About

The Executive Committee (2022-2023)

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  Per Nilsson (Driftwood Consulting AB– Sweden)

  Experienced radon expert with a demonstrated history of working in the environmental services industry. Skilled in Radiation Safety, Medical Devices, Sales, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Dosimetry. Strong business development skills.

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  Carmela Carpentieri (ISS – Italy)

  Carmela Carpentieri graduated in physics at “Federico II” University in Naples in 2000, studied for her PHD in high energy physics at “Albert Ludwig” University in Freiburg and post-graduated in medical physics at Pisa University. Since 2009, she has been working as a researcher of the National Center for Radiation Protection and Computational Physics, within the Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità – ISS). Her research activities cover radioactivity, both from natural and artificial sources, from a radioprotection point of view, with a strong focus on radon isotopes. The areas of interest include measurement protocols and techniques, dosimetry, epidemiology, risk assessment, remediation and prevention, policies and regulation. She is involved in several projects national and international and also in activities within the current Italian National Radon Action Plan, as well as in developing the new NRAP according to the requirements of the 2013/59/Euratom directive.

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  Boris Dehandschutter (FANC – Belgium)

  Boris Dehandschutter is active in the field of radiation protection. The research topic of his PhD (in Geology, 2001) has been the structural evolution of sedimentary basins, using among others environmental radioactivity measurements and mapping. After post-doctoral research on the geological aspects of radioactive waste disposal (fracture development and fracture permeability of argillaceous sediments), he coordinated several international projects related to natural radioactivity and its environmental impact. Since 2007 he works at the Belgian radiation protection authority (FANC) on the topics of natural radioactivity (NORM and radon). He is responsible for the national radon programme of Belgium, including radon risk mapping, radon measurement campaigns in dwellings and workplaces, radon awareness activities, training and development of regulations regarding radon.

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  José - Luis Gutiérrez (Radonova laboratories AB – Sweden)

  José – Luis Gutiérrez Villanueva is specialist radon measurement advisor at Radonova Laboratories AB (Sweden). He is a PhD. on Physics with the Thesis entitled “Radon concentrations in air, soil and water in a granitic area: instrumental development and measurements“. His research involves radon gas and natural radioactivity as well as monitoring of radioactivity at steel factories. He has expertise on metrology techniques for natural and artificial radioactivity such as gamma spectrometry, liquid scintillation counting and measurement of radon gas both passive and active methods (air, soil and water).

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  Bernard Collignan (CSTB – France)

  Bernard Collignan is a Senior Research Engineer, Ph-D in the field of Fluid Mechanics and Energy. He works at the Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment (CSTB) since 1996, initially in thermal and ventilation of buildings and now in the field of Indoor Air Quality. He is involved for several years in the field of management of the impact of soil gaseous pollutants on Indoor Air Quality: industrial pollution (VOCs) or natural (radon). His work includes the development of models to study the transfer of soil gaseous pollutants to indoor environments for the characterization of indoor exposures, the development and the design of solutions to protect buildings from these pollutants, and in a more general way, as scientific and technical support for public authorities in the management of these issues and the dissemination of information to building professionals and users.

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  Maria Hansen (GM Scientific- UK))

  Maria Hansen is the Director of GM Scientific.  Maria has a PhD in particle physics, she ventured into the commercial side of passive track etch measurements. She worked for a spin-off company from Bristol university until last year, manufacturing CR-39, selling automated analysis equipment and setting up and running a radon measurement service. She has since been continuing the work with measurement laboratories, training staff, installing and maintaining equipment and provided equipment and materials when required. She has an interest in improving the materials used in the passive track etch technology to ultimately improve the measurement capability of these types of detectors to ensure the data used in research is as good as possible and the uncertainties minimised. Maria has been involved with the two radon bodies in the UK over the years; the UK Radon Association and The Radon Council before joining the ERA executive committee in 2017.

