accomplishments of fundamental importance to the practice, acceptance, and advancement of the profession of health physics.
• Founders: Recognizes exceptional service to the HPS or the health physics profession.
• Robley D. Evans Commemorative Medal: Acknowledges specific outstanding scientific achievement that emulates the scientific characteristics, principles, integrity, and stature associated with and characterized by Professor Robley D. Evans, a past president of the HPS.
• Distinguished Public Service: Recognition for accomplishments of fundamental importance to the practice, acceptance, and advancement of health physics or for public education in radiation science that is above and beyond the normal, accepted performance for the position held.
• Geoffrey G. Eichholz Outstanding Science Teacher: Honors teachers of grades K–12 who have made significant contributions to educating students in topics related to the field of radiation safety.

Student Science Award nominations can be made by any full member of the Society or by a chapter or section of the Society. This award recognizes outstanding contributions by students in grades 6–12 to the understanding of the applications of radiation and its impact on the environment and health. These nominations have a deadline of 30 May.

Nominations for the Fellow Award, which honors senior members of the Society who have made significant administrative, educational, and/or scientific contributions to the profession of health physics and/or the Society, can be made by voting members of HPS. The deadline for nominations is 1 March.

Bridget Smith, Chapter Secretary

The San Diego Chapter of the Health Physics Society (HPS) kicked off 2025 with an online meeting. Our members enjoyed a fascinating talk about nuclear gauges by HPS President-elect Mike Lewandowski.

Our March meeting will feature a talk by Dr. Dan Scanderbeg, a University of California San Diego professor and the associate director of the Division of Medical Physics. He will be speaking on his work with InfrGard Partnership for Protection as well as innovations in medical physics.

We welcome new members and affiliate members from Southern California who are interested in professional development and outreach to the health physics community. With both online and in-person meetings, members have many ways to learn, participate, and get involved.

As most of you know, the Health Physics Society (HPS) is governed by its Board of Directors. To keep that system viable, the Nominating Committee needs willing candidates to agree to be considered for the open positions of President-elect (2 candidates), Secretary-elect (2 candidates), and Board Member (4 candidates), to take office at the 2026 HPS Annual Meeting. Please help us! We need names to consider, so think about your future involvement with the Society and also your talented and committed friends.

Individuals, committees, chapters, and sections can suggest names of willing nominees. If you have an associate or colleague who has been active in HPS and wants to try being a Board member or an officer, encourage them to submit their name; ask their section, chapter, or committee to do so; or nominate them yourself. If they've run before, but not been chosen or elected, we encourage trying again by letting the committee know of that interest. To submit a nomination or receive more information, contact a member of the Nominating Committee or committee Chair Craig Little.

Emily Caffrey, 2025 Workshop Cochair

Make your plans now to attend the Third Health Physics Society (HPS) Workshop, which will be focused on fusion and nonionizing health physics. The workshop will be held 31 March–1 April 2025 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. But wait, that's not all! The Professional Development School "Overview of the Nonionizing Radiation Spectrum" will be held after the workshop, 1–4 April 2025. Make plans now to attend both!

This workshop takes a dive into some challenges in fusion: a new regulatory landscape, tritium management, neutron shielding, and nonionizing radiation issues. Learn from industry experts and network with peers as we explore the potential of fusion energy and the importance of safeguarding human health in a nonionizing radiation environment. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and contribute to the future of radiation safety.

Click here to register.

Questions? Send an email to PC@HPS.org.

Laura Atwell, NCRP Director of Operations

The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) 2025 Annual Meeting—"The Million Person Study: Current Results and Vision for Radiation Epidemiology and Protection"—will be held 24–25 March in Bethesda, Maryland. Registration is free this year.

Visit the NCRP website for more information and to register.

The Gilbert W. Beebe Symposium is hosting a two-day workshop on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications in radiation therapy/oncology, diagnostics, and occupational health and safety on 13–14 March 2025.

