Official Newsletter of the
State of Texas Chapter of the Health Physics Society
State of Texas Chapter of the Health Physics Society
In this issue . . .
• New Series: Impact of COVID-19 on Radiation Safety Programs
• STC-HPS Science & Engineering Fair Update
• Announcement: Texas Radiation Regulatory Conference – Fall 2022
• 2022 IRPA North American Regional Congress Recap
• STC-HPS 2021 Fall Meeting Recap
• Events North of the 49th Parallel (That’s the Western US–Canada Border)
• New Series: Impact of COVID-19 on Radiation Safety Programs
• STC-HPS Science & Engineering Fair Update
• Announcement: Texas Radiation Regulatory Conference – Fall 2022
• 2022 IRPA North American Regional Congress Recap
• STC-HPS 2021 Fall Meeting Recap
• Events North of the 49th Parallel (That’s the Western US–Canada Border)
New Series:
Impact of COVID-19 on Radiation Safety Programs
By: Otu Inyang, DrPH, MBA
Since March 2020 in the US, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our personal and professional domains, and radiation safety programs were no exception. A recent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conference roundtable discussion highlighted challenges to the operational capabilities of nuclear and related facilities. Travel restrictions affected transportation of essential resources to nuclear industries and maintenance operations thereof. Higher number of radiological exams related to diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 patients subjected both patients and medical professionals to radiation exposure. Facility access restrictions and budget reductions resulted in a reduction in regulatory activities (Willis, 2020).
In this issue, Laura Warren, Health Physicist with the University of Texas Arlington (UTA) shares how her facility responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.
How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact your Radiation Safety Program?
The COVID-19 pandemic created time constraints which proved challenging. The Radiation Safety Program at UTA is maintained by one individual within EHS (Environmental Health and Safety) and was heavily impacted by many additional activities the EHS office took on during the COVID-19 pandemic. These included: waste pickups from student housing’s quarantine and isolation rooms, providing masks to all classrooms on campus and maintaining the stock of these masks through daily inspections, restocking as needed, and delivery of masks to laboratories and other administrative offices. The most significant impact, however, came from the requirement to conduct respiratory fit testing of the EHS office staff, police, public safety officers, resident advisors, facilities department staff, and nursing students which comprised the greatest majority of all these different personnel.
What adjustments were made to keep operational activities ongoing and maintain compliance oversight?
During the pandemic, EHS staff implemented a rotating work schedule with some staff working from home while others from the office. The radiation and laser safety officers back up each other’s programs when feasible, meaning someone was always available to assist with the Radiation Safety Program, whether it be the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) or the Laser Safety Officer (LSO). When I was working from home, the LSO was on campus to assist and vice versa. This allowed EHS to remain fully operational while also minimizing staff exposure which could significantly impact normal operations. Activities were scheduled to coincide with tasks which could be completed at home versus those that required a campus presence.
How were regulatory agency inspections (if any) handled during that period?
UTA possesses a Radioactive Material License, a Certificate of X-ray Registration, and a Certificate of Registration for Lasers from the Texas Department of State Health Services. Inspections continued throughout the pandemic. During the inspection, standard protocols were followed for everyone’s safety. This included frequently sanitizing shared areas, handwashing, wearing masks, and social distancing.
Were there other operational challenges and innovative ways they were addressed that you would like to share?
Yes, since meeting face to face was discouraged, the biggest challenge was communicating with PIs (Principal Investigators) working from home and students working non-standard business hours. We were able to overcome these challenges by using MS Teams to hold video meetings.
Since March 2020 in the US, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our personal and professional domains, and radiation safety programs were no exception. A recent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conference roundtable discussion highlighted challenges to the operational capabilities of nuclear and related facilities. Travel restrictions affected transportation of essential resources to nuclear industries and maintenance operations thereof. Higher number of radiological exams related to diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 patients subjected both patients and medical professionals to radiation exposure. Facility access restrictions and budget reductions resulted in a reduction in regulatory activities (Willis, 2020).
In this issue, Laura Warren, Health Physicist with the University of Texas Arlington (UTA) shares how her facility responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.
How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact your Radiation Safety Program?
The COVID-19 pandemic created time constraints which proved challenging. The Radiation Safety Program at UTA is maintained by one individual within EHS (Environmental Health and Safety) and was heavily impacted by many additional activities the EHS office took on during the COVID-19 pandemic. These included: waste pickups from student housing’s quarantine and isolation rooms, providing masks to all classrooms on campus and maintaining the stock of these masks through daily inspections, restocking as needed, and delivery of masks to laboratories and other administrative offices. The most significant impact, however, came from the requirement to conduct respiratory fit testing of the EHS office staff, police, public safety officers, resident advisors, facilities department staff, and nursing students which comprised the greatest majority of all these different personnel.
