Anthony J. MacKay Student Paper Contest

The 2025 contest will take place at the CRPA Conference in Hamilton, Ontario, during the week of May 26-30.

The contest will open in early in 2025.

Each year the Student and Young Professionals Committee organizes a student paper contest in conjunction with the CRPA Annual Conference. Three finalists will be selected and given the opportunity to present their work in person at the annual conference. Full conference registration (including banquet) and three nights hotel accommodation will be provided for all three finalists. The winner will be awarded the Anthony J. MacKay trophy, to be presented at the Annual Banquet during the Conference, have their paper published in the CRPA Bulletin and receive a $250 cash prize.

All students who enter the contest will be given a complimentary CRPA Student membership, valid until the end of the year (current student members will be given a one-year extension on their membership).

All students enrolled full-time in a Canadian college or university program related to the radiation sciences are eligible to enter. Students who have recently graduated, e.g. who received their most recent degree/diploma within 12 months prior to the conference date, are also eligible. All finalists must be able to attend the conference in person to present their work. If you are unable to attend, you will lose your position as a finalist.

The topic of the presentation must include some aspect of radiation protection. Submissions that do not meet this requirement will be deemed ineligible. The topic is intentionally kept broad to encourage participation from a wide range of students. The judging criteria (Student Contest Judging Criteria) are available for all participants to view so they can understand how the judges will be assessing their entry.

Abstracts may be submitted in either English or French; however, presentations will be in English and simultaneous translation will not be available at the conference.

Yes, but please note the following:

  • DO NOT submit your paper to the contest and the conference simultaneously.
  • Once you have submitted your paper to the contest, wait until you have received notification regarding being selected as a finalist or not. You will be notified prior to the deadline for submitting to the conference (the deadlines for submissions to the contest and the conference are staggered).
  • If you are not selected as a finalist you may then submit your paper to the conference. Follow the instructions on the Call for Papers page on the conference website (2025 website coming soon!).  Instructions for submitting to the conference differ and require a different format.

Although the contest itself is only open to papers, there are other ways students can participate in the conference.

Students are welcome to submit a presentation or poster abstract to the conference without having to enter the contest. Information on Presentation and Poster submission to the conference can be found on the conference website (2025 website coming soon!).

Students are welcome to attend the conference simply as a delegate. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn, network and socialize with other students and professionals in the radiation sciences and students are offered a significant discount on registration fees.

Download the Student Paper Contest Submission Instructions and the Student Paper Contest Submission Form below (to be posted in early 2025). The deadline for entries will be announced in early 2025.

2025 CONTEST - HAMILTON, ONTARIO

Contest Entry Deadline: To be announced

Contact the Secretariat if you have any questions regarding the conference or the contest.

We hope to see you in Hamilton!

Anthony J. MacKay Award Recipients

The 2024 Anthony J. MacKay Student Paper Contest was held at the CRPA Conference in Edmonton (Enoch), Alberta in June 2024.

The 2024 Contest was generously sponsored by:

www.spectralsolutionscanada.ca

Congratulations to Shayen Sreetharan!

Presented by Matt Bernacci (SYPCOM Chair), Bryce Gillman and Joe Cortese (Spectral Solutions)

Shayen Sreetharan, Ph.D.
McMaster University & London Health Sciences Centre

Ionizing Radiation Exposure Effects Across Multiple Generations of Non-Human Biota

Previous Winners

Year Topic Winner Download Paper
2024

Ionizing Radiation Exposure Effects Across Multiple Generations of Non-Human Biota

Shayen Sreetharan, Ph.D., McMaster University & London Health Sciences Centre

2023

High-yield cyclotron production of 203Pb using a sealed 205Tl solid target

Bryce Nelson, University of Alberta

2022 (ICRP 2021+1 Symposium)

 Cell DNA Sequencing – A Potential Dosimetric Tool

Felix Matthew, McGill University

2022 (ICRP 2021+1 International Student Paper Contest)

 Development and Evaluation of Overscan Detection Algorithm for AI-Augmented Auditing of Low-Dose Chest CT

Sihwan Kim, Seoul National University

2021

Cancelled (Covid-19)

2020

Cancelled (Covid-19)

2019

 Adaptation of the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay to imaging flow cytometry 

Riham Darwish, Carleton University

2018

 A novel method for resolving the energy spectrum of a radiation beam using doped plastic scintillators

Humza Nusrat, Ryerson University

2017

 A Comparison of Cs-137 and X-Ray Sources as Calibration References for Thermoluminescent Dosimeter Chips

Aravind Ravichandran, University of Saskatchewan

2016

 Neutron Responses of a Novel Multi-element Microdosimetric Detector and Its Potential for Dosimetry.

Zahra Anjomani, McMaster University

2015

 Turning Noise into Numbers: Simultaneous estimation of the radioactivity distribution and electron density map from scattered coincidences in PET

Hongyan Sun, University of Manitoba

2014

 Determination of Activation Products and Resulting Dose Rates for the Varian TrueBeam R03

Rohan Ram and Ian Steadman, UOIT

2013

 Monitoring rainwater and seaweed in southwest and central British Columbia, Canada reveals long-distance transport of I-131 following the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan

Aaron Chester, Simon Fraser University

2012

 Fluence Field Modulated CT: Potential for Dose and Noise Optimization in Thoracic Imaging Applications

Steven Bartolac, University of Toronto

2011

 Design of a Portable Alpha Detector for a Radiation Triage Mask

Lenora Makin and Chad Shew, UOIT

2010

 Development of an Activated Thulium Source for the in vivo Measurement of Hg in Humans Using XRF

Bibi N. Fajurally, McMaster University

2009

 Biological Effects of Alpha Particle Exposure in Human Monocytic Cells

Matthew Howland