The symposium will include a community discussion on algorithm development and pathways to success, a focus on future directions and opportunities in AI/ML methods and technology to advance the fields of the radiation health sciences, and discussions on the intentionality of data collection for algorithm development and training, as well as focused breakout sessions on current and emerging applications of AI and ML in the radiation health science fields.

Sessions will consider such topics as:

1. Broader AI Community Discussions
2. Future Directions and Opportunities for AI/ML Applications in the Radiation Health Sciences
3. Data for AI Readiness
4. AI in the Clinic – Applications in Radiation Oncology and Medical Diagnostics
5. AI Applications in Occupational and Public Health
6. AI Applications in Predictive Modeling
7. Education and Workforce Development
8. AI Regulations and Ethics

Register now for the Gilbert W. Beebe Symposium on AI and ML Applications in Radiation Therapy, Medical Diagnostics, and Radiation Occupational Health and Safety to stay updated on future announcements, including the public agenda.

Visit the event web page to register and for additional details. If you have a question about this event, email NRSB@nas.edu.

Students, it is time to apply for awards to help toward your health physics education. The Students area of the Health Physics Society (HPS) website offers an abundance of information on scholarships, fellowships, and grants available to health physics students.

For 2025, HPS is offering several scholarships and fellowships. The HPS also offers travel grants for HPS member students planning to attend the next annual meeting of the HPS. The application process is open and the deadline for submission of applications for scholarships, fellowships, and travel grants is 19 March 2025.

Click here to access the scholarships and fellowships application form.

Click here to access the travel grant application form.

Advisors and HPS members, please encourage health physics students you know to apply soon.

Kendall Williams, Section President

The Inclusivity in Health Physics Award is given annually by the Women in Radiation Protection (WiRP) Section to a member of the Health Physics Society who, in the past year, has made significant efforts in widening participation and promoting inclusion within health physics and related disciplines. Such efforts might include (but are not limited to) (1) improving the experience, involvement, and/or development of under-represented persons and/or (2) fostering attitudes, relationships, or environments that are welcoming and accessible to all. Nominees may be at any career stage and are not required to be a member of the section. Self-nominations are encouraged. The package for this award should include:

• Letter of nomination including why the person is deserving of this award.
• At least two letters of support.
• Nominee's one-page biosketch.

Please submit all information to WiRP President Kendall Williams. Deadline for submission is 1 March 2025.

The February course offerings have been posted on the Courses page of the HPS website. Information on the following courses is available:

Certification Review Course Part I and Self Study Course Part I—Bevelacqua Resources

Certification Review Course Part II and Self Study Course Part II—Bevelacqua Resources

MARSSIM—ORAU's Professional Training Programs

MARSAME—ORAU's Professional Training Program

Laser Safety Officer (LSO) Training—Kentek Corporation

Facility Decommissioning Training Course—Argonne National Laboratory

Harshaw TL Dosimetry Training—Rotunda Scientific Technologies

Wade C. Morris, Chapter President

The Cincinnati Radiation Society (CRS) Chapter of the Health Physics Society (HPS) met virtually on Wednesday, 15 January 2025 to hear Kevin Young, PE, present on the "World's First Drone Flight Inside a Very High Radiation Nuclear Waste Storage Facility." In the highly visual presentation, attendees learned how a well-integrated team of engineers, operators, managers, and industry experts all worked together to overcome the multiple technical and programmatic challenges associated with using the emerging technology of indoor inspection drones to collect critical 3D spatial and radiation survey data from inside a US Department of Energy very high radiation nuclear waste storage facility. In doing so, the team accomplished something that had never been done before. Audience members gained a better understanding of what indoor inspection drones are capable of and where this rapidly evolving technology is heading.

The Health Physics Society (HPS) Accelerator Section has been busy since the section's business meeting in July. Read the section's third-quarter newsletter for information on Accelerator Section activities and new officers. The newsletter also includes articles discussing accelerator decommissioning, a self-shielded cyclotron, and ²²⁵Ac production. To read the HPS Accelerator Section Newsletter, click here.

