2026 CRPA Award Winners and Honorary Life Membership

At the virtual annual general meeting in June, we acknowledged some of our most dedicated and deserving members for their contributions to CRPA or the field of radiation protection.

Here are the 2026 recipients:

Honorary Life Membership

Honorary Life Members are individuals who have made significant contributions to CRPA or the field of radiation protection and who have been deemed by members as worthy of lifetime membership in the association. Nominees must have been a full member for at least 10 consecutive years when they are nominated for Honorary Life Membership at a CRPA annual general meeting.

A dedicated member since 1988, Mike Grey served on the board of directors as director (2002–2004), president (2005–2006), and treasurer (2010–2012), and he was a member of the planning committees for the 2016 Toronto conference and 2025 Hamilton conference. He received the CRPA Distinguished Achievement Award in 2010.

Beyond his work with CRPA, Mike is a certified health physicist (CHP), a registered occupational hygienist (ROH), and past president of the Occupational Hygiene Association of Ontario. He also serves on the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) technical committees focused on environmental radiological protection and nuclear decommissioning. His contributions to the development of national standards were recognized with the CSA Award of Merit in 2016.

Richard V. Osborne Founders’ Award

Named for CRPA’s founding president, the Richard V. Osborne Founders’ Award recognizes a member who has made significant contributions to the enhancement, advancement, reputation, and stature of the association, both nationally and internationally.

Michel Deschamps was a founding member of CRPA, serving as its first treasurer from 1979 to 1980, as director from 1983 to 1985, and as an active member throughout his career. Michel made significant contributions to the advancement of radiation protection in both X-rays and radioisotopes, and has remained a passionate advocate for radiation protection.

Michel was presented with this award by Stéphane Trudeau, Stéphane Jean-François, and Manon Rouleau at the offices of Radioprotection Inc. on June 19, 2026.

Delmar McCormack Smyth Scholarship

In 2025, the Radiation Safety Institute of Canada (RSIC) established a scholarship in memory of Delmar McCormack (Mac) Smyth (1923–2011). The scholarship marked a pivotal moment in the history of the Radiation Safety Institute of Canada—the 45th anniversary of the institute and the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the Fergal Nolan National Laboratories in Saskatoon, SK.

Delmar was one of the founding forces behind the RSIC and served as the founding chair and later honorary life chair of the institute’s board of directors. A scholar, educator, public servant, and visionary leader, he dedicated his life to learning, public service, and the pursuit of a safer, more peaceful world. His work in government, academia, and community leadership helped shape institutions that continue to serve Canadians today.

In 2026, RSIC collaborated with CRPA to administer the $10,000 scholarship. Applicants were required to be enrolled full-time in a Canadian post-secondary institution in a program related to radiation safety, have a minimum average mark of 75%, and submit an essay entitled “Why radiation safety matters in today’s world, and how I hope to contribute to this field.”

This year, a total of 53 entries were received from 13 institutions, and 3 winners were chosen:

• Fatima Farooq, Loyalist College
• Lucas Ho-Foster, McMaster University
• Olivia Sharp, The Michener Institute and University of Toronto

Congratulations to the winners and special thanks to Leah Shuparski-Miller, Devin Sullivan, and the members of CRPA’s Student and Young Professionals Committee (SYPCOM) for coordinating and judging the applications.

Anthony J. MacKay Student Paper Contest

As usual, three finalists for the Anthony J. MacKay Student Paper Contest presented their papers in person at the conference in Saskatoon, SK, on May 28, 2026:

• Ann Drakes, from Ontario Tech University, presented her paper titled Feasibility Assessment of 3D Neutron Flux Reconstruction for Reactor Physics and Radiation Protection in a Graphite-Moderated Subcritical Assembly Core Using Multi-Material Scintillator Arrays and Geant4.
• Joe Singh, from the University of Saskatchewan, presented on Enhancing Radiation Protection in Radioisotope Shipping Through Nested Shielding Inserts.
• Sid Ahmed Ryad Tiarti, from Université de Montréal, presented Radon in the Workplace: Estimating the Effective Radiation Dose.

Congratulations to Ann Drakes, who received the $500 cash prize and was presented with the Anthony J. MacKay Student Trophy by Bryce Gillman and Joe Cortese of Spectral Solutions. Thanks to Mina Manzoor, Matt Bernacci, and the members of CRPA’s Student and Young Professionals Committee (SYPCOM) for managing and judging the entries, as well as Spectral Solutions for generously sponsoring the 2026 contest.