The Second Joint Workshop on Initiatives for Low-Dose Research Co-ordination was held on 23–24 June 2026 at the EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) offices in Washington, DC, United States. The event brought together leading experts and stakeholders to advance international collaboration in low-dose radiation research.
Jointly organised by EPRI and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), the workshop is part of an ongoing series of collaborative activities aimed at strengthening global co-ordination in this field. It builds on the outcomes of the first workshop held at NEA headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt in June 2025.
The hybrid event attracted broad international participation, with over 60 in-person attendees and more than 60 participants joining online from over 20 countries, reflecting the growing global importance of co-ordinated approaches to low-dose research.
William D. Magwood, IV, NEA Director-General, and Steven Swilley, Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer at EPRI, delivered welcome remarks, stressing the importance of low-dose science to inform risk assessment in different sectors, and the importance of international research co-ordination and co-operation.
The NEA High Level Group on Low-Dose (HLG-LDR), which was involved in the organisation of the workshop, plays a central role in supporting radiological protection policy, regulation and implementation by promoting the effectiveness and efficiency of research on low-dose radiation through international networking. The workshop programme was shaped by contributions from key initiatives worldwide, including those in Belgium, Canada, Italy, France, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom, the United States and Singapore, as well as regional and international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) and the European Commission (EC).
Workshop participants attend a networking event hosted by Johns Hopkins University at its Bloomberg Center in Washington, DC
To ensure a dynamic and interactive programme, a scientific committee was convened earlier in the year, bringing together experts from EPRI, the NEA, as well as major research platforms and organisations such as MELODI, EURADOS, ALLIANCE, the Japanese PLANET network, Canada’s COHERE, and representatives from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DoE).
The workshop was structured into six thematic sessions, combining scientific presentations with interactive discussions, panel exchanges and breakout sessions:
- Research on occupational radiation exposure
- Developing tools for organising radiation research, including insights from the chemical sector
- Registers, archives and resources for radiation research co-ordination
- Advances in understanding the health and environmental impacts of nuclear legacy
- Emerging topics, innovative techniques and applications of artificial intelligence
- Risk perception and communication with stakeholders and the public
- Challenges and successes of existing coordination networks
Participants shared the latest findings on low-dose radiation health effects, including results from national and international epidemiological studies of occupationally exposed workers, as well as research into biological mechanisms associated with low-dose exposures. The discussions also highlighted new methodologies and innovative research approaches.
Beyond scientific exchange, the workshop focused on strengthening co-ordination mechanisms within the radiological protection community. Participants explored ways to enhance outreach on the importance of research collaboration, to support the development of education and training resources for the next generation of experts, and to foster closer engagement between researchers and regulators. These efforts aim to maximise the impact of research outcomes and facilitate their translation into practical applications for policy and practice.
The programme also included reflections on lessons learnt from risk assessment practices in the chemical sector and from past nuclear and radiological emergencies, offering valuable insights for future research and policy development.
The workshop reinforced that while meaningful progress has been made in understanding low-dose radiation risks, global co-ordination, improved data sharing infrastructure, and adoption of advanced analytical tools (including use of artificial intelligence) are essential to unlocking the next phase of scientific discovery.