Steve Grimm, Section President

The Academic, Industrial, and Research Radiation Safety Section (AIRRS) is seeking nominations, including self-nominations, for the following section board positions:

• President (one-year term as president-elect, two-year term as president, 2025–2028)
• Board Member (three-year term, 2025–2028)

Board membership is a great way to get active in the Society and work with other Health Physics Society (HPS) members with mutual interests. Board members are expected to attend Executive Board meetings (usually quarterly) to discuss planning for special sessions at the annual HPS meeting, AIRRS initiatives, AIRRS awards, and any other special projects that may come up. More information on officer roles is listed on the AIRRS Section Bylaws.

Please submit your nominations (including a brief biosketch) to the AIRRS Section officers by 1 April 2025 to be considered for the ballot. All officers and board members must be HPS AIRRS Section members in good standing to run.

The Academic, Industrial, and Research Radiation Safety (AIRRS) Section of the Health Physics Society (HPS) will be offering a travel grant again this year for health physics professionals to attend the 2025 HPS Annual Meeting. The travel grant recipient can receive up to $2,500.

Eligibility criteria for travel grant applications include:

• Presenting a paper or poster during the annual meeting.
• Being an HPS member in good standing who is also a member of the AIRRS Section.

Consideration will be given to individuals who otherwise would not receive travel assistance from their institution or employer.

When the application form is ready, it will be available on the AIRRS Section web page.

Latha Vasudevan, Committee Chair

The Health Physics Society (HPS) Science Support Committee will be hosting a science teacher workshop during the 70th HPS Annual Meeting at Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison, Wisconsin. The workshop will be held virtually and in person on 13 July 2025, 2–6 pm (Eastern time).

This workshop is specifically for middle and high school teachers wanting to learn—and share—information about ionizing radiation and radiation protection with their students.

The workshop is a four-hour overview of the entire course, which includes the provided PowerPoint slides, lesson plans, and radiation detector kit. Click here for the workshop announcement and the registration form. There is no registration fee for the workshop.

Please reach out to local science teachers and encourage them to participate in this workshop.

Mike Lewandowski, FHPS, CHP, Local Arrangements Committee

In a couple weeks, many of us will be celebrating Valentine's Day with someone special. Flowers and chocolates are traditional gifts during this time of year. Dinner and a night out on the town is also a common event. This seems like a great idea that should not be limited to one day in February.

Why not continue the celebration at the Health Physics Society (HPS) meeting this summer. The 70th HPS Annual Meeting will be held 13–17 July 2025 in beautiful Madison, Wisconsin.

Bolz Conservatory at Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Photo by Sharon Vanorny, courtesy of Destination Madison

Nothing will dress up a hotel room like a bouquet of fresh flowers from the Dane County Farmers' Market. A visit to the Olbrich Botanical Gardens, just a short bike or car ride from downtown, offers 16 acres of wonderful outdoor plantings, and the Bolz Conservatory provides an impressive opportunity to see tropical plants and enjoy the sights and smells of flowering plants year round. On your way to or from the Olbrich Botanical Gardens, you can stop in at Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier for locally made artisan truffles, caramels, and chocolate treats. There are many options for feeding a sweet tooth downtown, including Candinas Chocolatier, another master chocolatier offering locally made confections.

Concerts on the Square
Photo by Nick Berard, courtesy of Destination Madison

There are dozens of great restaurants in the Capitol Square area. You can find a list of restaurants collected by Destination Madison here. There is something for everyone. I'm particularly fond of The Old Fashioned for the nostalgic Wisconsin supper club ambiance that rekindles my fond memories of growing up in America's Dairyland. Another favorite is Ian's Pizza for a quick slice or salad.

