This is an exciting time in the world of radiation protection. So much is moving forward in the underpinning science. There is great progress in the medical uses of radiation, although with some concerns over the very significant increases in total exposure. The nuclear resurgence is poised to deliver even more CO2-free energy, although not all stakeholders are comfortable with this. More and more uses are being found for radioactive sources, all of which however must be kept safe and secure. Exposure to natural radiation, especially radon and NORM, is a matter of constant attention.
All these issues are covered in our congress programme, where we also give special emphasis to our Theme: Living with Radiation – Engaging with Society.
The programme is based around the four Pillars of Radiation Protection as in the diagram below. This system is somewhat cyclic in nature, with all of these steps being interrelated and influencing each other.
We have given emphasis to review and discussion within the formal proceedings so that we can move towards a Congress output which clarifies state-of-the-art knowledge, current direction and emerging challenges in all of these areas and in all aspects of radiation protection. These considerations will be distilled into a Congress output which after the Congress will be posted on the IRPA13 website for consultation prior to publication in the scientific literature.
