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@ARTICLE{Degenhardt:363921,
author = {Degenhardt, Ämilie L. and Kunert, Patrizia and Herzner,
Viktoria and Gill, Sehajpreet and Love, Nazanin and
Abuhamed, Jad and Stendardo, Giorgia and Sennhenn, Kim Lea
and John, Warren A. and Subedi, Prabal},
title = {{A} response to the {V}ancouver call for action: addressing
the needs of early career scientists in radiation
protection},
journal = {Radiation and environmental biophysics},
volume = {64},
number = {4},
issn = {0006-3517},
address = {New York, NY},
publisher = {Springer},
reportid = {GSI-2026-00124},
pages = {581 - 593},
year = {2025},
note = {This article is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 International License,},
abstract = {Early career researchers, professionals, and scientists
(ECRs) are essential to the future of radiation protection,
a field that increasingly relies on interdisciplinary
collaboration and innovation. In line with the principles
outlined in the Vancouver Call for Action for Radiation
Protection Researchers, an ICRP (International Commission on
Radiological Protection) initiative, this article explores
the current landscape for ECRs through the lens of survey
data, initiative outcomes, and the establishment of the
Early Career in Radiation Protection Network (ECRad).
Drawing on a Europe-wide survey of 47 ECRs, the study
identifies key areas of concern: while there is strong
intrinsic motivation to remain in the field, perceived
feasibility is often hampered by job insecurity, fragmented
institutional support, and lack of structured mentorship.
Although most respondents participate in existing networks
such as ICRP, EURADOS, and IRPA, many reported unmet
expectations, particularly in mentorship, sustained peer
interaction, and accessible professional development. The
formation of the RadoNorm Early Career Researcher Council
(ECRC) responded directly to these gaps, demonstrating that
self-organized, ECR-led initiatives can significantly
enhance a sense of belonging and interdisciplinary
engagement. However, structural barriers - such as time,
funding, and short-term project support - persist, echoing
the Vancouver Call for Action's call for improved education,
training, and retention. In conclusion, while considerable
progress has been made in addressing the needs of ECRs in
radiation protection, gaps that threaten the long-term
vitality of the field remain. The findings affirm the
urgency of coordinated action among institutions, networks,
and funding bodies to invest in and empower the next
generation of radiation protection professionals.},
keywords = {Radiation Protection / Humans / Research Personnel /
Mentors / ECRad (Other) / Early career scientists (Other) /
Mentorship and networking (Other) / Radiation protection
(Other) / RadoNorm (Other) / Vancouver call for action
(Other)},
cin = {BIO / BIO@FAIR},
ddc = {530},
cid = {I:(DE-Ds200)BIO-20160831OR354 / I:(DE-Ds200)Coll-FAIR-BIO},
pnm = {633 - Life Sciences – Building Blocks of Life: Structure
and Function (POF4-633) / HGS-HIRe - HGS-HIRe for FAIR
(HGS-HIRe) / RadoNorm - Towards effective radiation
protection based on improved scientific evidence and social
considerations - focus on radon and NORM (900009)},
pid = {G:(DE-HGF)POF4-633 / G:(DE-Ds200)HGS-HIRe /
G:(EU-Grant)900009},
experiment = {$EXP:(DE-Ds200)no_experiment-20200803$},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)16},
pubmed = {pmid:40960552},
UT = {WOS:001572739100001},
doi = {10.1007/s00411-025-01145-z},
url = {https://repository.gsi.de/record/363921},
}