Will they ever learn?Will they ever learn?

The Public Education GameThe Public Education GameHoward Dickson, President-elect

Health Physics Societyhwdickson@tampabay.rr.com

HEALTH PHYSICS SOCIETY

Specialists in Radiation Safety

What’s at stakeWhat’s at stake

Continuation of critical radiological applications

Support for a nuclear renaissance

Deterrence of rad/nuclear terrorism

Imprint of the Nuclear AgeImprint of the Nuclear Age

Making a Difference thru Making a Difference thru Public Education Public EducationSmoking Population

– 1965 – 43%– Today – 21%

Drinking– 1982 – Drunk drivers killed 22,000– Today – Down to 12,000

Seat Belts– 1983 – 24% use– Today – 82% use

What’s in store for me?What’s in store for me?

The PlanThe Plan

HPS organization – highlighting educational components

Proposed educational initiativesImproving communication The Radiation Primer: A Citizen’s

Guide to Radiation is a big dealYour role

HPS OrganizationHPS Organization

Review of recent restructuringHPS Committees with significant

educational involvement– Academic Education– Continuing Education– Homeland Security– Public Information– Science Support

Governmental Relations Program Intersociety Liaison

Specific PI EndeavorsSpecific PI Endeavors

Ask the ExpertPhysician’s GatewayRadiation Primer – more later

Intersociety LiaisonIntersociety LiaisonTask Force for HPS/AAHP Education

Benchmark Using the Benchmarks for Science Literacy -

providing educators with learning goals to design core curriculum

Opportunity to insert radiation science into K-12 via National Science Education Standards

Opportunity to leverage several major professional/technical organizations

Workshop anticipated in next 6 months

Proposed AdvancesProposed Advances

Expand committee by adding worker bees to plan and administer the Society’s Professional Development Schools

Innovative Approaches to Continuing Education Ad Hoc Committee

Encourage individual health physicists to seek out and associate with their local community Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)

Medical Reserve CorpsMedical Reserve Corps MRC www.medicalreservecorps.gov   Focus of the MRCs is in preparing local

communities to deal with public health emergencies, but also provides a great vehicle for HPs to educate their community on radiation issues. 

Currently 700 units across 50 states with a volunteer force of about 150,000.  Includes all sorts of professionals (from clinicians to mental health professionals, clergymen, business associates) plus ordinary people wanting to help their communities. 

Very few health physicists are involved.

Proposed AdvancesProposed AdvancesExpand committee by adding worker bees to

plan and administer the Society’s Professional Development School Program

Innovative Approaches to Continuing Education Ad Hoc Committee

Encourage individual health physicists to seek out and associate with their local community Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)

Keeping the "pipeline" full of science and engineering students

Filling the PipelineFilling the Pipeline Approach our affiliates and those having

employment needs in HP, seeking funding and support.  Perhaps they could support a lecture series as a co-sponsor with HPS.  

Our argument to them would be the need to “fill the pipeline” for future talent.  

We could also recruit those companies to become affiliates - why are major utilities, major DOE contractors, reactor vendors, and major medical institutions not affiliates?

Proposed AdvancesProposed Advances

Develop a symposium series for university programs

Symposium SeriesSymposium Series Experienced HP would present a lecture, either on

life’s lessons as an HP or some other topic of interest (LNT, anti-terrorism, etc.) to students and faculty. 

Could start with our student HPS chapters, but envision a potentially larger audience including related fields (biology, chemistry, nuclear engineering, etc.) at those universities. 

Could include information to “recruit” undergraduate or graduate students.  With some coordination, it could even be part of university efforts to recruit high school students. 

It might be possible to record a lecture series; however, the disadvantage is lack of human interaction (Q&A).

Proposed AdvancesProposed Advances

Develop a symposium series for university programs

Partnering with other major players to leverage our resources

Partnering to LeveragePartnering to Leverage Resources ResourcesAgencies of course would include

DOE, NRC, EPA. Organizations include AAPM,

CRCPD, ANS, AIHA

Funding SupportFunding Support

Major educational programs quite expensive – approx 10% + of HPS budget

Share funding burden with partners

Academic Program Academic Program FundingFunding

Status of NRC-managed nuclear education fund Funding may not be available under Continuing

Resolution (CR) for funding FY09 but eventually could amount to $3-5M/year

Vision was to have the program do more than just fund scholarships, fellowships, and junior faculty

Consider innovative ways to support academic program infrastructure and research, perhaps involving program consortiums

Proposed AdvancesProposed Advances

Develop a symposium series for university programs

Partnering with other major players to leverage our resources

Expanded use of media technology

Expanded Use of Media Expanded Use of Media TechnologyTechnologyMedia possibilities essentially unlimited.

Cable TV, satellite radio, etc. Some are seeking programming.

But a lot of people get their info the easy way via the internet. That is where the biggest bang for the buck is.

Educational seminars and demonstrations online would be good, e.g. YouTube type stuff. Images of cloud chambers, detectors responding to consumer products and natural background, etc.

Proposed AdvancesProposed Advances

Develop a symposium series for university programs

Partnering with other major players to leverage our resources

Expanded use of media technology2010 PDS on “Communicating

Radiation Issues to Non-Radiation Audiences”

Communication re Communication re radiation riskradiation risk

Put it in layman’s terms

How can we communicate How can we communicate better?better?Cognitive Neuroscience revisited

– Both President Toohey and I are ISTJ

Ad Hoc Committee to focus on communication

Better understanding, preparation, and implementation

Mobilizing Against Anti-Nuclear Disinformation – ETCHPS

Proposed AdvancesProposed Advances

Develop a symposium series for university programs

Partnering with other major players to leverage our resources

Expanded use of media technologyPDS for 2010 on communication of

radiation riskRadiation Primer

How much more to endure?How much more to endure?

