Abstract

In an advisory mandate dated 11 November 2020, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) asked the SSK to answer the question of "who will still have the opportunity to conduct basic research in radiation protection in Germany in the future and what measures can be taken to promote radiation research" with the aim of drawing up a catalogue of measures "through the implementation of which research in the field of ionising and non-ionising radiation in Germany can be supported and expertise secured in the long term".

As a result of this advisory mandate, a working group of the SSK initially drew up a statement in 2021, which was intended as a first step in processing the advisory mandate. In this statement, the SSK identified the most important scientific disciplines and actors in radiation research. In the present recommendation, the SSK identifies in a second step the need to maintain and promote expertise in these disciplines, analyses the strengths and weaknesses of radiation research in Germany and makes proposals for measures to maintain and further expand expertise in the long term.

In this context, the SSK always understands the term radiation research in relation to its (also long-term) relevance for radiation protection, which also includes corresponding basic research on the effects of radiation. Wherever people are exposed to increased levels of radiation or new technological developments are associated with the generation and use of radiation, whether ionising or non-ionising, radiation protection must be considered and possibly further developed.

In this recommendation, the SSK concentrates on maintaining and expanding expertise in training and research, as there can be no expertise in application without appropriately trained young people. This applies to both ionising and non-ionising radiation (UV radiation and electromagnetic fields). The SSK is aware of the fact that there are also areas of application (e.g. in radiation emergency medicine) that require (infra-) structural changes, but these are not conclusively discussed in this recommendation.

Radiation research in Germany still enjoys an excellent international reputation. This is due to the fact that German researchers in the past and to this day have been able to contribute significantly to improving the understanding of the significance of radiation for humans and have played a major role in implementing this knowledge for the further development of international radiation protection in various international organisations. Maintaining and expanding expertise in radiation research is essential to ensure that Germany can continue to participate in discussions on the further development of radiation protection in international bodies in the future.