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AURPO Annual Conference and AGM 2021 – Virtual
06th September 2021 - 10th September 2021

AURPO 2021 Virtual Annual Conference
AURPO's Annual Conference this year will be held virtually via Microsoft Teams.
The conference will consist of five afternoon sessions which will take place from Monday 6 September to Friday 10 September 2021.
There will be opportunities to exhibit and catch-up with the exhibitors online. In addition, there will be a virtual AGM and a virtual social event.
To book your delegate place, please download the booking form and email it to charlene@aurpo.org.uk.
The exhibition pack can also be downloaded, if you would like to exhibit, please email charlene@aurpo.org.uk.
Read the announcement from the President on the postponement of the conference that was due to be hosted in Liverpool this year.
PDF for printing: Conference Programme
Note: This version of the conference programme does not include links to the Presentation Sessions. If you are a paying delegate you will be provided with a password that will enable you to access the Delegate Only Area. Here you will see a version of the programme that includes links to the Presentation Sessions, AGM and the Social and Award Evening.
Day 1 Part 1 | Monday 6th September | Links |
12.35 – 12.45 | Chair: Professor President Pete Cole (University of Liverpool) | |
12.45 – 12.50 | Introduction & Welcome Professor President Pete Cole (University of Liverpool) | |
12.50 – 13.35 | 60 Years of AURPO Tony Richards (University Hospital of Wales – retired) | |
13.35 – 13.40 | Few Words - Monday's Sponsor Glenn Hardcastle (Aurora Health Physics Ltd) | ![]() |
13.40 – 14.25 | Personal Dosimetry: Skin Doses – Monitoring, Accidents and Classification. Bill Thomson (Birmingham City Hospital) | |
14.25 – 15.05 | Break & Breakout for the Exhibition | Virtual Exhibition Pages |
Day 1 Part 2 | ||
15.05 – 15.50 | ALARA/ALARP for Best Available Technique: What is reasonably practical and proportionate? Janet Elliot (EA) | |
15.50 – 16.35 | ALARA/ALARP for Occupational Safety: What is reasonably practical and proportionate? Stewart Robertson (HSE) | |
16.35 – 17.00 | Question and Answer Session | |
Day 2 | Tuesday 7th September | |
11:50 – 12:00 | Chair: Alistair Hardwick (University of Sussex) | |
12.00 – 13.30 | AURPO AGM All eligible members to attend | |
13.30 – 14.00 | Break & Breakout for the Exhibition | Virtual Exhibition Pages |
14.00 – 14.05 | Welcome Mike Wood (University of Salford) | |
14.05 – 14.50 | Transport of Class 7 Goods under CDG2009, as amended 2019/21 Simon Clark (ONR) | |
14.50 – 14.55 | Few Words by Tuesday's Sponsor Ron Dearden (Mirion Technologies (DSD)) | ![]() |
14.55 – 15.40 | REPPIR 2019 and Dispersibility Assessments Tony Powell (STFC) | |
15.40 – 16.00 | Question and Answer Session | |
Day 3 Part 1 | Wednesday 8th September | |
12:45 – 12:55 | Chair: Oliver Preedy (Loughborough University) | |
12.55 – 13.40 | Contractor Management & Permits to Work Mark Bradley (STFC) | |
13.40 – 13.45 | Few Words - Wednesday's Sponsor Jacobs | ![]() |
13.45 – 14.30 | Radon: Practical Considerations Rebecca Coates - Head of Radon Projects - PropertECO Ltd | |
14.30 – 15.00 | Break & Breakout for the Exhibition | Virtual Exhibition Pages |
Day 3 Part 2 | ||
15.00 – 15.40 | The Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018 Angela Wright (SEPA) | |
15.40 – 16.00 | Question and Answer Session | |
18.50 – 20.00 | Virtual Social Event and Awards | |
Day 4 | Thursday 9th September | |
12:45 – 12:55 | Chair: Julie Turner (Loughborough University) | |
12.55 – 13.40 | Nuclear Safeguards and UK Additional Protocol Stephanie Lavergne (ONR) | |
13.40 – 13.45 | Few Words – Thursday's Sponsor Sarah Dorling (Stephen Green and Associates) | ![]() |
13.45 – 14.30 | Classification of Persons Chris Murdock (PeakRPA) | |
14.30 – 15.15 | Age-related degradation of foil sources Ralph Whitcher, CLEAPSS | |
15.15 – 15.45 | Question and Answer Session | |
15.45 – 16:15 | Break & Breakout for the Exhibition | Virtual Exhibition Pages |
Day 5 | Friday 10th September | |
12:45 – 12:55 | Chair: Libby Yates (University of Cambridge) | |
12.55 – 13.40 | LED Safety Mike Higlett (PHE) | |
13.40 – 13.45 | Few Words - Friday's Sponsor | |
13.45 – 14.30 | Magnetic Field Safety Nigel Cridland (PHE) | |
14.30 – 15.15 | Laser Optics Lewis Jones (Loughborough University) | |
15.15 – 16.00 | Question and Answer Session | |
16.00 | Close of Conference |
If you are a paying delegate you will be provided with a password that will enable you to access the Delegate Only Area. Here you will see a version of the programme that includes links to the Presentation Sessions, AGM and the Social and Award Evening.
