The president of the SBPR, Dr. Josilto de Aquino, is honored to announce the 7th edition of the International Joint Conference RADIO, RADIO-2024. In addition to the VIII Brazilian Congress of Radiological Protection, this edition of the Joint Conference will include the X Brazilian Congress of Metrology of Ionizing Radiation (CBMRI), the result of a partnership between the Brazilian Society of Radiological Protection (SBPR) and the Brazilian Society of Metrology (SBM). The Conference will also include the tenth edition of the Radiation Protection Congress of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, organized alternately in Brazil and Portugal in partnership with the Portuguese Society for Radiation Protection (SPPCR), the 10th International Congress of Industrial Radioprotection, in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Non-Destructive Testing and Inspection (ABENDI), and the II National Meeting of Women in the Nuclear Sector, in conjunction with Women In Nuclear Brazil (WIN-Brasil), a network that promotes Brazilian women in the nuclear and radiation sector, contributing to their full participation in technical-scientific and managerial bodies, with a view to building a positive perception of nuclear sciences.

As in previous versions, the joint organization of the Conference is based on the idea that strengthening a culture of radiation protection and safety involves creating opportunities for constructive dialogue between all stakeholders involved in radiation-related activities, including radiation protection specialists, physicists, doctors, as well as equipment designers and suppliers. 

It will be a meeting designed to hold debates and promote the exchange of experiences related to the application of ionizing radiation in industry, medicine and research. And, once again, it is a timely meeting, given the adoption of a New Regulatory Framework in the country, with preparations for the new National Nuclear Safety Authority (ANSN) and the end of the Public Consultation that discussed the new CNEN Standard NN 3.01, dealing with the Basic Requirements for Radioprotection and Safety of Ionizing Radiation Sources. And we mustn't forget that Radiological Safety and Protection standards and International Recommendations always mention the need for periodic recycling of the knowledge of those working in the Radioprotection Service of companies and institutions. 

At the same time as the conference, mini-courses will be held to provide professional updates on different topics related to radioprotection. In addition to the exhibition of products and services from companies in the field, the event program will consist of conferences, round tables, thematic sessions with presentations of papers and poster sessions. As in previous editions, in addition to representatives from IRPA and FRALC, the conference will also feature prominent speakers, given the traditional support of organizations such as the IAEA, PAHO and WHO. 

Emphasizing the academic bias of a scientific society like the SBPR, we will have another important opportunity to publish scientific articles, which are usually required and valued by Graduate Programs. The Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences, a peer-reviewed diamond open access scientific journal edited by the SBPR since the 2013 IRPA Regional, will publish a special issue with a selection of scientific papers presented during the Conference, provided that they are subsequently submitted to the journal in the form of a full article. Considered to be a journal of national excellence, previously classified A2 only for the Interdisciplinary area, it has now been classified B1 in CAPES' new Qualis Periodico for all areas of knowledge (Qualis único), which reinforces its multi- and interdisciplinary nature.

Finally, we would like to highlight the role of a technical-scientific society in the struggle for better policies in the country. According to Cláudia Linhares Sales, Secretary General of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science, of which the SBPR is a member, it is the articulation with affiliated scientific societies that guarantees the strength of academia's demands over the decades. It is based on the need to value and strengthen these organizations that since 2014 we have had the Regulatory Framework for Civil Society Organizations (MROSC) - Law 13.019/2014. 

SBPR members and partners can benefit from reduced registration fees. Don't be an isolated scientist in a given institution. Take advantage of your scientific professional society to advance your career. It is a source of new ideas and lifelong learning, opening up opportunities for students and researchers. We define a scientific society (also often referred to as an academic society) as an association of people who come together to promote progress in a specific technological or scientific field and to facilitate the interaction of interested people at regional, national or international level. Becoming a member of a scientific society brings numerous benefits for an academic career, especially for young students, as well as being important evidence of commitment to the scientific community. Being a member of a scientific society keeps you up to date on what is happening in your field of research, as well as future job and/or funding opportunities, such as those made available by funding agencies, discounts on scientific conferences and, of course, networking and collaboration opportunities, expanding your professional network.

If you are a member of SBPR, you are a member of IRPA, a powerful voice for disciplines related to the applications of ionizing radiation, which necessarily need to ensure safety and security. We emphasize inclusion and diversity, including geographical, gender and career stage diversity. In addition to the Women's and Young Radioprotectionists' Secretariats, the SBPR already has Regional Secretariats in Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, São Paulo, Poços de Caldas, Goiânia, Recife, Curitiba, Teresina, Resende and Salvador.

Our purpose and aspirations, as a professional society, include strengthening a culture of safety and improving Radiological Protection, as a scientific discipline, in the various applications of radiation in medicine, industry, agriculture and research, through public advocacy and representation before government authorities, and by promoting networking, information sharing, mentoring, career opportunities, leadership training and professional development.