Roll out Radiation PrimerRoll out Radiation Primer

Most significant current educational initiative is the Radiation Primer: A Citizen’s Guide to Radiation.

Preparing to give it great play in DC and with other organizations and agencies.

Website initiated 19 May 2008 www.radiationanswers.org/.

Invited by NRC to hold a workshop

Let’s talk about radiationLet’s talk about radiation Radiation Primer Website addresses questions

about radiation Purpose of information on this website is to help

average citizen find answers quickly and easily. We encourage viewer to simply browse through it. Viewer can even conduct a search to find the exact

page of the item in which he/she is interested. Our objective is to share factual, easy-to-read

information. Knowledge can reduce fear and anxiety about radiation.

Radiation Primer ContentRadiation Primer Content

IntroductionRadiation and MeSources and UsesMythsQ & AResourcesAbout us/Contact information

Primer IntroductionPrimer Introduction

Types of radiationRadiation exposureDetecting & measuring

Radiation & MeRadiation & Me

Effects of radiationRadiation and cancerRadiation and productionControversy about radiation

Sources & UsesSources & Uses

Natural radiationMedical usesSecurity devicesHousehold productsFood irradiationIndustrial usesRadioactive wastes

Primer Q & A ContentPrimer Q & A Content

Radiation and pregnancyRadiation and sun tanningNuclear powerDirty bombsRadiation basicsRadiation exposureRadiation in small doses

Primer well referencedPrimer well referenced

Scientific reportsOnline resourcesBooks and other reportsArticlesRegulatory organizationsStandards organizationsGlossary

This must end sometime!This must end sometime!

What can I do?What can I do? Support local Chapter educational endeavors Support national HPS educational initiatives Volunteer for an “education” committee or in a

training workshop Mobilize Against Anti-Nuclear Disinformation Volunteer to speak – school, club, conference,

etc. Judge a science fair Write an OpEd piece

SummarySummary

HPS is organized to implement our strategic plan

Educational endeavors are at the core of our strategic plan

There is no shortage of good educational initiatives

Armed with effective communication skills and knowledge, we can educate better

We must use all our resources and leverage those of others to make a major difference

Above all: We need ActionAbove all: We need Action

Go Boldly ForthGo Boldly Forth

“If we are to achieve results never before accomplished,

we must employ methods never before attempted.”

Sir Francis Bacon

QuestionsQuestions

Health Physics Society 1313 Dolley Madison Boulevard Suite 402 McLean, Virginia 22101 Phone: 703-790-1745 Fax: 703-790-2672 Email: hps@BurkInc.com

Supplementary SlidesSupplementary Slides

HPS Committee educational functions

Academic EducationAcademic Education

Academic Education Committee is responsible for the HPS Strategic Plan Objective 4.3: encouraging students to embark on health physics careers.

The committee works to assure that the quality and numbers of people entering the health physics profession meet projected demand.

Continuing EducationContinuing Education

The Continuing Education Committee is responsible for the HPS Strategic Plan Objective 3.2. Specifically, the Continuing Education Committee is responsible for:

Conducting or facilitating continuing education activities for Society members,

Administering the Society's Professional Development School Program,

Working with the Secretariat to make continuing education materials available to the membership, and

Keeping abreast of continuing education opportunities offered by institutions and other organizations.

Homeland SecurityHomeland Security

The Homeland Security Committee is responsible for HPS Strategic Plan Objective 5.8.

The Committee provides assistance to members and local chapters of the Society in:– preparing and updating training information and

guidance documents for use by Society members and Chapters to assist government programs and to train first responders

– implementing Society and Chapter programs to provide trainers or speakers requested by homeland security agencies or teams

Public InformationPublic Information

The Public Information Committee is responsible for HPS Strategic Plan Objectives 5.1, 5.3, and 5.5 - 5.7 by:

Gathering, organizing, and presenting information for presentation to lay persons, governmental organizations, and individuals, and to other scientific and technical organizations; and

Facilitating dissemination of accurate and unbiased information with regard to ionizing radiation by preparing educational materials and other activities.

Science SupportScience Support

Science Support Committee is responsible for maintaining and improving science and mathematics teaching. This is accomplished by:

Developing, maintaining, and coordinating training materials for chapters to use in conducting Science Teacher Workshops,

Providing to educators instructional materials that pertain to radiological science,

Providing guidance on the distribution of radiation instruments to entities requesting them for use in science education activities, and

Developing and maintaining a network of chapter contacts available to workshop sponsors and teachers.

Government RelationsGovernment Relations

Government Relations Program’s first duty is to coordinate "the effort to make the Society and its members available to government entities as an educational resource for issues related to radiation and radiation safety."

Strategic Plan Strategic Plan 5. Foster the use of sound science in public policy and the recognition of the HPS Director for Goal 5 5.1 Establish the Society as the source of expertise in radiation safety Government and Society Relations (Lead) Scientific and Public Issues Public Information 5.2 Maintain and improve interaction with other professional societies Government and Society Relations 5.3 Maintain and improve external communications Government and Society Relations (Lead) Public Information 5.4 Inform elected officials and agency personnel on radiation safety issues Government and Society Relations 5.5 Inform the public on radiation safety issues Public Information 5.6 Communicate with news media personnel on radiation safety issues Public Information 5.7 Provide reliable and useful information about radiation protection to people from all walks of life Public Information 5.8 Assist Federal and other agencies achieve a greater degree of homeland security with regard to radiological events. Homeland Security