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  Paulo Pinto (Radosys Atlantic – Portugal)

  Paulo Norte Pinto is the Managing Partner, Radosys Atlantic Lda based in Portugal. Paulo has worked for several years in the Natural Radioactivity Laboratory of the University of Coimbra, in Portugal, using different technologies and techniques, and co-designing the first radon mitigation projects in the country. In 2013 he co- founded the Radosys Atlantic, a spin-off company from the LRN and the Radosys. With activities in the Portuguese & Spanish speaking countries, and Africa, he has been responsible for the installation of several passive radon dosimetry laboratories, with local staff training.

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  Dobromir Pressyanov (U. Sofia – Bulgaria)

  Dobromir Pressyanov graduated nuclear physics in 1985 and worked as a health physicist in uranium industry and its health inspection till 1994. He acquired PhD in 1993 and DSc in 2013. Since 1994 Dr. Pressyanov works at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” where currently he is professor of physics (dosimetry and radiation protection). Most of his research (more than 120 publications and 4 patents) is related to radon and thoron. Particular topics that are worth to mention include retrospective measurements of radon and thoron (by CD/DVDs), organizing  radon surveys in radon priority areas in Bulgaria, consultancy on mitigation of buildings. So far Dobromir Pressyanov has provided technical consultancy for mitigation of 24 buildings (most of them kindergartens and schools) in Bulgaria and have designed two radon prevention systems in new buildings (kindergartens). He was engaged as an expert in the International Radon Project of the World Health Organisation (2005-2008). In 2017 he served as Guest editor of special issues of Journal of Environmental Radioactivity and Radiation Protection Dosimetry, dedicated to radon. He has been head/member of organizing or scientific committees of international conferences and invited lecturer at conferences and institutions in different countries in Europe and North America. He is involved in national and international radon related projects and frequently invited to speak on radon on TV and radio programs in Bulgaria.

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  Bety-Denissa Burghele (Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania)

  Bety-Denissa Burghele is a Senior Researcher with a PhD in the field of Environmental Sciences. Her expertise includes radon measurements and mitigations. She has published numerous scientific papers on radon and successfully implemented three national research projects as coordinator. She is a founding member of the European Radon Association and the vice-president of the Association of Radon Professionals from Romania. Her experience has been awarded nationally and internationally for relevant contributions to radon research. In 2018 she became a founding member of the LiRaCC laboratory, the first and most complex laboratory authorized to provide radon services for the Romanian public, where she holds the position of Technical Supervisor. In 2022 she started Radon Action SRL, the only radon mitigation company in Romania.

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  Valeria Gruber (AGES, Austria)

  Valeria Gruber is a physicist and has been working in the radon field for almost 20 years now, already during her diploma thesis (radon in soil gas measurements) at the Technical University Vienna. Afterwards she was as a researcher and finished her Ph.D. (natural radioactivity in drinking water) at the BOKU University. From 2010 to 2013 Valeria was a post-doc at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, REM group, in the field of the European Atlas of Natural Radiation. Since 2013 she is working at the National Radon Centre of Austria, AGES, and was and is responsible of developing and monitoring the Austrian Radon Action Plan, the Austrian Radon map and delineation of radon priority areas. Valeria has been involved in various activities in the radon field and is familiar with the requirements and implementation process of the EU-BSS, both from a national and European perspective. In addition, she is part of international research projects – e.g. RadoNorm, traceRadon, MetroRadon and does expert work for international organisations (e.g. IAEA, UNSCEAR, EC); Valeria is a member of radiation protection professional bodies (e.g. EURADOS, FS, ÖVS) and a proud founding member of ERA.

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  Antonio Angelo Parravicini (Mi.am S.r.l, Italy)

  Antonio Parravicini has been dealing with radon since his degree in physics in 1989, thesis focused on radioactivity in geological faults lines. In 1994, after training at Milan University, he founded Mi.am. The company’s mission has always been to provide radon professionals with the best and most technologically advanced equipment. While running a business, he especially enjoys working in the field. In almost 30 years, in collaboration with various research institutes, he has developed new technical solutions for radon monitors and SSNTD reading systems. He has held training courses in public institutions and private companies and has contributed to several publications. In recent years he has gained a significant experience in radon mitigation. In 2020 he was one of the founders of ASSORADON, the Italian Association of Radon Professionals, of which he has the honour of being President.