You might consider attending the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra's (WCO) Concerts on the Square on Wednesday, 16 July 2025. The WCO offers a six-week concert series on the steps of the Wisconsin State Capitol on Wednesday evenings during the summer. These free concerts are hugely popular, and some attendees camp out during the afternoon or reserve a table in order to capture prime lawn space for the concert. Food and drink tents offer refreshment on-site or you can bring your own picnic for the event.

If you're looking for other types of entertainment, Wicked will be showing at the Overture Center for the Arts during the HPS meeting. The Orpheum Theater has not yet released its summer calendar, so check their website later. Comedy on State has a series of well-known comics and an open mic night on Wednesdays for all of you just itching to try stand up or for those who are ready to spot the newest up-and-coming comedians. For those wanting to experience it all, grab takeout from Ian's Pizza (or any other great local restaurant), sit on the lawn for the Concert on the Square, and then head over to open mic night at Comedy on State.

If you have questions about the meeting or Madison, feel free to contact Local Arrangements Committee Cochairs Jessica Joyce and Jason Rusch.

On 15 January 2025, a new message was posted to the thread "Counting QC" under the Instrumentation Category on the Members Forum on the Health Physics Society (HPS) website. To join the discussion, HPS members should log in to Members Only and then click here. To read all discussions in the Members Forum, click here.

Mike Mahathy, HPS Treasurer, 2024–2026

I want to let you know about a change coming in February. Over the past few years, the credit card convenience fees charged by banks and processors have cost the Health Physics Society (HPS) between $70,000 and $80,000 a year, roughly equivalent to 400 annual memberships. This past July, the HPS Board of Directors approved a convenience fee for all credit card transactions (i.e., meeting registration, membership renewal, etc.). To avoid the convenience fee, payments by check have been and will continue to be accepted by Headquarters.

Thank you for your support of our Society.

Will Gibbons and the MHPS Board

Hello Medical Health Physics Section (MHPS) members! We are excited to announce a lunch and learn. "Can We Really Shed the Lead? Evaluation of an 'Apron-Free' Radiation Protection System" by Matt Vanderhoek, PhD, DABR, will be held 21 March 2025 at 12 noon Eastern. Details for the webinar are soon to follow.

Additionally, the MHPS board is soliciting volunteers to join task groups for current and upcoming Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) rulemaking topics and collection of industry best practices. The board of the MHPS has been working with the board of the Health Physics Society (HPS) to best serve as medical health physics subject-matter experts with the intent of preparing statements and material for use by the Board of the HPS (as needed), and we want to ensure the voices of our entire membership are heard in the statements.

Multiple task groups will be formed based on pending rulemaking activities by the NRC and membership needs, including:

1. Extravasations.
2. Patient release guidance (8.39 rev. 2).
3. Rb-82 Generators, Emerging Technologies, and other uses.
4. Research radiopharmaceutical best practices (non-rulemaking).
5. Other (suggest a topic).

If interested, please send a short biosketch outlining your relevant experience, availability, and ranked task group preference to MHPS President Will Gibbons and/or MHPS President-elect Diana Thompson. Depending on the level of interest, the board may assign task group members and alternates, or members may serve on several task groups as your schedule permits. Please be able to commit a few hours per month to ensure working group efficiency.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out!

Target – 8 to 10 members per working group (including at least one board member of MHPS and one board member of HPS).

Liz Brackett, HPS President, 2023–2025
Mike Lewandowski, HPS President-elect, 2024–2025

Are you looking for a way to build your personal and professional network while accomplishing something worthwhile? Join a Health Physics Society (HPS) committee or task force and work with other health physicists from across the country while making life better for fellow HPS members and members of the public. Each year we need to fill positions on many HPS committees and task forces, and this is your opportunity to connect with other health physicists. Check out the list of HPS committees and pick one that aligns with your interests. Member terms start in July of each year and typically run for three years. Contact the chair and director if you have questions about what the committee does and the needs it has, and when you have found the committee for you, click the Volunteer button on the committee page. If you want to get involved, but don't know exactly where, feel free to contact President-elect Mike Lewandowski directly at pe@hps.org to talk about what might be a good fit for you.

