TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES 1998 -
NISTIR 6268
MISSION
ORGANIZATION
CURRENT DIRECTIONS
TECHNICAL HIGHLIGHTS
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
MISSION
The Ionizing Radiation Division of the Physics Laboratory has the
responsibility within NIST for providing national leadership in promoting
accurate, meaningful, and compatible measurements of ionizing radiations
(x rays, gamma rays, electrons, neutrons, energetic charged particles,
and radioactivity). The Division:
- provides primary national standards, dosimetry methods, measurement
services, and basic data for application of ionizing radiation to radiation
protection of workers and the general public, radiation therapy and diagnosis,
nuclear medicine, radiography, industrial radiation processing, nuclear
electric power, national defense, space science and environmental protection;
- conducts theoretical and experimental research on weak interaction
physics and fundamental quantum physics and on the fundamental physical
interactions of ionizing radiation with matter;
- develops improved methods for radiation measurement, dosimetry, and 2-
and 3-dimensional mapping of radiation dose distributions;
- develops improved primary radiation standards and produces highly
accurate standard reference data for ionizing radiation and radioactive
materials;
- provides standard reference materials, calibrations, and
measurement-quality-assurance services to users such as hospitals, industry,
States and other Federal agencies;
- develops measurement methods and technology for use by the
radiation-processing industry, health-care industry, nuclear electric-power
industry, environmental technology, and radiation-using industrial
applications; and
- develops and operates well-characterized sources and beams of electrons,
photons, and neutrons for primary radiation standards, calibrations, research
on radiation interactions, and development of measurement methods.
To accomplish these goals, the Division staff interacts widely in the national
radiation community in all sectors including industry, State and Federal
government, and universities. The Division has strong interactions in the
international radiation community through scientific collaborations and
committee activities. Division staff members participate in numerous
professional societies and on many committees. The Division is collaborating
with industrial companies, professional and governmental organizations and
interested individuals from the radiation-user community in the programs of
the Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards (CIRMS).
ORGANIZATION
The Division employs about 50 scientists, engineers, technicians and
secretaries. Activities include fundamental research, applied research, and a
wide variety of measurement services. The group structure consists of three
technical groups: Radiation Interactions and Dosimetry, Neutron Interactions
and Dosimetry, and Radioactivity.
Mission |
Organization | Current Directions | Technical Highlights | Future Directions
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Online: April 1999