The International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) is an independent non-profit association of national and regional
radiation protection
Radiation protection, also known as radiological protection, is defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as "The protection of people from harmful effects of exposure to ionizing radiation, and the means for achieving this". Exposu ...
societies, and its mission is to advance radiation protection throughout the world. It is the international professional association for radiation protection.
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IRPA is recognized by the
IAEA
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was established in 1957 ...
as a
Non Governmental Organization (NGO) and is an observer on the IAEA Radiation Safety Standards Committee (RASSC).
IRPA was formed on June 19, 1965, at a meeting in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
; stimulated by the desire of radiation protection professionals to have a world-wide body. Membership includes 50 Associate Societies covering 65 countries, totaling approximately 18,000 individual members.
Structure
The General Assembly, made up of representatives from the Associate Societies, is the representative body of the Association. It delegates authority to the Executive Council for the efficient administration of the affairs of the Association.
Specific duties are carried out by IRPA Commissions, Committees, Task Groups and Working Groups:
* Commission on Publications
* Societies Admission and Development Committee
* International Congress Organising Committee
* International Congress Programme Committee
* Montreal Fund Committee
* Radiation Protection Strategy and Practice Committee
* Regional Congresses Co-ordinating Committee
* Rules Committee
* Sievert Award Committee
* Task Group on Security of Radioactive Sources
* Task Group on Public Understanding of Radiation Risk
* Working Group on Radiation Protection Certification and Qualification
Associate societies
The following is a list of the 50 Associate Societies (covering 65 countries):
List of International Congresses
The 2032 Congress (IRPA18) will be in Australia.
The 2028 Congress (IRPA17) will be in Spain.
Past Congresses
IRPA 16 Orlando, July 2024
IRPA 15 Seoul, January 2021
IRPA 14 Cape Town, May 2016
IRPA 13 Glasgow, May 2012
IRPA 12 Buenos Aires, October 2008
IRPA 11 Madrid, May 2004
IRPA 10 Hiroshima, May 2000
IRPA 9 Vienna, April 1996
IRPA 8 Montreal, May 1992
IRPA 7 Sydney, April 1988
IRPA 6 Berlin, May 1984
IRPA 5 Jerusalem, March 1980
IRPA 4 Paris, April 1977
IRPA 3 Washington, September 1973
IRPA 2 Brighton, May 1970
IRPA 1 Rome, September 1966
International Cooperation
IRPA maintains relations with many other international organizations in the field of radiation protection, such as those listed here.
Inter-Governmental Organizations
Non-Governmental Organizations
Professional Organizations
Awards
Rolf M. Sievert Award
Commencing with the 1973 IRPA Congress, each International Congress has been opened by the Sievert Lecture which is presented by the winner of the Sievert Award. This award is in honour of
Rolf M. Sievert, a pioneer in radiation physics and radiation protection.
The Sievert Award consists of a suitable scroll, certificate or parchment, containing the name of the recipient, the date it is presented, and an indication that the award honours the memory of Professor Rolf M. Sievert.
The recipients of the Sievert Award are listed below
:
* 1962: W Binks &
Karl Z. Morgan
* 1965:
William Valentine Mayneord (United Kingdom), The Time Factor in Carcinogenesis Health Physics 34 (April), pp 297–309, 1978
* 1973:
Lauriston S. Taylor (USA), Some Nonscientific Influences on Radiation Protection Standards and Practice Health Physics 39 (December), pp 851–874, 1980
* 1981: sir
Edward E. Pochin (United Kingdom), Sieverts and Safety Health Physics 46(6), pp 1173–1179, 1984
* 1985: Shinji Takahashi
Shinji Takahashi, M.D. (1912–1985): pioneer in early development toward CT and IMRT
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* 1989: (Sweden), Radiation and Man Health Physics 31 (September), pp 265–272, 1976
* 1993: Itsuzo Shigematsu (Japan), Lessons from Atomic Bomb Survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki Health Physics 78(3), pp 234–241, 2000
* 2000: Angelina Guskova
* 2004: Richard Doll
* 2008: K Sankaranarayanan
* 2012: Keith Eckerman
* 2016: Ethel Gilbert
* 2020: Dale Preston
See also
* Radioactivity
Radioactive decay (also known as nuclear decay, radioactivity, radioactive disintegration, or nuclear disintegration) is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation. A material containing unstable nuclei is conside ...
* Ionizing radiation
Ionizing (ionising) radiation, including Radioactive decay, nuclear radiation, consists of subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves that have enough energy per individual photon or particle to ionization, ionize atoms or molecules by detaching ...
* Radiation protection
Radiation protection, also known as radiological protection, is defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as "The protection of people from harmful effects of exposure to ionizing radiation, and the means for achieving this". Exposu ...
* International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology, nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was ...
(IAEA)
* International Commission on Radiological Protection
The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) is an independent, international, non-governmental organization, with the mission to protect people, animals, and the environment from the harmful effects of ionising radiation. Its ...
(ICRP)
* United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR)
* International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP)
* Index of radiation articles
References
External links
IRPA website
{{Authority control
Radiation
Nuclear energy
Nuclear organizations
1965 establishments in California
Radiation protection