IRPA Executive Council Meets

IRPA President, Phil Metcalf, opened the 54th annual meeting of the IRPA Executive Council (E.C.) promptly at 9:00 on Monday, October 9th. The meeting was held in conjunction with the 2nd Asian and Oceanic Congress for Radiation Protection (AOCRP-2) - an IRPA Regional meeting - in Beijing.

This meeting marked the mid-point between the 11th and 12th IRPA International Congresses. With only two years remaining before IRPA 12 in Buenos Aires, preparations for the upcoming Congress was an important Agenda item. Vice President for Congress Affairs, Abel Gonzalez reviewed the status of the arrangements and agreed to make some program changes based on recommendations from the E.C. Suffice to say that it will be a full week. Abel also noted that, for the first time, the IAEA General Conference voted unanimously to endorse the Congress. More detail on Congress preparations can be found on the IRPA 12 web site.

IRPA Associate Society membership was also an important item. Vice President, Ken Kase, reviewed the status of membership applications, and it was agreed to admit the Malaysian Society for Radiation Protection, bringing the membership to 46 Associate Societies. In addition, during the AOCRP-2, E.C. members made contact with the President of the Bangladeshi radiation protection society. It appears that their organization may be sufficiently well established to justify their addition to the IRPA family in the near future, pending the formal application and E.C. review process.

The Rolf Sievert Award is a prominent feature of every International Congress. Nominations for the award to be made at IRPA 12, will close on May 1, 2007. Each Associate Society is encouraged to consider nominate a suitable candidate. The nominee must be a person who has made outstanding contributions to radiation protection. More information can be found on the IRPA Web Site.

IRPA Publications Director, Richard Griffith, and Executive Officer, Jacques Lochard summarized the IRPA publications activities which primarily focus on maintenance and expansion of the IRPA Web Site. The Web Site experienced a major change in the spring when it transferred to the MAMBO Content Management System. This allowed the Publications Director and Web Master more flexibility in managing the Web Site structure and content. New features include links to several internet radiation protection information resource sites, the latest being the Health Physics Society “Ask the Experts” page link which was added during the E.C. 54 meeting.

P. Metcalf and J. Lochard 

Finances are, of course, a crucial aspect of the IRPA operations. IRPA Treasurer, Brian Dodd, reviewed the financial picture which looks solid. There was, however, considerable discussion about the dues assessment structure. Brian agreed to evaluate and propose changes that would make the dues assessment more fair and equitable, as well as assuring that the true IRPA membership worldwide was adequately reflected in the assessment.

Regional meetings, such as AOCRP-2, are becoming a more prominent aspect of IRPA activities. Two IRPA regional meetings will be held in 2007. The 2nd African Regional Congress will be held in Ismailia near Cairo, April 23-27, followed by the Central and East European Regional Congress in Brasov Romania, September 24-28. These will be the last regional activities before IRPA 12 since IRPA Rules prohibit regional meetings within 12 months prior to or following the International Congress.

The E.C. meeting addressed several other topics, including Education, Training and Professional Recognition; IRPA International and Stakeholder Actions, and Cooperation; and variety of miscellaneous issues were discussed. Before closing the meeting, it was agreed to hold the next meeting – E.C. 55 – in conjunction with the Regional Congress in Brasov at the end of September.  Detail E.C. meeting minutes are in preparation and will be available in the near future.