News Archive

Brant Ulsh, CHP, PhD, Health Physics Editor in Chief

A few months ago, we celebrated the life of the Health Physics Journal's previous Editor in Chief Mike Ryan. Unfortunately, our profession has suffered even more losses. The May issue of the Journal memorializes two more of our colleagues, Mel Chew and Ray Johnson.

I worked for Mel at the company he founded for eight years before he passed, and I knew him for several years before that. He was truly one of the kindest people I have known. Mel was among a small handful of mentors who took a direct interest in my career over the years, and he went out of his way to guide and help me along. I bet reading this, many of you are picturing teachers, supervisors, and colleagues who similarly helped you.

I didn't know Ray as well, but I knew him well enough to know it is going to be very strange going to future annual Health Physics Society (HPS) meetings and not seeing him there. Ray was everywhere, giving talks and training courses, and I marveled at his energy. Reading Kathy McClellan's tribute to Ray, I realize I only saw the tip of the iceberg of Ray's service to the HPS and to our profession.

We can't ever truly replace friends and colleagues like Ray and Mel. We can only honor their memories by "paying it forward" through service to our profession and helping younger health physicists we cross paths with when opportunities present themselves. I'm sure knowing they inspired us to serve would have made Mel and Ray smile.

Editor's pick for the May issue of Health Physics: "Dose Estimation of Landfill Disposal of Removed Soil Generated Outside Fukushima Prefecture"