What adjustments were made to keep operational activities ongoing and maintain compliance oversight?
During the pandemic, EHS staff implemented a rotating work schedule with some staff working from home while others from the office. The radiation and laser safety officers back up each other’s programs when feasible, meaning someone was always available to assist with the Radiation Safety Program, whether it be the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) or the Laser Safety Officer (LSO). When I was working from home, the LSO was on campus to assist and vice versa. This allowed EHS to remain fully operational while also minimizing staff exposure which could significantly impact normal operations. Activities were scheduled to coincide with tasks which could be completed at home versus those that required a campus presence.
How were regulatory agency inspections (if any) handled during that period?
UTA possesses a Radioactive Material License, a Certificate of X-ray Registration, and a Certificate of Registration for Lasers from the Texas Department of State Health Services. Inspections continued throughout the pandemic. During the inspection, standard protocols were followed for everyone’s safety. This included frequently sanitizing shared areas, handwashing, wearing masks, and social distancing.
Were there other operational challenges and innovative ways they were addressed that you would like to share?
Yes, since meeting face to face was discouraged, the biggest challenge was communicating with PIs (Principal Investigators) working from home and students working non-standard business hours. We were able to overcome these challenges by using MS Teams to hold video meetings.
STC-HPS Science & Engineering Fair Update
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By: Linda Morris; Chair, Student Assistance Committee
STC-HPS Chapter judges Linda Morris and Latha Vasudevan selected Jaanak Prashar, a sophomore at Jordan High School in Katy TX, as the Chapter’s Texas Science & Engineering Fair awardee for 2022. The fair was held at Texas A&M University in College Station in March 2022. His project was entitled Dosimetry Effects of Radiation on White Blood Cells: Investigating How Protons Impact Granulocytes, Agranulocytes, and Plasmids Using Monte Carlo Techniques. Mr. Prashar received a plaque, a cash award and a one-year complimentary membership in the Chapter. 
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Announcement: Texas Radiation Regulatory Conference – Fall 2022
By: Doug Johnson; President, STC-HPS
I am pleased to announce that the STC-HPS is planning on sponsoring the Texas Regulatory Conference in Austin, tentatively planned for the October 2022 timeframe, depending on Department of State Health Services (DSHS) availability. It’s been almost eight years since the last Regulatory Conference (September 2014), and, in pre-pandemic times, this conference attendance was typically between 200–400 attendees.
DSHS Radiation Control Program regulatory personnel will give talks and demonstrations on everything from new regulations and the philosophy behind them to how to avoid violations. It will be an excellent opportunity to ask questions WITHOUT being in the hot seat of an inspection! This conference is NOT just for members of the State of Texas Chapter but anyone in Texas who has or needs a radioactive material license or an x-ray, laser, or mammography registration. Breakout sessions will allow participants to obtain specific information about X-ray devices, radioactive materials, and other specialty topics (e.g., lasers). As details of this meeting become finalized, they will be posted on our STC-HPS website (stc-hps.org).
I am pleased to announce that the STC-HPS is planning on sponsoring the Texas Regulatory Conference in Austin, tentatively planned for the October 2022 timeframe, depending on Department of State Health Services (DSHS) availability. It’s been almost eight years since the last Regulatory Conference (September 2014), and, in pre-pandemic times, this conference attendance was typically between 200–400 attendees.
DSHS Radiation Control Program regulatory personnel will give talks and demonstrations on everything from new regulations and the philosophy behind them to how to avoid violations. It will be an excellent opportunity to ask questions WITHOUT being in the hot seat of an inspection! This conference is NOT just for members of the State of Texas Chapter but anyone in Texas who has or needs a radioactive material license or an x-ray, laser, or mammography registration. Breakout sessions will allow participants to obtain specific information about X-ray devices, radioactive materials, and other specialty topics (e.g., lasers). As details of this meeting become finalized, they will be posted on our STC-HPS website (stc-hps.org).
2022 IRPA North American Regional Congress Recap
By: Latha Vasudevan, PhD, CHP; Chair, STC-HPS Public Relations Committee
The 2022 International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) North American Regional Congress: Meeting the Challenges in the Practice of Radiation Protection, was held February 20–23, 2022, in St. Louis, MO. The Congress was sponsored by the Health Physics Society (HPS), the Canadian Radiation Protection Association (CRPA), the Mexican Society of Radiation Protection (Sociedad Mexicana de Seguridad Radiológica - SMSR), the Mexican Society of Irradiation and Dosimetry (SMID) and the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA). IRPA president Bernard le Guen attended the congress in person.
