Abstract

The closed meeting of the German Commission on Radiological Protection (SSK) in 2023 was dedicated to the topic of  'Digitalization in radiation protection'. Digitalization - or rather: digital transformation - of the society is accompanied with numerous opportunities, but also challenges. This also applies for the field of radiation protection. The opportunities and challenges in the field of radiation protection were highlighted and discussed in introductory talks, which refer to metrology, patient care and clinical research, medical examinations and emergency protection. Additionally, information security and social participation in digital transformation were highlighted. With the „World Café“ method group discussions referring to the topics of the introductory talks were explored in greater depth and the results of the discussions were summarized on posters for the plenary session. Citizen science projects in radiation protection, such as TRANSENS (Transdisciplinary Research on the Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste in Germany) or the „Opengeiger“ project, were also presented, illustrating the opportunities and challenges of digital transformation in this important new field. The conference was completed with keynote lectures on "digital ethics" and "digital democracy". In addition, young academics were involved in the conference in a poster session.

The moderated panel discussion summarized the key findings of the conference and explored relevant aspects in greater depth. It was concluded that digital transformation in the field of radiation protection can provide relief, brings advantages for measurement technology, promotes social participation and contributes to a better risk assessment in radiation protection. Furthermore, fundamental prerequisites were identified to ensure that the opportunities of digital transformation can be optimally exploited while minimizing the risks.