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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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The RAIN scale: A good intention that falls short
Radiation protection specialists agree that clear communication of radiation risks remains a vexing challenge that cannot be solved solely by finding new ways to convey technical information.
Earlier this year, an article in Nuclear News described a new radiation risk communication tool, known as the Radiation Index, or, RAIN (“Let it RAIN: A new approach to radiation communication,” NN, Jan. 2025, p. 36). The authors of the article created the RAIN scale to improve radiation risk communication to the general public who are not well-versed in important aspects of radiation exposures, including radiation dose quantities, units, and values; associated health consequences; and the benefits derived from radiation exposures.
Edward L. Quinn has been an ANS member since 1984. He is active in the Aerospace Nuclear Science & Technology, Human Factors Instrumentation & Controls and Operations & Power Divisions.
He is the president of Technology Resources and has over 35 years experience in managing nuclear and fossil utility contracts, as well as expertise in personnel in support of both project and supplemental assignments at various utilities in the U.S.
He has managed and performed projects in licensing and compliance, electrical and controls design, and start-up and operation, including standards development for the Instrument Society of America (ISA) and the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC). Quinn is also the author of over 50 papers and presentations on nuclear instrumentation and control subjects.
His other experience includes instructor at the MIT Summer Reactor Safety Course for over 15 years and is a board member of the nuclear engineering programs at Oregon State University and Ohio State University.
Quinn currently provides the licensing support for the eight awarded Invensys Operations Management (IOM) nuclear projects in China. In 2009, he was awarded the 1906 Award for the Development of Standards, the highest award in IEC. Two years later, he received the ANS Walter Zinn Award, named after the first President of ANS.
His educational background includes a BS in Electrical Engineering from Tufts University, Medford, MA, and a Masters in Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. Quinn experience also includes Naval Nuclear Qualified Shift Test Engineer (NAVSEA 08).
Read Nuclear News from July 1998 for more on Edward.