If you're eager to get started before July, we have an immediate need for members (including a chair!) on a few committees.

• The Public Information Committee (PIC) is responsible for gathering, organizing, and presenting information within the Society's objectives. This includes the handling of our social media posts, so a very important committee! The PIC is in need of a chair and several members. Contact Director Angela Leek for more information and to volunteer.
• Serving as a member of the Nominating Committee is an excellent way to help guide the future of HPS. The Nominating Committee is currently in need of a few members. As its name indicates, the committee nominates board members and officers for the annual ballot. This includes four candidates for director; two candidates for treasurer-elect or secretary-elect in alternating years; and two candidates for president-elect in alternating years. The work of discovering, encouraging, and cajoling HPS members to volunteer to be considered is important work for the future of HPS. The workload mostly occurs in the early months of each calendar year. Craig Little chairs this committee.
• The Awards Committee is a member short at the moment. This committee does not require a large time commitment. The nomination process is currently underway and when that wraps up the committee will meet virtually in the spring to review submission packets and vote on the various award categories. Please contact Committee Chair Liz Brackett at ebrackett@mjwcorp.com if you're interested in serving on this committee.

We look forward to hearing from you and finding a way for you to be more involved in your professional society.

Health Physics Society (HPS) member Lynn R. Wallis died 30 November 2024. Lynn's obituary can be found on the HPS website In Memoriam page.

On 5 January 2025, a new message was posted to the thread "Shewhart's Rules (Control Charts)" under the Instrumentation category on the Members Forum on the Health Physics Society (HPS) website. To join the discussion, HPS members should log in to Members Only and then click here. To read all discussions in the Members Forum, click here.

IRPA 16 Young Professionals holding their certificates
Submitted photo

US Delegation to IRPA 16: Front row left to right, Sara Dumit, Caleigh Samuels, Carolyn MacKenzie, Kevin Nelson, Mike Mahathy, Elizabeth Brackett, Latha Vasudevan, Emily Caffrey, Kendall Berry, and Mike Boyd. Back row left to right, Scott Schwahn, Derek Jokisch, Jonathan Napier, Mike Lewandowski, Nolan Hertel, and Charles Wilson.
Submitted photo

Health Physics Society Women in Radiation Protection Section social event at IRPA 16/69th HPS Annual Meeting
Submitted photo

Held jointly by the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) and the Health Physics Society (HPS), the IRPA 16/69th HPS Annual Meeting took place 7–12 July 2024 at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida. The schedule on Monday, 9 July, included the Opening Ceremony, Keynote Lecture, Sievert Lecture, Plenary Panel #1, and Plenary Panel #2.

Photos courtesy of Stan Bravenac

Opening Ceremony Remarks

Kevin Nelson
IRPA 16 Congress President

Bernard le Guen
IRPA President

Elizabeth Brackett
HPS President

Renate Czarwinski
IRPA 16 Program Committee Chair

Charles Wilson
Task Force Chair
HPS Program Committee

Opening Ceremony Keynote Lecture

Norman Thagard
NASA (Retired)

Sievert Lecture

Dr. María del Rosario Pérez
La Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear Board of Directors Advisor

Plenary Panel #1: "The Systems of RP for Ionising & Non-Ionising Radiation"

Plenary Panel #1, left to right, John O'Hagan (Cochair), Emilie van Deventer, Sigurður Magnús Magnússon, Kathryn A. Higley, Werner Rühm, Sara Dumit (Rapporteur), Rodney Croft, and Christopher Clement (Chair)

Plenary Panel #2: Current Status of the Scientific Basis for Radiation Safety, Protection Recommendations, and International Standards

Plenary Panel #2, left to right, John Damilakis, Charles Wilson (Rapporteur), Jing Chen, Pete Bryant, Renate Czarwinski (Cochair), Thierry Schneider, Hildegarde Annie A. Vandenhove, Shengli Niu, Bernard le Guen, and Kevin Nelson (Chair)

