ARPANSA is proud to announce that our Chief Radiation Health Scientist and Deputy CEO, Dr Gillian Hirth, has been appointed to the Main Commission of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) for the term 2021-2025.
Members of the Main Commission form the governing body of the ICRP, providing policy guidance and direction. The Main Commission works closely with the Scientific Secretariat to oversee ICRP’s committees and task groups that are established to develop recommendations and guidance on all aspects of protection against ionising radiation.
‘ICRP is one of the most influential bodies on international frameworks for radiation protection, with around 300 experts contributing to the work of the Main Commission, Committees or Task Groups,’ said Dr Hirth.
‘I’m excited to help lead ICRP’s operations over the next four years following on from my time as a member of Committee 4 from 2017-2021. Being able to draw on the experiences we have across Australia in radiation protection, and to be able to actively guide the future development of the international framework is a real honour’ said Dr Hirth.
ARPANSA’s Chief Medical Radiation Scientist, Dr Ivan Williams, has also been appointed as a member of ICRP’s Committee 3, which focuses on radiological protection in medicine.
These appointments continue ARPANSA’s long history of involvement with the ICRP, with staff represented on a range of committees and CEO Dr Carl-Magnus Larsson retiring from the Main Commission at the end of this month.
‘ARPANSA’s strong representation on ICRP is a significant recognition of the international standing of our staff and Australia’s radiation protection frameworks,’ said ARPANSA CEO, Dr Carl-Magnus Larsson.
The appointments come into effect from 1 July 2021.
About the International Commission of Radiological Protection (ICRP)
The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) is an independent, international, not-for-profit organisation that advances for the public benefit the science of radiological protection, in particular by providing recommendations and guidance on all aspects of protection for people and the environment against the harmful effects of ionising radiation. Its recommendations form the basis of radiological protection policy, regulations, guidelines and practice worldwide. For more information, visit www.icrp.org.
About Dr Gillian Hirth
Dr Gillian Hirth is ARPANSA’s Chief Radiation Health Scientist, Deputy CEO, she has a PhD in environmental radiochemistry and expertise in radioecology.
Dr Hirth is the current Australian Representative and Chair of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), a member of the Commission on Safety Standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and until 30 June 2021 a member of the ICRP’s Committee 4.
