Family Driven: Enhancing Global Standards of Radiation Protection of Patients

Rizk’s journey in radiation protection and dosimetry started in 2005 when, after completing her master’s degree in Material Science and Electronic Components in 2004, she was offered the job of Technical Manager at the Individual Monitoring Laboratory at the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission.  

There she oversaw the safe occupational radiation exposure of more than 6000 workers across over 400 healthcare facilities, industrial companies and research centres.  

“It is important to know what dosimetry is and its importance,” Rizk says, explaining that “it is the measurement and calculation of the radiation dose absorbed by the human body or other devices or objects. It is crucial in fields like radiology, nuclear medicine and radiation therapy to ensure safe and effective use of radiation.” 

She also achieved ISO accreditation for the Lebanese laboratory — the first of its kind in the Middle East — setting a new benchmark of standards and quality for radiation protection of occupationally exposed workers in the region. 

“Chadia’s efforts have made a lasting impact, consistently raising standards and enhancing practices in the field,” said Director General of the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission, Bilal Nsouli, and Rizk’s former professor during her Master’s degree. 

In 2007, her collaboration with the IAEA began, initially as a fellow and later as a counterpart in four projects under the technical cooperation programme. Rizk worked with the IAEA on individual monitoring and regulatory compliance to improve occupational radiation protection in Lebanon in line with the IAEA International Basic Safety Standards.  

“Despite limited resources, she remained steadfast in her commitment to providing dosimetry services according to international standards and her passion for radiation protection research has always stood out,” reflects Filip Vanhavere, Radiation Protection Research Coordinator at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre who worked with Rizk on an IAEA mission to the Lebanese laboratory. 

As Rizk’s expertise expanded, so did her influence. In the years that followed, she broadened her focus beyond occupational radiation protection to tackle a growing interest — radiation protection of patients. 

In 2016, she pursued a PhD in radiation protection and medical physics at Saint Joseph University in Beirut, Lebanon while continuing her work at the laboratory. Her aim was to continually optimize medical exposure and minimize unnecessary and accidental exposure. 

This meant establishing reference levels in diagnostic and interventional radiology, as well as in diagnostic nuclear medicine. She also gave on-site training for health professionals on patient dose management, optimization of imaging protocols, assessment of image quality, and the implementation of a quality assurance programme, including the management of accidental exposures. 

Around this time, the IAEA approached Rizk again, this time to deliver training through expert missions designed to support countries in the region to build capacity in occupational radiation protection and radiation protection of patients. 

Juggling her studies and professional duties, she also had to give special care to her daughter. This often meant working and managing multiple responsibilities for up to 16 hours a day, seven days a week.  

“It requires perseverance and adaptability, but every challenge presents an opportunity to grow, learn, and make a positive impact both professionally and personally,” said Rizk. 

Rizk has since been recruited by the IAEA to work full time in the Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety Division as a Radiation Protection Specialist. In this role, she develops safety reports that provide guidance for radiation protection of patients, creates training materials to build capacity among medical professionals, designs e-learning courses that offer flexible and effective learning opportunities for an international audience and delivers webinars on radiation protection topics related to the medical uses of ionizing radiation.

She is also still actively involved in IAEA’s technical cooperation projects aimed at improving radiation protection of patients’ capabilities in countries, particularly in Africa, where access to cancer care is most needed. She provides technical assistance and capacity building programmes to help countries strengthen their regulatory frameworks, minimize accidental exposures and improve safety culture in healthcare.

She says she is “honoured to contribute to the transformative impact on radiation protection.”

Her message to young women entering the field? “Never be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Dream boldly and pursue those dreams fearlessly.”

The IAEA is committed to gender equality and supporting the ability of all individuals, regardless of gender, to equally contribute to and benefit from its programmes and activities. 

Additionally, in 2020, the IAEA launched the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme (MSCFP) to support the next generation of women nuclear professionals by offering scholarships for master’s degree in nuclear-related fields. A new IAEA initiative launched in March 2023, the Lise Meitner Programme, offers early- and mid-career women multiweek training visits to nuclear facilities. 

Read more about the IAEA’s work on gender equality, and apply for vacancies, internships or pipelines.