HPS Web Operations

Stephen Samson Mkoloma, left, accepts his book from HPS News Editor Mary Walchuk
Submitted photo

Stephen Samson Mkoloma from Dar es Salaam Tanzania won a copy of Fundamentals of Health Physics & Radiation Protection, by Philip C. Fulmer, at the HPS Publications Booth book drawing at the IRPA 16/69th HPS Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

We gave away more than 50 great books and enjoyed meeting and talking with so many people about HPS publications and the HPS website!

Thank you to the authors, editors, and publishers who donated over $4,000 worth of books, including fiction and nonfiction, covering a wide range of topics.

If you saw a book that you would like, but didn't win, click on the links below for ordering information.

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer – Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin (available from Penguin Random House, ISBN 9780375726262)

An Introduction to Radiation Protection in Medicine – Edited by Jamie V. Trapp and Tomas Kron (available from Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, ISBN 9781584889649)

The Atomic City Girls – Janet Beard (available from HarperCollinsPublishers, ISBN: 9780062666710)

At Work in the Atomic City: A Labor and Social History of Oak Ridge, Tennessee – Russell B. Olwell (available from The University of Tennessee Press, ISBN 13: 978-1-57233-644-5, ISBN 10: 1-57233-644-7)

City Behind a Fence: Oak Ridge, Tennessee 1942–1946 – Charles W. Johnson and Charles O. Jackson (available from The University of Tennessee Press, ISBN: 978-0-87049-309-6)

Critical Connections: The University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge from the Dawn of the Atomic Age to the Present – Lee Riedinger, Al Ekkebus, Ray Smith, and William Bugg (available from The University of Tennessee Press, ISBN 13: 978-1621906544, ISBN 10: 162190654X)

Dead Hot – M.K. Coker (available from Amazon, ISBN-10: 1545120609, ISBN-13: ‎978-1545120606)

Decommissioning Health Physics: A Handbook for MARRSIM Users, Second Edition – Eric W. Abelquist (available from Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, ISBN: 9780367867133)

Environmental Health, Fourth Edition – Dade W. Moeller (available from Harvard University Press, ISBN: 9780674047402)

Fundamentals of Health Physics & Radiation Protection – Dr. Philip C. Fulmer (available from Amazon, ISBN-13: ‎979-8989597901)

The Girls of Atomic City – Denise Kernan (available from Simon & Schuster, ISBN: 978-1-4516-1752-8)

The Health Physics Solutions Manual, Third Edition – Thomas E. Johnson (available from Pastime Publications, ISBN-10: 1929169051, ISBN-13: 978-1929169054)

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – Rebecca Skloot (available from Penguin Random House, ISBN 978-1-4000-5218-9)

Khan’s The Physics of Radiation Therapy, Sixth Edition – John P. Gibbons (available from Wolters Kluwer, ISBN: 9781496397522)

Laser Safety Management – Ken Barat (available from CRC Press, ISBN 9780824723071)

Low Dose Radiation: The History of the U.S. Department of Energy Research Program – Antone L. Brooks (available from WSU Press, ISBN: 978-0-87422-354-5)

Nuclear Medicine Physics: A Handbook for Teachers and Students – D.L. Bailey, J.L. Humm, A. Todd-Pokropek, and A. van Aswegen (available from International Atomic Energy Agency, ISBN: 978-92-0-143810-2)

Principles of Nuclear Radiation Detection – Geoffrey G. Eichholz and John W. Poston (available from Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, ISBN: 9781315895970)

Quantitative Environmental Risk Analysis for Human Health, Second Edition – Robert A. Fjeld, Timothy A. DeVol, and Nicole E. Martinez (available from Wiley, ISBN: 978-1-119-67532-7)

Radiation Answers: Answers to Your Questions About Radiation and You – Health Physics Society (out of print, ISBN: 978-0-9825161-0-2)

