The Third Annual Thomas S. Tenforde Topical Lecture HPS Ask the Experts: The Most Intriguing Questions and Answers

Area of Science:

• Health Physics
• Radiation Safety Communication
• Public Information Dissemination

Background:

• The Health Physics Society (HPS) established an online
• Ask the Experts
• (ATE) feature in 1999 to address public inquiries on radiation safety.
• Initially a novel concept, the ATE feature has become a highly successful and valuable public service for the HPS over two decades.
• Nearly 13,000 questions have been submitted and personally answered by radiation safety experts.

Discussion:

• The ATE feature's most significant impact stems from its extensive online content, including FAQs, summary papers, and links to pertinent information.
• Headlines are used for all postings, including answers, to function as keywords, enhancing website searchability and discoverability.
• The feature is managed by a dedicated team of editors and over 300 experts, attracting more than one million visitors annually.

Key Insights:

• Effective communication with the public requires compassion, directness (bottom line first), brevity, and the use of plain language.
• Credibility is enhanced through heavy reliance on peer-reviewed documents in expert responses.
• The ATE feature has provided valuable insights into public concerns regarding medical exposures, consumer products, environmental radiation, and non-ionizing radiation sources.

Outlook:

• The continued success and high visitor traffic indicate the ATE feature effectively meets public needs for radiation safety information.
• Ongoing refinement of communication strategies will further enhance the feature's ability to provide accessible and accurate radiation safety guidance.
• The ATE feature serves as a model for scientific societies engaging the public on complex technical topics.