International Meeting on Radiation Protection

From the 19th to 21st of March 2018, the University of Bourgogne (Dijon) hosted 16 high schools from France, Germany, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus and Japan, in partnership with INSTNi, CEPNii, ASNiii, IRSNiv, Franche Comté Science Pavilion (CCSTIv) and SFRPvi,. Over a period of three days, 143 high school students and their teachers gathered to present their work on the theme of radioactivity.

From the 19th to 21th March 2018 at the University of Bourgogne in Dijon, 143 high school students and their teachers from around the world presented their work related to radioactivity, its challenges and the means to protect themselves against it (“radiation protection”[1]). This event took place within the framework of the International high school Meetings on Radiation Protection, an operation for the development of scientific culture [2], which brings together classes from the second to the final year.

In 2018, 16 high schools from France, Germany, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus and Japan (Fukushima High School) participated. Over a period of 3 days, 115 young people worked on topics as varied as natural and artificial radioactivity, the use of radiation in the medical field, the effects of ionising radiation on living organisms and the means of protecting themselves from it, the consequences of a nuclear accident, etc. These three days of meetings were highlighted by presentations by high school students, conferences and expert round tables, and stands exhibiting the work of students. Here are some examples of presentations:

• What precautions should a pregnant woman take when exposed to ionising radiation in hospital?

• What radiation, doses received and health risks are by airport and flight personnel and passengers?

• Radon in the home • Open Radiation: citizens measure radioactivity

• Radiation protection of workers in a nuclear installation.

During the three days organised in Dijon, high school and senior high school students developed their scientific culture regarding radiation protection. They shared with other students and radiation protection professionals present at the event. INSTN, a partner of the "International Meeting on Radiation Protection" since 2010, hosted the 10th edition of the radiation protection workshops[3] in 2017 in Saclay. The Valduc CEA spoke about tritium. Training courses in radiation protection were presented to high school students with a particular emphasis this year on the contribution of digital technology in support of educational innovations.

Discover the CEA press release related to this event: http://www.cea.fr/presse/Pages/actualites-communiques/institutionnel/rencontre-internationale-lycees-radioprotection.aspx

i INSTN : National Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology *

ii CEPN : Nuclear Protection Assessment Study Centre

iii ASN : Nuclear Safety Authority  

iv IRSN : Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety

v CCSTI : Centre for Scientific, Technical and Industrial Knowledge

vi SFRP : French Radiation Protection Society

1] Radiation protection is defined as the set of rules, procedures and means of prevention and monitoring aimed at preventing or reducing the harmful effects of ionising radiation produced directly or indirectly on people, including during environmental damage.

2] Radiation protection workshops are organised by the Centre d'étude sur l'évaluation de la protection dans le domaine nucléaire (CEPNii), the Autorité de sûreté nucléaire (ASNiii), the Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire (IRSNiv), the Franche Comté Science Pavilion, the Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires du CEA (INSTNi), and the Société française de radioprotection (SFRPvi).

3] Radiation protection workshops: http://www.lesateliersdelaradioprotection.com/

 Published on April 16th, 2018