Radiation Protection: The Essential Guide for Technologists, Second Edition – Thomas E. Johnson (available from Pastime Publications, ISBN-10: 1929169-16-0, ISBN-13: 978-1929169160)

Radiation Protection: The Essential Workbook for Technologists – Thomas E. Johnson (available from Pastime Publications, ISBN-10: 1929169078, ISBN-13: 978-1929169078)

Radiation Protection: Solutions Manual – David J. Dolan and Thomas E. Johnson (available from Pastime Publications, ISBN-10: 1929169153, ISBN-13: 978-1929169153)

Radiation Protection: The Essential Guide for Canadian Technologists – Thomas E. Johnson and Francis E. Tourneur (available from Pastime Publications, ISBN-10: 1929169-17-7, ISBN-13: 978-1929169-17-7)

Radiation Protection: The Essential Workbook for Canadian Technologists – Thomas E. Johnson and Francis E. Tourneur (available from Pastime Publications, ISBN-10: 1929169-21-4, ISBN-13: 978-1929169-21-4)

Radiation Protection: Canadian Solutions Manual – David J. Dolan, Francis E. Tourneur, and Thomas E. Johnson (available from Pastime Publications, ISBN-10: 1929169-18-4, ISBN-13: 978-1929169-18-4)

Radiation Protection in Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology – Edited by Richard J. Vetter and Magdalena S. Stoeva (available from Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, ISBN: 978-0-367-57521-2)

Radiation Risks in Perspective – Kenneth L. Mossman (available from Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, ISBN: 9780367453435)

Radioactive Air Sampling Methods – Edited by Mark L. Maiello and Mark D. Hoover (available from Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, ISBN: 9780849397172)

Radiobiology for the Radiologist, Eighth Edition – Eric J. Hall and Amato J. Giaccia (available from Wolters Kluwer, ISBN-13: 978-1-4963-3541-8, ISBN-10: 1-4963-3541-4)

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women – Kate Moore (available from Sourcebooks, ISBN: 978-1-4926-5095-9)

Silent Source – Jim Smith (available from Amazon, ISBN: 978-1939398703)

Understanding Radiation Science: Basic Nuclear and Health Physics – James Mannie Shuler (available from Universal Publishers, ISBN: 1-58112-907-6)

X-Ray Imaging: Fundamentals, Industrial Techniques and Applications – Harry E. Martz, Jr., Clint M. Logan, Daniel J. Schneberk, and Peter J. Shull (available from Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, ISBN: 9780849397721)

Charles Wilson and Emily Caffrey

The largest Health Physics Society (HPS) meeting in years just wrapped up. When new challenges occur, we have the opportunity to grow stronger. The HPS Program Committee tried several new things during the IRPA 16/69th HPS Annual Meeting and we are eager to get feedback from the rest of the community. A few specific highlights include:

1. CELs at 7:45 am and the technical program at 9:00 am.
2. Blind peer reviews of all abstracts.
3. Scheduled Q&A at the end of sessions.
4. More 20-minute talks.
5. Plenary Panel Discussions.

CELs (refresher courses) had a much higher attendance than usual. It seems like attendees appreciated the extra hour of sleep or being able to visit with colleagues a little later.

Our new program-management software includes the ability to digitally send out abstracts for blind review and ratings. For many reasons, we believe this will drastically improve the quality of the program. If you'd like to be a peer reviewer, please reach out to HPSPCannual@hps.org right after the abstract deadlines.

There were also challenges that we struggled with and hope to omit in the future. These included app duplication bugs, lack of Wi-Fi, visa complications, and a printed program. While not all of these are within our control, we can better prepare and organize for them. We plan to change the format of the printed program to include program at a glance, exhibitors, and notes only. This will increase our flexibility to respond to program changes after printing.

Do you have feedback on the meeting or recommendations for improvement? Reach out to us at HPSPCannual@hps.org!