Speaker Biographies
Graduated from Imperial College in Physics, then an MSc Radiation Biology and Radiation Physics at Guys. First job in Nuclear Power at Berkeley then moved to Medical Physics at Hammersmith Hospital before moving to University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Progressed to finally become Head of Medical Physics and RPA to University of Wales College of Medicine. Over the years served on committees of AURPO/SRP/IPEM and BNMS. Honorary Life Member of AURPO and Honorary Fellow of SRP.
Dr Bill Thomson has just retired after a 50 year career in nuclear medicine within the NHS, of which 37years have been spent as Head of Physics and Nuclear Medicine at City hospital, Birmingham. The department is a large nuclear medicine and has an excellent track record of presentations and publications. Bill is also in charge of the only national krypton gas generator production service in the UK (in conjunction with the University of Birmingham cyclotron unit), used for low dose lung ventilation studies.
Bill is a RPA, RWA and MPE , and has a long interest in the radiation protection aspects of nuclear medicine, for staff , members of the public and patients. Some of this work was used in the 2002 national guidance notes and he has provided updated information for the new guidance document due in 2021. He has also produced dose calculators to cover a wide range of situations for patients going home.
Bill was awarded the Normal Veale medal from the British Nuclear Medicine Society in 2014 for ‘outstanding contributions to the science of nuclear medicine’. He intends working part-time still, to continue some of his research interests. This includes establishing a user group for VARSKIN skin dosimetry software.
Janet studied Chemical Engineering at Birmingham University, then worked as a Chemical Engineer in Design, R&D & Operations in the speciality chemicals and synthetic textile industries, becoming a Chartered Engineer.
Janet then joined the Environment Agency in 1998 as a regulator for Integrated Pollution Prevention & Control and Radioactive Substances Regulation in the Midlands, becoming a Chartered Environmentalist.
In 2009 Janet moved to the South East and changed to 100% Radioactive Substances Regulation in 2011, becoming a Technical Specialist in 2012, now leading for the R&D Sector.
Stewart Robertson began his career in radiation protection as an RPA with NRPB in 2004 and latterly also became a qualified LPA within the organisation; carrying out radiation safety audits and presenting radiation safety training on both ionising and non-ionising aspects. In 2015 Stewart joined HSE as a Specialist Inspector of Health and Safety (Radiation) and became the radiation team Principal Inspector in 2018. Stewart is the appointed RPA to HSE and is a member of the SRP EMFOR Committee.
Professor Mike Wood holds the Chair in Applied Ecology at the University of Salford, UK. He gained his BSc (Hons) in Zoology in 1998 from the University of Liverpool and then spent a year working as a fruit machine installation engineer to save up enough money to pay for his MSc studies at the University of Manchester. In 2000, Mike began his career in radiation protection at the University of Liverpool – first as an environmental consultant and then as an academic. He has spent the last two decades working on the development of the international environmental radiation protection system and conducting underpinning radioecological research. During his time at Liverpool, Mike also completed a PhD in radioecology.
Mike is a Chartered Radiation Protection Professional, SRP Council member and Editorial Board member for the Journal of Radiological Protection. He has been an invited expert for various International Atomic Energy Agency and European Commission activities in the areas of radiation protection and risk communication. Mike’s research in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone has received extensive media coverage and he has developed various innovative approaches to public engagement and education, including Virtual Chernobyl (http://virtualchernobyl.com). His contributions to radioecology and radiation protection have been recognised through prestigious awards, including the Times Higher Education Research Award (2016) and the Society for Radiological Protection’s Founders’ Medal (2018).
Ron has been with Mirion Technologies Dosimetry Services Division DSD since 2000, having previously worked in the NDT and nuclear markets. Ron manages the United Kingdom and Ireland territory. Ron time is never short of busy, running around with his 5 Grandchildren. To relax, Ron enjoys working on motor cars (keeping his old SAAB going) and he is looking into building a kit car.
RPA and RWA. Started working in radiation protection in 1987. Initially with Ministry of Defence for around 20 years. During this time a variety of roles including responsibility for Dstl’s support to nuclear accident response and other contingencies, which is the background to an interest in REPPIR and off site consequences from accidents. Then moved to Nuvia for about 11 years, including nearly 5 years working at Chernobyl on the New Safe Confinement Project. Now at STFC, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. Undertook the hazard evaluations required by REPPIR 2019 for STFC sites at RAL and Daresbury.
