Minutes of the Radiation Protection and Shielding Division Executive Committee Meeting, 18 Jun 01, Milwaukee, WI

 

Attending:

David Court

Laurie Waters

John Bennion

Rizwan Uddin

David Anderson

Bernadette L. Kirk

Ham T. Hunter

Ray Klann

Bob Little

Larry Miller

R.T. Perry

John Valentine

Peggy Emmett

Mark Blumberg

 

 

Call to order

 

Consideration of agenda

 

 

Don Todd from the 2000 ANS student conference expressed thanks for support of the conference.  He reported that approximately 330 students attended (the largest ever) and 48 new members joined ANS.

 

Frank Buschman from Penn St. announced that they would be holding a student conference, and Lance Kim announced that Cal-Berkley will be hosting a student conference embedded at the ANS winter meeting at Reno, NV.

 

Responding to a question from Laurie Waters, Don Todd stated that the student conference provided over $50k towards travel for the students, and $80 for each submitted paper.  Travel funds were disbursed based upon the distance traveled, i.e. students from Penn St. received approximately $350 to cover airfare.

 

4.  Program Committee  -  David Anderson

 

Bernadette Kirk presented a request for a combined ICRS 9 and RPSD topical for 2004 in Madeira, Portugal.

 

Ray Klann also stated that the Chicago local section would like to host a combined RPSD and Reactor Physics topical in 2004.

 

It was suggested that Dave Anderson send the topical bid information to Enrico Sartori and Pedro Vaz from ICRS 9.

 

Bob Little updated the status of the 2002 Santa Fe topical.  Budget has received preliminary approval, and publication has received final approval.  Co-sponsors are NEA, HPS, and RSICC.  He stated that there are 60-70 volunteers for the technical program committee, and that the announcement/call for papers is out.  He requested volunteers for session organizers and chairs.  He stated that full papers would be published in CD format.

 

Dave Anderson submitted the program committee report.  For Milwaukee, RPSD had one session with six papers, five of which attended.  For Reno, two special sessions will be chaired by Ray Klann and Ham Hunter.  He stated that July 9 would begin electronic review of papers for Reno.  14 to 15 people are signed up to review papers.  Two papers had been submitted (out of 20 total) from RPSD as of 14 Jun 01.  2004 topical bid letters were sent out on 14 Jun 01.  Pittsburgh was awarded the national meeting in summer of 2004. 

 

Ray Klann asked for an update on the co-location of SATIF/SARE with the 2002 Santa Fe topical.  Bernadette Kirk explained that this was an international conference supposed to be held at SLAC, and the last meeting took place in Paris in July 2000.  It had been related previously that it might be moved to Santa Fe to be co-located with the RPSD topical.  The general consensus at this point was that it was going to remain at SLAC. 

 

The program committee voted to co-sponsor the 2002 Reactor Physics topical in Seoul.  Dave Anderson moved that RPSD co-sponsor the Reactor Physics 2002 topical in Seoul.  Ray Klann asked if co-sponsorship would detract from our 2002 topical.  Bob Little responded that it wouldn’t, and Dave Anderson added that because it was overseas and one month before national that it probably would not affect the RPSD topical.  The motion passed with two dissents.

 

 

Herb Fonticella from the public policy committee reported that the Low Level No-Threshold position statement was submitted to the public policy committee.  He stated that the board did not vote on the policy, but proposed a task force, which was rejected.  The action was finally tabled.  He stated that the present policy does not address the issue of health effects (more research needed).  Herb suggested that we keep the old statement, but add support of the HPS statement.  Laurie read the HPS statement for the committee.  Herb stated that originally, the first three paragraphs were considered the position statement.  Herb made two proposals for consideration:  retain the first three paragraphs of the original position statement and append the HPS statement, or retain the whole statement with the HPS statement appended.

 

There was a motion to accept the first three paragraphs with the HPS statement appended.

 

Laurie Waters stated that she was not comfortable with the HPS values stated in their statement.

Larry Miller stated that the HPS is more recognized for their expertise in this area, and that this was a rather innocuous position.

Laurie Waters then quoted the recent Nuclear News article by Joy Dicus:  “Must have positive proof to be able to remove the LNTH.”

R.T. Perry stated that the present system is spending a lot of money but is not actually saving lives.

Larry Miller stated that it was entirely appropriate to put out a position statement that might appear self-serving as long as it was technically competent.

 

A motion to accept the full ANS position paper with the HPS statement appended passed with 5 for, 2 against, and 2 abstentions.

 

 

Secretary’s report – Approval of minutes from previous meeting - Court

      Minutes were approved unanimously.

 

 

Vice-Chair’s report - Miller

      Larry Miller attended the national divisions meeting.  It was requested that the division develop a division goal statement and a 5-year goal/statement.  Laurie Waters stated that we have these objectives in the division by-laws.  Larry suggested that we accept a scope statement that is in line with the division by-laws, and asked if we should develop a long-range planning document.

 

Larry stated that the newsletter would be sent out about the end of July, and it would contain the 2002 RPSD topical announcement in it.

 

Treasurer’s report - Bennion

      John Bennion submitted the treasurer’s report.  John was asked if the 2000 Spokane topical books have been closed, and what was the status of the check for the division’s portion.  Bernie also stated that we might be in line for a cut of the PHYSOR 2000 profit because of co-sponsorship.  John stated that he would look into these questions.

 

 

Standing Committee Reports

      a.  Honors and Awards - Kirk

            Bernadette Kirk stated that Peggy Emmett was successfully nominated for fellow status.  She also stated that the Blizard Scholarship names need to be added to the manual.  She also solicited nominations for the division service award and the Rockwell award.  She stated that Betty Maskewitz was nominated for the Weinberg Medal, and we should consider nominating Enrico Sartori in the future.

Dan Ingersol submitted a report on the Blizard Scholarship.

      b.  Membership - Blumberg

            Mark Blumberg submitted a membership report stating membership has decreased 3%.  ANS national membership has decreased 2%, indicating a downward trend.  Mark proposed sending out a letter to new ANS members providing information on the division, and requesting input.

      e.  Standards  -  Hopkins

Nolan Hertel stated that 6.1.1 still needed work.

 

Benchmark  -  Hunter

Ham Hunter submitted a benchmark report.  A joint Reactor Physics/RPSD/Math & Comp committee was formed and is moving forward with SINBAD, although not much help has been received form M&C.  They propose to tie the benchmarks to the standards and solidify the M&C benchmark format.

 

Ham Hunter was re-elected as RPSD co-chair for the benchmarks committee.

 

Dave Anderson was re-elected as program chair.

 

Bernadette Kirk was re-elected as honor/awards chair.

 

Larry Miller requested newsletter input by 1 July. 

 

Next division executive committee meeting in Reno, NV.

 

Adjournment.