National collaboration

CERAD partners NMBU, NRPA, MET and NIVA have become partners in the Fram Center in Trømsø.

Research collaboration on essential elements such as selenium and iodine within husbandry (cow, pig) is extensive (RCN projects).

Also, national collaboration on NORM research, especially related to road construction work in alum shale areas, has been strengthened. 

Sampling team during the iodine experiment

Photo

Janne Karin Brodin

International collaboration

• Norwegian-Russian collaboration remains an important focus for several CERAD partners. The NRPA administers the subsidy funds for the Nuclear Action Plan, where initiatives for nuclear safety have helped to reduce the risk of nuclear accidents and radioactive contamination in Northwest Russia. Bilateral collaboration extends to regulatory support and to research based projects in the Mayak Production Association in the Ural, covering themes as diverse as internal human dosimetry and radiological impacts on freshwater ecosystem. In 2014, Norwegian experts, including partners from CERAD, completed a successful expedition in collaboration with Russian partners to the sunken submarine K-159 in the Barents Sea.
• CERAD features prominently in Europe with connections to the European Radioecology Alliance (www.er-alliance.org), that has been established between the radiation protection organisations in Europe to pool knowledge and research efforts and train new experts in the field of radioecology. Two of the CERAD directors are the members of its Board (Per Strand and Brit Salbu). Within radioecology, CERAD is a partner in the EU STAR, COMET, RATE and CONCERT projects. CERAD is also a partner in projects associated with radiochemistry (CHINCH-II), radiobiology (DoReMi) and emergency preparedness (PREPARE and SHAMISEN). CERAD research director Deborah Oughton is a board member of NERIS European Platform on Preparedness for Nuclear and Radiological Emergency Response and Recovery (www.eu-neris.net).
• CERAD has been involved in UNSCEAR, in the assessment of the consequences of the Fukushima accident on the environment, CERAD MG is also represented in the two of ICRP's committees. CERAD members have also participated in the ICRP co-expertise dialogues in Fukushima.
• CERAD is also heavily involved in the IAEA Coordinated Research Project on Environmental Behaviour and Potential Biological Impact of Radioactive Particles (2013-2016), where the director of CERAD acts as chair. CERAD members are also involved in other IAEA activities: revision of technical safety guides, and co-ordinating work on the societal consequences of Fukushima for the IAEA Comprehensive Report.
• A collaboration between IUR and CERAD has been initiated on Ecosystem approach strategy, and CERAD/NRPA co-organized a Consensus Conference in Miami in November 2015. In 2014, the CERAD director was awarded the IUR V. I. Vernadsky price.
• CERAD/NRPA has been elected a president of the European Society of Skin Cancer Prevention (EUROSKIN) (http://www.euroskin.eu/en/).
• NMBU has been involved in NATO Science for Peace and Security programs related to Central Asia, and a NORM project in Uzbekistan is ongoing.