Dr. Donald Cool, current Technical Executive for Radiation Safety with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and Chairman of International Commission on Radiation Protection (ICRP) Committee 4 on Application of the Commission’s Recommendations for the 2017 – 2021 term, delivered the second distinguished lecture, titled “The System of Radiological Protection: What is it, and how is it developed,” on October 26 at the Duke North Hospital. During the talk, Dr. Cool discusses the evolution of protection from earlier attempts to manage harm associated with radiation exposure to the current attempt to manage the probability of harm. In addition, he highlighted the importance of building the “bridge” linking radiation biology and epidemiology through experience, science, and social/ethical principles. He concluded his talk by describing ICRP’s Committee 4 current program of work related to different exposure situations and emergencies, as well as many ethical issues surrounding the radiation protection field. Immediately following the lecture, the program held a townhall forum at Hock Plaza where students were able to ask follow-up questions and discuss the current state of national and international radiation protection system with Dr. Cool.
Dr. Zeljko Vujaskovic from the University of Maryland School of Medicine will deliver the next distinguished lecture regarding pencil beam scanning proton therapy and hyperthermia on November 16, 2017.
