How do you run a world-class research operation like Carolina’s? Finance and Operations staff understand and appreciate the science and are passionate about the researchers they support. This profile of our Environment, Health and Safety radiation safety team is part of a fuller story from F&O’s “On the Go” newsletter, February 2019.
Critical Support
UNC-Chapel Hill’s Environment, Health and Safety department houses nine radiation safety employees, representing more than 150 combined years of experience in radiation safety. This team is responsible for the critical oversight of the use of radiation for more than 90 UNC licensed principal investigators engaged in the study of cancer and lung and heart disease. In addition, the radiation safety team supports oversight and compliance for use of radiation in the study of physics, astronomy, biomedical imaging, biological science and environment science.
“Research safety is every researcher’s responsibility,” said University Radiation Safety Officer Roger Sit, who earned his Ph.D. in nuclear engineering at UC-Berkeley, “But our role is to provide critical support services like inspections, licensing, training, dose and shielding assessment and personnel and occupational exposure monitoring.”
Sit and the radiation safety team make sure that the nine irradiators, 330 radiation producing machines, eight particle accelerators, two calibration facilities and the waste facility are all safe for Carolina’s patients and employees. The team also represents the University to the important regulatory agencies, without which no research could be done.
“The team represents the University to the important regulatory agencies, because UNC’s diverse research is highly dependent on radioactive materials and radiation generating equipment,” said Sit. “Without that oversight the regulatory agencies would not allow that research.”
Learn more about Environment, Health and Safety’s radiation safety efforts.