Mark has spent almost 30 years in radiation protection. Starting as a radiation protection adviser with NRPB in the early 90s, he has also been a radiation specialist inspector with HSE, and the University of Oxford’s RPA, before moving to his current employer, the Science & Technology Facilities Council, in 2018. Mark is one of a small team of RPA/RWAs based at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.
Ian is the Operations Manager for the Jacobs Radiation Protection and Characterization Capability in the UK. He has worked in the nuclear industry for over 27 years, working in various management and technical roles. Ian started his career as a Microbiologist at British Nuclear Fuels, developing computational codes and models for microbial activity in waste disposal and bioremediation environments. This work led to characterization projects for wastes, soils, and groundwater in support of post closure safety case studies. Ian joined Jacobs in 2006, and since then has been managing teams and projects focused on radiation protection and decommissioning. This has involved working in both the public and private sector delivering a diverse range of projects, including CBRN recovery, radiometric system development and deployment, facilities characterization, decommissioning and remediation.
Rebecca Coates is Head of Radon Projects at propertECO and is the current Chair of the UK Radon Association (UKRA).
Since co-founding propertECO in 2011, Rebecca has managed national radon testing and mitigation programmes for major clients including high street retailers and banks, as well as for local authorities and school trusts.
Rebecca has become one of the country’s leading communicators on the subject of radon gas and has devised methods of ensuring that the risks of exposure are easily understandable by non-scientists.
Rebecca has sat on the Board of the UK Radon Association since its inception and, has been a member of the European Radon Association’s Executive Committee since 2015.
Studied Environmental Engineering and Resource Management at the University of Nottingham and a master’s degree in Radiation and Environmental Protection at the University of Surrey.
More than 10 years’ experience working in the nuclear and non-nuclear industries as a health physicist and radiation protection adviser followed by nearly 20 years working in radioactive substances policy with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Sarah, a former lecturer and research biochemist joined Stephen Green and Associates in 2013 as a trainee RPA/RWA. Sarah achieved her initial RPA/ RWA joint certification in 2015 and has subsequently successfully gained MPE certification in Diagnostic radiology.
Sarah has been a member of AURPO since 2013 and part of the HERT (Higher Education Research & Teaching) working group since 2017. Sarah is currently part of an ICRP Task Group 110 on veterinary applications of ionising radiation.
Sarah is also a member of SRP, and in 2021 successfully achieved her Chartered Radiation Protection Professional title. Sarah is a senior RPA/RWA/MPE at Stephen Green and Associates, part of her role is to now train and mentor the new members of the team through to professional certification.
Chris Murdock (Peak RPA Ltd) is a certificated radiation protection adviser and radioactive waste adviser with more than 20 years’ experience in this field. Chris originally specialised in environmental radioactivity with his PhD and post-doctoral research, looking at the use of the uranium-238 decay series & Chernobyl derived radionuclides as tracers of environmental processes. Chris has many years’ experience training in contingency & emergency planning and in radiation risk and dose modelling, both in the non-nuclear and nuclear sectors.
Ralph Whitcher is a science adviser and RPA for CLEAPSS, the school science service, and the lead RPA for CLEAPSS as an RPA Body. As part of this role, he has researched the age-related degradation of foil sources, particularly americium and radium foils, in liaison with the University of Liverpool. As an AURPO member, Ralph is currently acting chair of AURPO’s Higher Education Research and Teaching group.
Michael Higlett completed MPhys in Physics with Lasers and Photonics from the University of Hull in 2004 and Ph.D. at the University of East Anglia in 2009. Michael joined the HPA (now Public Health England on 1 April 2013) in December, 2008, where he is a member of the Laser and Optical Radiation Dosimetry Group working for Professor John O’Hagan as Radiation Protection Scientist. Currently Michael undertakes work in optical radiation safety and regularly provides Optical Radiation and Laser Safety training. Michael is a committee member for ASC Z136 SSC-10 “Safe Use of Lasers in Entertainment, Displays and Exhibitions” and also managers Public Health England’s Solar Network.
Dr Lewis Jones is a Lecturer in Engineering Product Design at Loughborough University. Working within the Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering his research is in the study of laser interactions with materials for manufacturing processes.
Details
- Start:
- 06th September 2021
- End:
- 10th September 2021
- Event Category:
- Conferences
- Event Tags:
- Online, Teams, Virtual
Venue
- Virtual, Online, Microsoft Teams
-
World Wide Web
The Internet, TBL - Website:
- https://aurpo.org.uk/event/aurpo-annual-conference-and-agm-2021/
Organisers
- Pete Cole
- Executive Committee
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