Plenary session panel members included Roger Coates (IRPA), Craig Piercy (American Nuclear Society - ANS), and John Cardarelli (HPS). Gale Woloschak and Edward Calabrese were the G. William Morgan Lectureship awardees. Shaheen Dewji and Brant Ulsh were moderators.
The Associate Societies Forum was held on the afternoon of February 21 and included talks by representatives from IRPA, HPS, CRPA, SMSR, and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Whitney Coulor-Rellum, from PAHO gave a presentation on Challenges in Establishing a Radiation Protection Infrastructure in Suriname.
Several STC members participated in the hybrid meeting. These included:
IRPA requested nominations for the Young Scientist and Young Professional awards (≤ five years in the profession). These awards are intended to recognize the work done by early career scientists and professionals to help promote interest and expertise of the new generation in the field of radiation protection in the different regions. Latha Vasudevan served on the panel of judges for selection of the young scientist award. They evaluated written papers for rigor, impact, and clarity and also scored their oral presentations.
The award winners were announced during the closing ceremony of the regional congress.
The full program can be accessed from the HPS site https://burkclients.com/hps/2022IRPA/site/index.html
Some of the photos from the meeting are below.
The 2022 International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) North American Regional Congress: Meeting the Challenges in the Practice of Radiation Protection, was held February 20–23, 2022, in St. Louis, MO. The Congress was sponsored by the Health Physics Society (HPS), the Canadian Radiation Protection Association (CRPA), the Mexican Society of Radiation Protection (Sociedad Mexicana de Seguridad Radiológica - SMSR), the Mexican Society of Irradiation and Dosimetry (SMID) and the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA). IRPA president Bernard le Guen attended the congress in person.
Plenary session panel members included Roger Coates (IRPA), Craig Piercy (American Nuclear Society - ANS), and John Cardarelli (HPS). Gale Woloschak and Edward Calabrese were the G. William Morgan Lectureship awardees. Shaheen Dewji and Brant Ulsh were moderators.
The Associate Societies Forum was held on the afternoon of February 21 and included talks by representatives from IRPA, HPS, CRPA, SMSR, and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Whitney Coulor-Rellum, from PAHO gave a presentation on Challenges in Establishing a Radiation Protection Infrastructure in Suriname.
Several STC members participated in the hybrid meeting. These included:
- Dr. Janet Guitierrez, UT Health Science Center - Houston, who gave a Continuing Education Lecture on Techniques to Communicate Program Activities, Trends and Drivers.
- Dr. Robert Emery lectured on Ethical Decision Making Tools for Enhancing Organizational Radiation Safety Culture.
- Dr. Michael Martin, IU Health, talked about Dose to Public Calculations Using Standard Values versus Patient - Specific Values in differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma.
- Mr. Abdallah Mirza, Texas A&M University Environmental Health & Safety, presented on Polymersomes as a Mechanism to Enhance Targeted Alpha Therapy.
- Dr. Latha Vasudevan, Texas A&M University Environmental Health and Safety presented Overview of Radiation Safety Considerations in the Treatment of Canine Osteoarthritis Using Sn-117m at Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.
- Dr. Matthew Arno, Foxfire Scientific, presented on Licensing Experience and Practical Outcomes for Novel Veterinary Therapy with Sn117m.
IRPA requested nominations for the Young Scientist and Young Professional awards (≤ five years in the profession). These awards are intended to recognize the work done by early career scientists and professionals to help promote interest and expertise of the new generation in the field of radiation protection in the different regions. Latha Vasudevan served on the panel of judges for selection of the young scientist award. They evaluated written papers for rigor, impact, and clarity and also scored their oral presentations.
The award winners were announced during the closing ceremony of the regional congress.
- Rachel Nichols, a doctoral student at University of Missouri - Columbia, won the Young Scientist award (a cash stipend, ICRP 2021+1 and IRPA 2024 registrations, sponsored by MJW Corporation and ICRP) for her work on Comparison of Veterinary Medicine Radiation Safety Programs Across the US.
- First runner up (a cash award sponsored by the medical section of the HPS) was awarded to Emily Caffrey, Program Director and Associate Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, for her presentation entitled Dose Assessment for Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials Disposals in Landfills.
- Second runner up (a cash award sponsored by the AIRRS section of the HPS) was awarded to Amna Hassan, a doctoral student at University of Ontario Institute of Technology, for her work on The Influence of Local Environment in Yeast-Based Biodosimetry Measurements.
