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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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The RAIN scale: A good intention that falls short
Radiation protection specialists agree that clear communication of radiation risks remains a vexing challenge that cannot be solved solely by finding new ways to convey technical information.
Earlier this year, an article in Nuclear News described a new radiation risk communication tool, known as the Radiation Index, or, RAIN (“Let it RAIN: A new approach to radiation communication,” NN, Jan. 2025, p. 36). The authors of the article created the RAIN scale to improve radiation risk communication to the general public who are not well-versed in important aspects of radiation exposures, including radiation dose quantities, units, and values; associated health consequences; and the benefits derived from radiation exposures.
2022 ANS Winter Meeting and Technology Expo Speaker
Luc Van Den Durpel graduated in 1989 as civil engineer and nuclear engineer from the University of Ghent (Belgium) where he also obtained his PhD on nuclear energy systems analysis. He initially conducted research at the Nuclear Research Center in Belgium as nuclear engineer, operations manager for research reactors and program manager for advanced nuclear energy systems.
He joined the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency in Paris (France) in 1998 to conduct international studies on advanced nuclear energy systems and specifically advanced nuclear fuel cycle R&D and waste management.
Early 2002, he joined US-DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory (ANL, US) in the context of Generation-IV and specifically nuclear energy system scenarios.
Since March 2009, he became Scientific Director and International Expert at AREVA NC’s Corporate Research and Innovation Directorate and since October 2011, he became Vice-President Strategic Analysis and Technology Prospective at AREVA’s Corporate R&D.
After leaving AREVA in March 2015, he launched the expert cabinet Nuclear-21 supporting governments, utilities, industry, regulators, waste agencies and R&D-laboratories in nuclear science and technology decisioneering. His personal interests are focused on the technical and financial challenges in transitioning towards sustainable energy systems including, especially in the nuclear field, the positioning of nuclear energy, international development and the internationalisation of the nuclear fuel cycle.
He is member of the Scientific Council of the Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et Energie Alternatives (CEA, France) and Board member of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) next to executive committee member in various organisations and learning societies.
Last modified October 21, 2022, 8:13am MST
