Departmental research

To clarify specific radiation protection issues, the BfS designs and initiates investigations, expert reports and studies at

• Universities,
• Research institutes,
• Expert organisations, or
• Private enterprises.

The research results are evaluated by the BfS and provide the Federal Ministry for the Environment with decision criteria for the preparation, implementation and examination or, respectively, further development of legal regulations. This is the only way for the BMUV to live up competently to its responsibility for radiation protection within the framework of federal supervision.

Departmental research of the BMUV thus means the development of scientific bases for the Federal Ministry for the Environment departmental tasks and advice on these tasks. This is what distinguishes departmental research from general research support for which generally the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) is responsible.

BfS research and development projects

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) performs own research in the fields of

• Biological radiation effects,
• Medical radiation protection,
• Epidemiology,
• Dosimetry,
• Emergency preparedness,
• Environmental radioactivity and
• Risk communication.

The BfS supports the BMUV professionally and scientifically in the planning and implementation of departmental research whose projects are planned to be awarded to external research institutions. It is especially responsible for the planning, subject-related preparation, scientific monitoring, and evaluation of the research projects.

What is the planned procedure with regard to departmental research projects awarded to external institutions?

• Planning of research
  The departmental research projects to be carried out in the field of radiation protection are set out annually in the Federal Ministry for the Environment departmental research plan. A departmental research project is generally prompted by the BfS’ or Federal Ministry for the Environment specialist work units; however, third parties (such as university institutions) may also prompt a project. All new projects are listed in the departmental research plan.
• Specialist support of projects
  Research projects are generally awarded following a public tender. The subject-related preparation for awarding contracts and the scientific monitoring during the entire lifetime of a project up to its successful completion is an important tasks of the BfS professional advisors.
• Evaluation of results
  In order for the results of the research projects to be taken into account in the specialist work of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, the key findings are summarised by the professional advisors of the BfS and evaluated with regard to preparation, review, further development or implementation of legal regulations.
• Documentation
  The results elaborated in the scope of departmental research projects are published electronically in the BfS publication series "Ressortforschungsberichte zur kerntechnischen Sicherheit und zum Strahlenschutz" or in the Federal Ministry for the Environment publication series " Reaktorsicherheit und Strahlenschutz". Older publications of the BMUV publication series are available in print. A summary of the radiation protection projects is additionally presented in the annually published Radiation Protection Research Programme Report.