a group of students sitting around a table

U-M students shine at radiation protection conference

The 16th Annual International Congress of the International Radiation Protection Association was held earlier this month in Florida.

By:

Sara Norman

Sixteen students from the University of Michigan recently attended the 16th International Congress of the International Radiation Protection Association, held in conjunction with the 69th Health Physics Society (HPS) Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, from July 7–12, 2024. The event showcased cutting-edge research in radiation protection and offered a platform for U-M students to present their work and connect with peers and professionals in the field.

Led by NERS Professor Kimberlee J. Kearfott, the U-M delegation comprised a mix of graduate and undergraduate students, along with participants from various engineering disciplines. The U-M team made significant contributions to the conference, presenting a total of two platform presentations and 19 posters. The Health Physics Society supported some of the student’s attendance. Their research, supported in various ways by the Consortium for Monitoring, Technology, and Verification (MTV), covered a range of innovative topics in radiation protection and detection.

HPS2024groupPhoto

Participating Students

  1. Jordan D. Noey (NERS)
  2. Caleb M. Bush (NERS)
  3. Hythem H. Beydoun (Electrical Engineering)
  4. Callissa L. Clarkson (Aerospace Engineering)
  5. Abhishek P. Dahad (Computer Science)
  6. Christopher C. Davis (Computer Science)
  7. Yehansa I. Dissanayake (Robotics)
  8. Meredith G. Doan (Computer Engineering)
  9. Jackson H. Eggerd (Computer Science Engineering)
  10. Clay D. Hudson (NERS)
  11. Kabir F. Khwaja (Aerospace Engineering)
  12. Rachel E. Mecca (Computer Science)
  13. Estefania Munoz-Barron (Aerospace Engineering)
  14. Liam P. O’Driscoll (Aerospace Engineering)
  15. Nauman K. Siddiqui (Computer Engineering)
  16. Jianyu (Jacky) Tu (Electrical Engineering)
  17. Ryan A. Kim (Computer Science)
  18. Carly E. Evans (NERS)

Published Abstracts in Health Physics Journal

Each presentation was accompanied by an abstract published in the July issue of the Health Physics Journal. Here are summaries of the citations:

  1. Design of a Low-Cost Radiation Weather Station (Platform Presentation)
    • Authors: Kim RA, Kent AJE, Noey JD, Kearfott KJ
    • Presented by: Caleb M. Bush
    • Summary: This project focused on developing an affordable radiation weather station to educate the general public and high school students about radiation detection.
  2. A Virtual Reality Source-Finding Game for Learning Radiation Detection and Surveying (Poster)
    • Authors: Mecca RE, Lin F, Eggerd JH, Noey JD, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: This game uses virtual reality to teach radiation detection and surveying techniques, providing an interactive learning experience.
  3. A Radiation Physics Tutorial Laboratory for the DoseBusters VR Tool (Poster)
    • Authors: Eggerd JH, Noey JD, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: This tutorial laboratory integrates with the DoseBusters VR tool to enhance radiation physics education through immersive simulations.
  4. Simple Radiation Shielding Scenarios for the DoseBusters VR Game (Poster)
    • Authors: Siddiqui NK, Zhang W, Eggerd JH, Noey JD, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: The study introduces basic radiation shielding scenarios in the DoseBusters VR game to aid in understanding radiation protection principles.
  5. Creating 3D Models for the DoseBusters VR Tool (Poster)
    • Authors: Tu J, Munoz-Barron E, Eggerd JH, Noey JD, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: This research involves developing three-dimensional models for use in the DoseBusters VR tool, enhancing the realism and educational value of the simulations.
  6. A Radiation Protection Makerspace: Enhancing Public and Precollege Outreach (Poster)
    • Authors: Noey JD, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: The makerspace aims to engage the public and precollege students in radiation protection activities, upgrading university courses, and creating undergraduate research opportunities.
  7. Intelligent Radiation Awareness Drones (iRADs) (Poster)
    • Authors: Beydoun HH, Khwaja KF, Hudson CD, Bush CM, Doan MG, Clarkson CL, Dissanayake YI, Kim RA, O’Driscoll LP, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: The iRADs project focuses on developing drones equipped with algorithms for efficient hazardous navigation and environmental radiation surveying.
  8. RadMap: A Flexible Radiation Surveying System (Platform Presentation)
    • Authors: Bush CM, Kim RA, Hudson CD, Wiest JR, Noey JD, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: RadMap is a versatile radiation surveying system that uses sound card spectrometry and open-source coding on a single-board computer.
  9. Fused Filament Fabrication Using Tungsten-Filled PETG for Radiation Applications (Poster)
    • Authors: Beydoun HH, Dissanayake YI, Clarkson CL, Bush CM, Noey JD, Kearfott KJ
    • Presented by: Yehansa I. Dissanayake
    • Summary: This study explores the use of tungsten-filled PETG in fused filament fabrication for creating radiation shielding materials.
  10. Enabling Autonomy for Intelligent Radiation Awareness Drone-Lite (Poster)
    • Authors: Doan MG, Beydoun HH, Khwaja KF, Garza Segovia D, Villanueva Guzman D, Kim RA, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: The project aims to develop open-source terrain following and collision avoidance software for lightweight drones used in radiation awareness.
  11. Aerodynamic Design of a Fused Filament Fabricated Airframe for an Open-Source Drone (Poster)
    • Authors: Khwaja KF, Beydoun HH, O’Driscoll LP, Clarkson CL, Dissanayake YI, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: This research focuses on the aerodynamic design of an airframe for a drone intended for environmental radiation surveys.
  12. Avionics Considerations for a Student-Designed 2-kg Payload-Capable Radiation Detection Drone (Poster)
    • Authors: Beydoun HH, Khwaja KF, O’Driscoll LP, Kearfott KJ
    • Presented by: Liam P. O’Driscoll
    • Summary: The study addresses the avionics requirements for a student-designed drone capable of carrying a 2-kg payload for radiation detection.
  13. Final Design and Testing of a Do-It-Yourself Geiger-Mueller Smart Radiation Detection System (Poster)
    • Authors: Noey JD, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: This project presents the final design and testing of a DIY smart radiation detection system using Geiger-Mueller tubes.
  14. Implementing a Phase II Quality Control Protocol for a Cs-137 Dosimetry Calibration Source (Poster)
    • Authors: Noey JD, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: The study implements a Phase II quality control protocol for a Cs-137 dosimetry calibration source.
  15. Design of a Wireless Fidelity Radiation Emulation System for Testing an Intelligent Radiation Surveying Method (Poster)
    • Authors: Beydoun HH, Bush CM, Doan MG, Kim RA, Hudson CD, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: The research designs a Wi-Fi radiation emulation system for testing intelligent radiation surveying methods.
  16. Reinforcement and Deep Learning Methods for Radionuclide Source Localization (Poster)
    • Authors: Davis CC, Dahad AP, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: This study explores reinforcement and deep learning methods for the localization of radionuclide sources.
  17. A Particle Filter Algorithm for Efficient Radioactive Point Source Localization (Poster)
    • Authors: Dahad AP, Davis CC, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: The research introduces a particle filter algorithm for efficient localization of radioactive point sources.
  18. Design of a Large Volume Gamma-Ray Spectroscopic System for Community Examination of Environmental Samples (Poster)
    • Authors: Noey JD, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: This project designs a large volume gamma-ray spectroscopic system for examining environmental samples.
  19. Evaluation of a Consumer-Grade Temporal Radon Measurement System Under As-Deployed Conditions (Poster)
    • Authors: Evans CE, Kim RA, Kearfott KJ
    • Presented by: Kimberlee J. Kearfott
    • Summary: The study evaluates a consumer-grade radon measurement system in real-world conditions, particularly in areas with elevated radon gas.
  20. Surveying the Electromagnetic Spectra: Open-Source Mapping of Aerial Multispectral Ionizing and Non-Ionizing Radiation Measurements (Poster)
    • Authors: Hudson CD, Bush CM, Beydoun HH, Kim RA, Wiest JR, Kearfott KJ
    • Summary: This research involves open-source mapping of aerial multispectral measurements of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation.
  21. Evaluation of Activated Materials for Unrestricted Release in a Low-Energy Heavy-Ion Accelerator Environment System (Poster)
    • Authors: Noey JD, Chitra S
    • Summary: The study evaluates activated materials for their suitability for unrestricted release in a low-energy heavy-ion accelerator environment.

The NERS team’s participation at this international conference underscores their dedication to advancing the field of radiation protection and their commitment to sharing knowledge with the broader scientific community. Their achievements reflect the high standards of research and education upheld by the University of Michigan’s Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences.

For more details on their research and presentations, please refer to the July issue of the Health Physics Journal.

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