The full program can be accessed from the HPS site https://burkclients.com/hps/2022IRPA/site/index.html
Some of the photos from the meeting are below.
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STC-HPS 2021 Fall Meeting Recap
By: Latha Vasudevan, PhD, CHP; STC-HPS Public Relations Chair
The State of Texas Chapter (STC-HPS) held its Fall meeting virtually on November 8, 2021. The full-day meeting featured presentations about medical, research, space, and nuclear health physics topics and was attended by approximately 40 attendees.
Chapter President Doug Johnson welcomed the speakers and meeting attendees. The morning session included presentations on PET/Linear accelerator from UT South Western, SNOLab Ultra low background research lab from SNOLab underground facility in Canada, and NASA Dose limit revisions from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
The afternoon session featured presentations on Flash Effect from University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Small Modular Reactors from Texas A&M University. After a short afternoon break, two vendors gave presentations on emerging technologies. Nuclear Innovation Initiative spoke about the nuclear initiative and Nanoscint technologies presented a talk on Nanoparticle Scintillator Technology.
The State of Texas Chapter (STC-HPS) held its Fall meeting virtually on November 8, 2021. The full-day meeting featured presentations about medical, research, space, and nuclear health physics topics and was attended by approximately 40 attendees.
Chapter President Doug Johnson welcomed the speakers and meeting attendees. The morning session included presentations on PET/Linear accelerator from UT South Western, SNOLab Ultra low background research lab from SNOLab underground facility in Canada, and NASA Dose limit revisions from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
The afternoon session featured presentations on Flash Effect from University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Small Modular Reactors from Texas A&M University. After a short afternoon break, two vendors gave presentations on emerging technologies. Nuclear Innovation Initiative spoke about the nuclear initiative and Nanoscint technologies presented a talk on Nanoparticle Scintillator Technology.
Events North of the 49th Parallel (That’s the Western US–Canada Border)
By: Scott M. “Nick” Nichelson, CHP, CIH; Editor, The Billet
ICRP2021+1: The ICRP originally scheduled this event for 2021, but, due to the pandemic, it was rescheduled (and rebranded) for November 7–10, 2022, in Vancouver BC, Canada. From the airport (YVR) it’s just a short 25-minute ride on the Canada Line Skytrain to downtown. The conference is being held at the Westin, which is fairly pricey, so I recommend making reservations at neighboring hotels/Airbnbs for a much cheaper rate. The coal harbour area of Vancouver is easily walkable. For more info info: https://icrp2021.com/.
CRPA 2023: Canadian Radiation Protection Association (CRPA) is Canada’s version of the HPS. It is much smaller and typical pre-pandemic attendance at the annual conference was between 100–200 attendees depending on the location. The Canadians are much more informal. The annual banquet has some interesting twists, as it is usually held at a famous facility (For example, when the conference was held in Toronto, the banquet was at the Hockey Hall of Fame, a venue we had all to ourselves.). The awards portion is quite different from HPS in that it lasts less than 15 minutes, and the award winners actually do not have any prior knowledge, which makes for some short impromptu acceptance speeches. Unfortunately, the 2022 conference was cancelled due to COVID, and the next scheduled CRPA conference is in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the late May or Early June 2023 timeframe. Here is CRPA’s website: https://www.crpa-acrp.ca/home/.
ICRP2021+1: The ICRP originally scheduled this event for 2021, but, due to the pandemic, it was rescheduled (and rebranded) for November 7–10, 2022, in Vancouver BC, Canada. From the airport (YVR) it’s just a short 25-minute ride on the Canada Line Skytrain to downtown. The conference is being held at the Westin, which is fairly pricey, so I recommend making reservations at neighboring hotels/Airbnbs for a much cheaper rate. The coal harbour area of Vancouver is easily walkable. For more info info: https://icrp2021.com/.
CRPA 2023: Canadian Radiation Protection Association (CRPA) is Canada’s version of the HPS. It is much smaller and typical pre-pandemic attendance at the annual conference was between 100–200 attendees depending on the location. The Canadians are much more informal. The annual banquet has some interesting twists, as it is usually held at a famous facility (For example, when the conference was held in Toronto, the banquet was at the Hockey Hall of Fame, a venue we had all to ourselves.). The awards portion is quite different from HPS in that it lasts less than 15 minutes, and the award winners actually do not have any prior knowledge, which makes for some short impromptu acceptance speeches. Unfortunately, the 2022 conference was cancelled due to COVID, and the next scheduled CRPA conference is in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the late May or Early June 2023 timeframe. Here is CRPA’s website: https://www.crpa-acrp.ca/home/.