The Institute of Radiation Protection and Dosimetry (IRD), a technical-scientific unit of the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), celebrated its 52nd anniversary on March 21. The official celebration took place on Monday, April 15, coinciding with Radiation Protection Day. The ceremony took place in the Rex Nazaré Alves Auditorium, on the IRD campus in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, and was attended by authorities and guests. The opening of the event, scheduled for 8:30 a.m., was welcomed by the president of CNEN, Francisco Rondinelli Júnior. Also participating were the directors of Research and Development, Wilson Calvo, of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety, Alessandro Facure, and of Institutional Management, Pedro Maffia, in addition to the director of IRD, André Quadros.
Technical-Scientific Seminar
Part of the celebrations included the technical-scientific seminar “Radiological Protection, Safety and Sustainability in the Applications of Nuclear Technologies”. Coordinated by Simone Kodlulovich, the seminar was held from 10 am to 5 pm and addressed various aspects of radiological protection in the nuclear area and its applications, as well as topics such as the use of nuclear energy in the energy transition. The opening lecture, “Review of Standard 3.01: Main changes and possible impacts for end users”, was given by Eliana Amaral, former director of IRD and former director of the Radiation, Waste and Transport Division of the Nuclear Safety Department of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Other topics discussed included the challenges of radiological protection in uranium mining, safety and energy transition, the role of nuclear generation in the challenges of operating the Brazilian System in the Energy Transition, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) as a disruptive technology, and aspects of safety and radiological protection in the design of the Brazilian nuclear submarine. Representatives from several institutions participated in the seminar, including ARN/Argentina, IAEA, Brazilian Metallurgy and Mining Company (CBMM), Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Industrial Development Company (CODIN) of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian Nuclear Industries (INB), Eletronuclear, Brazilian Association for the Development of Nuclear Activities (ABDAN), Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials (ABACC), Navy and CNEN itself.
New Phase of IRD
According to director André Quadros, the event marks a new phase for the IRD, reinforcing its historic role as a reference in training, research and actions in radiological protection, dosimetry and metrology of ionizing radiation. The IRD is increasingly committed to providing technical and scientific support to institutions and government agencies on issues involving ionizing radiation. For the director of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety at CNEN, Alessandro Facure, the history of the IRD reflects its commitment to training people and accumulating knowledge, in addition to the social value of its activities, which include its commitment to the health of the Brazilian population and protecting the environment.
Specialist Institute
Francisco Rondinelli Júnior highlighted the uniqueness and expertise of IRD, emphasizing its importance for the Brazilian nuclear sector. He emphasized that IRD has specific expertise in radiation protection and dosimetry, development of processes for dose assessment and instrument calibration, and is the national laboratory for metrology of ionizing radiation, a fundamental activity for the country’s nuclear sector. The celebration of IRD’s anniversary was broadcast on IRD’s YouTube channel. For more information, visit CNEN. This is an adaptation of the original content published by the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN).
