Professor honoured with prestigious international award in radiation science

Oxford Brookes University is proud to announce that Professor John Harrison has been awarded the prestigious Gray Medal by the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU).

The Gray Medal is named in honour of the British physicist Louis Harold Gray and was first awarded in 1969. The award  recognises Professor Harrison’s outstanding contributions to the scientific field of radiological protection, particularly in advancing the measurement of radiation and understanding its health effects.

Professor Harrison is only the 26th recipient of the award in its history, highlighting the exceptional nature of his achievement. Since joining Oxford Brookes in 2015 as a Visiting Professor in the School of Biological and Medical Sciences, Professor Harrison has worked closely with Professor Munira Kadhim, Professor of Radiation Biology, providing expert support and mentoring to students involved in radiation risk research.

Professor Kadhim said: “We are incredibly proud that John’s lifelong dedication and significant contributions to the field of radiation science have been recognised with this prestigious award. His expertise is an invaluable asset to our students and to the broader research community at Oxford Brookes.”

Professor Harrison, who retired in 2015 as Director of the Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards at Public Health England (now part of the UK Health Security Agency), has spent his career advancing the understanding of radiation exposure and safety. His work has focused on accurately measuring radiation doses and assessing their risks to improve public health protections.

Professor Harrison said: "Receiving the Gray Medal was a complete surprise and a great honour for which I am very grateful to the Commissioners of the ICRU. I am also grateful to Oxford Brookes University for the opportunity to assist in the education of the next generations of scientists.”  

The ICRU sets global standards for the measurement and safe use of radiation across medicine, science, and industry. The commission plays a vital role in ensuring a consistent and safe approach to radiation use worldwide.

For more information on radiation biology and related research at Oxford Brookes, visit the Radiation Biology, Genomic Instability and Cellular Communication research page.