The Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards (CIRMS) will hold its 15th annual meeting at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland, October 23 to 25, 2006.  CIRMS is an open forum that promotes dialog amongst its three main constituencies: industry, academia and government. CIRMS President, Professor Mohamad Al-Sheikhly of the University of Maryland, stated the theme for this year’s meeting is the Implications of Uncertainties in Radiation Measurements and Applications.  A balanced agenda for the meeting was developed at a CIRMS Executive Committee meeting held at NIST on March 14.  Highlights of the forthcoming meeting are:

• A banquet honoring two pioneers in radiation science and technology: Dr. Marshall Cleland, the accelerator inventor and co-founder of its manufacturer, Radiation Dynamics, Incorporated, a subsidiary of Ion Beam Applications, and Dr. Joseph Silverman, professor emeritus at the University of Maryland, one of the leaders at the forefront of radiation chemistry.

• The presentation of the CIRMS Caswell Award for Distinguished Achievements in the Field of Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards to Mr. Kenneth Swinth.  Ken has led the CIRMS program agenda in radiation protection, being a chairman of the Radiation Protection subcommittee, as well as serving on committees in standards organizations in this area.

Travel grants to attend this meeting are available for students on a competitive basis.  Information on CIRMS can be found on its web site: www.cirms.org, which has links to the presentations from last year’s annual meeting and to the fourth issuance of the CIRMS triennial report on Needs in Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards.  This report also contains information on the history and background of CIRMS, its mission and objectives, as well as detailing many specific areas requiring program work in radiation measurements.

To facilitate dialog between academia, government and industry, CIRMS rotates its officers amongst these constituencies.  Assisting Prof. Al-Sheikhly are First Vice-President Shawna Eisele of the US Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory and Second Vice-President Dr. Manny Subramanian of Best Medical International.  The CIRMS Science and Technology Committee is composed of subcommittees which address radiation related issues in Medical Applications (as nuclear medicine), in Radiation Protection (as occupational protection), including matters of interest in Homeland Security (as emergency response), and in Industrial Applications and Materials Effects (as medical device sterilization).

Additional information on this year’s meeting will be posted on the CIRMS web-site as it becomes available or can be obtained by contacting the CIRMS Executive Secretary, Katy Nardi at knardi@cirms.org or phone/fax: 770-622-0026.