RE: Health Physics Society => Radiation Safety Society

[Lester Slaback <Lester.Slaback@NIST.GOV>]

I would assert that folks outside the radiation arena have little or no
knowledge of what HPs do, regardless of the society title.  So, with the
title Health Physics Society (or some other arcane combination) they are
forced to ask.  With Radiation Protection Society or Radiation Safety
Society they think they know but really do not.
So which do we prefer?
Since I do not believe title changes solve the underlying issue (i.e.,
prompt understanding of our issues and what we do), and what we do
frequently involves more than simply 'safety', and I am a bit of a
stick-in-the-mud traditionalist, I vote for Health Physics Society.  And I
have to agree with Peter, it is a bit more imposing (sort of like Sanitary
Engineer).
Disclaimer:  the above are the personal musings of the author, and do not
represent any past, present, or future position of NIST, the U.S. government,
or anyone else who might think that they are in a position of authority. 
Lester Slaback, Jr.  [Lester.Slaback@NIST.GOV] 
NBSR Health Physics 
Center for Neutron Research 
NIST
100 Bureau Dr.  STOP 3543 
Gaithersburg, MD  20899-3543 
301 975-5810 voice
301 921-9847 fax
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html