Chadia Rizk’s Journey: Safeguarding Lives through Radiation Protection in Medicine

In 2005, Rizk officially stepped into the field of radiation protection and dosimetry after completing a master’s degree in Material Science and Electronic Components.

Chadia Rizk's professional path into the world of radiation protection is one deeply rooted in personal experience and emotional resilience. As a young woman in her 20s, Rizk was confronted with the harsh realities of cancer when her father was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The disease, which compromises the immune system, demanded intensive treatment and diagnosis — including dozens of radiotherapy sessions and nearly 30 PET–CT scans. These experiences introduced Rizk to the critical role of radiation in medicine, but also highlighted an alarming gap: the absence of clear and accessible guidance on patient radiation protection.

This early exposure to the intricacies of radiation in healthcare was only the beginning. Later, her daughter was diagnosed with Rett syndrome — a rare neurological disorder that significantly affects brain development. This condition led to severe scoliosis, which required frequent radiographic examinations. The combined experience of navigating her father's cancer treatments and addressing her daughter's ongoing medical needs galvanized Rizk's dedication to strengthening patient radiation safety. She found herself driven by a deeply personal mission: to better understand the safe use of radiation and to protect those most vulnerable.

Forging a Career in Dosimetry and Radiation Protection

In 2005, Rizk officially stepped into the field of radiation protection and dosimetry after completing a master's degree in Material Science and Electronic Components. She accepted a pivotal role as Technical Manager at the Individual Monitoring Laboratory under the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission. Here, Rizk oversaw the radiation exposure safety of over 6000 workers spanning 400+ healthcare, industrial, and research facilities.

A cornerstone of her early work was promoting the importance of dosimetry — the science of measuring and calculating radiation doses absorbed by the human body. This is especially crucial in domains like radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiation therapy, where safety and precision are paramount. Under her guidance, the Lebanese laboratory achieved ISO accreditation — the first of its kind in the Middle East. This accreditation set a new benchmark in occupational radiation safety for the region and demonstrated Rizk's commitment to international standards and continuous improvement.

Her achievements earned her widespread respect, with Bilal Nsouli, Director General of the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission and her former professor, commending her enduring impact on raising professional standards.

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Collaborating with the IAEA to Elevate Regional Standards

Rizk's association with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) began in 2007, initially through a fellowship and later through technical cooperation projects. Her work with the IAEA focused on improving individual monitoring, enhancing regulatory compliance, and aligning Lebanon's occupational radiation safety with the IAEA's International Basic Safety Standards.

Filip Vanhavere, Radiation Protection Research Coordinator at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, highlighted her persistence despite limited resources, noting her strong passion for research and unwavering dedication to service quality.

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Shifting the Focus to Patient Protection and Medical Exposure

As her expertise expanded, Rizk shifted her focus from occupational to patient radiation protection — a field gaining increasing attention as medical imaging becomes more common and complex. In 2016, while maintaining her professional responsibilities, she began pursuing a PhD in radiation protection and medical physics at Saint Joseph University in Beirut.

Her academic and fieldwork efforts converged on optimizing medical radiation exposure and minimizing unnecessary or accidental doses. She worked to establish national reference levels for different types of diagnostic and interventional radiology and nuclear medicine. In parallel, she trained healthcare professionals on patient dose management, image quality assessments, quality assurance protocols, and incident mitigation strategies.

Through IAEA-led expert missions, she helped other countries build capacity in radiation protection for patients — especially in regions where medical radiation safety practices were still developing.

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An Advocate for Change on the Global Stage

Rizk's unwavering commitment and high-impact contributions eventually led to her recruitment by the IAEA, where she now works full time as a Radiation Protection Specialist in the Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety Division. Her work involves crafting safety reports, designing training materials, developing e-learning resources, and leading webinars aimed at medical professionals worldwide.

Her influence extends beyond policy and training. Through IAEA's technical cooperation projects — particularly in Africa, where healthcare disparities are acute — Rizk supports regulatory improvements, facilitates training, and fosters a culture of safety in medical settings. Her expertise and compassionate approach have become invaluable to healthcare systems striving to reduce risks and improve cancer care access.

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Overcoming Challenges and Uplifting Others

Rizk's story is not only one of professional success but also of personal perseverance. Balancing her PhD, a demanding full-time job, and the intensive care her daughter required, she managed a 16-hour day, seven days a week schedule. Her message to women in STEM is both empowering and grounded in experience: "Never be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Dream boldly and pursue those dreams fearlessly."

Her journey exemplifies how personal adversity can fuel professional excellence, and how science — guided by empathy — can transform healthcare delivery and outcomes.

IAEA's Broader Commitment to Gender Equality

Rizk's story is part of a larger IAEA initiative to profile women in STEM and promote gender equality across its scientific programmes. The agency actively works to ensure equal participation and leadership opportunities for all genders. It has also launched key initiatives, such as the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme (MSCFP) to support women pursuing nuclear-related master's degrees, and the Lise Meitner Programme, launched in 2023, which offers early- and mid-career women scientists immersive training at nuclear facilities.

These initiatives, alongside the stories of trailblazers like Chadia Rizk, aim to inspire the next generation of women in science and ensure their contributions are recognized, valued, and supported globally.