Welcome

To coincide with celebrations for The Queen ' s Platinum Jubilee , the headline article in this issue of Radiation Protection Today highlights some of the milestones in the application of radioactivity and radiation which have occurred in the 70 years since Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne . To put this in perspective , The Queen was born only 30 years after the discovery of radioactivity , and her reign has spanned more than half the history of its use . Whilst there have been undeniable low points , the overall story is of considerable scientific and technological advances , which have delivered great benefits to society . The diverse uses of radioactivity and radiation affect many aspects of our lives , from energy supply and medical applications to security . The article charts the evolution of radiation protection standards as awareness has developed , making us better regulated and safer than at any time in history . The rate of advance shows no sign of abating , and it is clear the radiation protection profession must continue to play a significant role in shaping the future .

Other articles in Issue 3 are themed around the topic of ' radioactive sources '. There is an article describing different types of sources and some of their applications , and a Soapbox feature discussing the implications of the worldwide shortage of Cs-137 . We have an article on regulatory requirements for the management of radioactive sources , and Lessons from History presents a cautionary tale about the loss of sealed sources used for teaching by a school .

Elsewhere in this issue , the Specialist Spotlight falls on radiation shielding , and we have an article discussing the difference between ALARP and ALARA . There is also an interview with SRP Patron Lord Carlile , and a feature describing the work of COMARE .

As always , we are pleased to receive your letters , suggestions and articles on any topic of interest to the radiation protection community – please keep them coming ! Our address is RPToday @ srp-uk . org

Trevor Jones MSRP - Editor

© The Society for Radiological Protection ( SRP ) May 2022 Publisher : The Society for Radiological Protection

Editorial Team : Editor : Trevor Jones Deputy Editor : Maureen McQueen Team Members : Steph Bloomer , Oliver Caunt , Jennifer Humphries , Sheila Liddle , Chris Perks , Neil Seymour , Gary Teague , Sam Watson , Helen Whitehead

Production : Harris Associates

Design : TQ Print & Design

Contact us : Editorial : RPToday @ srp-uk . org Advertising : sara . harrington @ srp-uk . org

Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers . No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written permission of the publishers .

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The Society for Radiological Protection is the UK ' s only professional society covering the entire field of radiation protection . Its objective is to promote the science and art of radiation protection and allied fields for the public benefit . Founded in 1963 , it was awarded a Royal Charter in 2007 and is the UK Associate Society affiliated to the International Radiation Protection Association .

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www . srp-uk . org Registered Charity in England & Wales No . 1122804

Recyclable paper sourced from responsibly managed forests and printed using vegetable-based inks . This issue is also available digitally at www . srp-rpt . uk

Cover photograph : Queen Elizabeth II , guided by AERE Harwell ' s Chief Physicist Donald Fry , visits the ZETA fusion reactor while it is under construction ( c . 1956 ). Cover design : @ ollustration

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