Current News

15 May 2013

National Student Science Award Nominations Due by 30 May 2013

The National Student Science Awards recognize outstanding contributions by students in grades 6–12 to the understanding of the applications of radiation and its impact on the environment and health. Nominations for this award can be made by any plenary member of the Society or by a chapter. This award is presented at a meeting of the nominating chapter or a chapter near the awardee's residence.

Each nominee shall be an individual currently in grades 6–12 who has contributed reports or presentations of projects on radiation benefits, applications, and impacts at local science fairs or at a similar extracurricular scientific event where multiple projects are presented.

Each nomination should include either a report of the project that has been written by the nominated student or a set of pictures that illustrate the student's display. The nomination shall also include a discussion of the criteria used by the nominator for selecting the nominee's project. Additional supporting letters may also be included.

The Awards Committee may grant up to four awards in any year. Nominations are due by 30 May 2013 to Kathy Pryor, Awards Committee chair, at Kathy.pryor@pnnl.gov.

 

10 May 2013

Thomadsen Named Chair of the NRC Advisory Committee on the Medical Use of Isotopes

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has named Health Physics Society member Bruce Thomadsen, PhD, CHP, as chairman of the Advisory Committee on the Medical Use of Isotopes (ACMUI). The chairman is appointed by the director of NRC's Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs.

The ACMUI, a group of experienced health care professionals, advises the NRC on policy and technical issues that arise in the regulation of medical uses of radioactive materials in diagnosis and therapy. The ACMUI members come from various disciplines and comment on changes to NRC regulations and guidance; evaluate certain nonroutine uses of radioactive material; provide technical assistance in licensing, inspection, and enforcement cases; and bring key issues to the Commission's attention for appropriate action.

9 May 2013

New Member Welcome Packet on HPS Members Only Website

The Health Physics Society (HPS) Membership Committee, working with HPS Web Operations, has developed a new member welcome packet, which you may find here. The packet provides an introduction to the Society with a summary of benefits for members and instructions on how to navigate the HPS Members Only site. While the focus of the packet is for new members, all members are welcome to use the packet as often as needed. You may download a copy by right-clicking the link at https://hps.org/membersonly/.

Later this year, the Membership Committee plans to release a supplemental video to welcome new members. The Membership Committee encourages your questions and suggestions on member retention and recruitment. You can email the committee members at membership@hps.org.

Mike Mahathy, Chair, Membership Committee

8 May 2013

Homeland Security News

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), has announced the National Radiological and Nuclear Detection Challenge, a participation challenge for state, local, and tribal law enforcement, other first responders, public safety officials, and Civil Support Team members.

The  challenge will be a competitive radiological and nuclear detection (RND) search exercise held 20–22 August 2013 at the I.G. Brown Air National Guard Training and Education Center located in Alcoa, Tennessee, near Knoxville. The competition is designed to develop and recognize enhanced RND search skills, train on the use of various pieces of RND equipment, and influence vendors and developers to adapt and improve RND equipment capability and suitability for field use. 

DNDO will offer a travel reimbursement for the first 250 registered state, local, and tribal law enforcement, other first responders, public safety officials, and Civil Support Team competitors.

More information can be found in the Federal Register announcement at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-05-08/pdf/2013-10928.pdf.

3 May 2013

Edward Maher Appointed to NAS Committee

Edward F. Maher, ScD, CHP, has been appointed to the National Academy of Sciences' (NAS) new Committee on Research Directions in Human Biological Effects of Low Level Ionizing Radiation.

Dr. Maher is an associate and senior health physicist for the occupational and environmental health consulting firm Dade Moeller. He is also adjunct lecturer on environmental science in the Harvard School of Public Health's Department of Environmental Health. Maher is a certified health physicist with more than 30 years of experience conducting and managing radiological, safety, and environmental protection programs for commercial clients and federal agencies including the U.S. Departments of Energy and Defense.

He was formerly an officer in the U.S. Air Force (USAF), retiring with the rank of colonel. While there, he directed the USAF Radiation Assessment Team responsible for providing immediate and global responses to nuclear weapon accidents and served as division chief of the Radiation Services Division and chief of the Dosimetry and Radioanalytical Services Branches at the Armstrong Laboratory at Brooks Air Force Base.

Maher is past president of the Health Physics Society and was chairman of the American Board of Health Physics in 2000. He earned an ScD in radiological protection and health from the Harvard School of Public Health.

3 May 2013

NRC Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Changes to Petition-for-Rulemaking Process

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is seeking public comment on a proposal to streamline and clarify its process for addressing petitions for rulemaking. Proposed changes to that process, to be published in the 3 May 2013 Federal Register, aim to improve transparency and make the process more efficient and effective.

The proposal marks the first comprehensive update to the NRC's process for considering rulemaking petitions since that process was established in 1979. The process allows any member of the public to petition the Commission to issue a new regulation or to amend or rescind an existing one. The NRC is proposing revisions designed to reduce the time the agency needs to complete action on a petition and allow resources to be allocated more efficiently.

The press release can be read here.

The Federal Register listing can be read here.

21 April 2013

HPS becomes an Affiliate of American Institute of Physics

The Health Physics Society (HPS) has been approved for American Institute of Physics (AIP) Affiliate membership. There are a number of benefits that HPS members have as an affiliate of the AIP. One benefit is that HPS members are able to subscribe to the Physics Today journal at the AIP member's current rate of $59 per year. See more benefits here.

15 April 2013

Online Registration for Annual Meeting

Online registration for the annual Health Physics Society meeting in Madison, Wisconsin, is now available here.

8 April 2013

HPS Members Receive Reduced Rates for Radiation Research Society Annual Meeting

The Health Physics Society (HPS) and the Radiation Research Society (RRS) have partnered to offer member rates for each other's annual meetings. This new partnership allows HPS members to attend the RRS annual meeting at the RRS member meeting rate.

The 59^th Annual Meeting of the RRS will be held 15–19 September 2013 in New Orleans at the Riverside Hilton. Read more about the meeting agenda and register at http://www.mtnreg.com/RRS2013.

HPS members can obtain the discount code here.