Health Physics Society

What Health Physics Society does

The Health Physics Society (HPS) is an independent nonprofit scientific membership organization founded in 1956 and headquartered at 950 Herndon Parkway, Herndon, Virginia. It is chartered in the United States and registered as a 501(c)(6) tax-exempt organization. HPS represents professionals who specialize in radiation safety, serving members across academia, government, medicine, research and development, analytical services, consulting, and industry. As of October 2024, HPS had 2,808 individual members organized into 40 geographic chapters and 13 specialty sections (e.g., Power Reactor, Medical Health Physics, Military, Decommissioning, Accelerator, Homeland Security and Emergency Response).

HPS does not develop proprietary commercial technology. Its core offerings are publications and digital tools for radiation-safety practitioners: the peer-reviewed monthly Health Physics Journal and its Operational Radiation Safety section, the near-daily Health Physics News newsletter, the Decay Calculator web application, the Ask the Experts Q&A service, the Radiation Terms Glossary, Radionuclide Decay Data, lesson plans and Science Support materials for teachers, and HP Careers job postings. The Society also serves as the Secretariat for ANSI Accredited Standards Committees N13 (Radiation Protection) and N43 (Equipment for Non-Medical Radiation Applications), coordinating standards development with federal agencies and other bodies. It holds an annual meeting, midyear topical symposia, Professional Enrichment Program (PEP) courses, and free Continuing Education Lecture (CEL) series.

HPS's revenue model combines recurring individual membership dues (across Full, Early Career, Associate, Fellow, Student, Emeritus, Life, and Affiliate tiers), journal subscription and institutional access revenue, transaction fees from job postings ($100 for 30 days, $200 for 60 days, $300 for 90 days), annual meeting and PEP course registration fees, and tax-deductible donations and planned gifts. Its go-to-market is community-led: individuals self-elect to join for professional development, networking, and standards participation; affiliate member companies join for visibility to the radiation-safety professional market.

Name

Health Physics Society

Legal name

Health Physics Society

Website

https://hps.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Health Physics Society, founded 1956, is a US-based 501(c)(6) nonprofit scientific membership organization serving ~2,808 radiation safety professionals across academia, government, medicine, R&D, and industry through peer-reviewed journals, ANSI standards secretariats, chapters, specialty sections, and annual meetings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Radiation Safety Professional Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Radiation Protection & Health Physics Services (ALARA programs, shielding design, RSO services) (EUAKAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Radiation Safety, Dosimetry & Regulatory Compliance (Nuclear Medicine) (HLAIAGAJ), Radiation Protection & Health Physics (ALARA, Dosimetry, Contamination Control) (EUAKABAH)

Keywords

• Radiation safety services
• Scientific journal publishing
• Radiation protection standards
• Professional society membership
• Continuing education courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Herndon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The society collects membership dues from individuals. Dues vary by membership type including Full Members, Early Career Members, Associate Members, Fellow Members, Student Members, Emeritus categories, and Affiliate Members. As of October 2024, the society has 2,808 members paying dues.
2. Publication Revenue: The society publishes Health Physics Journal and Operational Radiation Safety, which generate revenue through subscriptions and potentially institutional access fees.
3. Job Postings: The society charges fees for job position description postings on the Health Physics Society website: $100 for 30 days, $200 for 60 days, $300 for 90 days.
4. Annual Meeting Registration: Revenue generated from annual meetings and conferences including registration fees for the Professional Enrichment Program (PEP) courses and Continuing Education Lecture (CEL) Series.
5. Donations and Planned Giving: The HPS is registered as a charitable organization and approved by the IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)(6) organization. Charitable contributions can be made as Donor Restricted or Donor Unrestricted donations. The society accepts various gift types including retirement plans, wills, living trusts, and insurance beneficiary designations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Health Physics Society (HPS) is a nonprofit scientific and professional organization that provides membership, peer-reviewed publications (the Health Physics Journal and Health Physics News), ANSI-accredited radiation protection standards under its Secretariat role for Committees N13 and N43, paid continuing education through the Professional Enrichment Program (PEP) and Continuing Education Lecture (CEL) Series, Annual Meetings, Midyear Topical Symposia, scholarships and fellowships, and a suite of public technical resources (Decay Calculator, Ask the Experts, Radiation Terms Glossary, Radionuclide Decay Data, and HP Careers job board) to approximately 3,000 radiation safety professionals across all 50 U.S. states and more than 30 countries.

Product overview

The Health Physics Society operates a comprehensive portfolio of publications, online tools, and professional resources for radiation safety professionals. The core offerings include the peer-reviewed Health Physics Journal and Health Physics News newsletter, along with specialized publications and American National Standards. Key digital tools include the Decay Calculator web application, the Ask the Experts Q&A service, and career resources. The Society also supports students through scholarships, fellowships, and grants, and provides educational materials including lesson plans and science support resources for teachers. Members have access to additional resources through the Members Only area including technical lectures, toolbox resources, and webinars.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Health Physics Society Membership Annual individual membership in the Health Physics Society available in multiple categories (Fellow, Member, Associate Member, Student, Emeritus) plus an Affiliate Member category for companies and organizations; entitles members to journal access, member rates on courses and meetings, chapter/section participation, and eligibility for HPS awards and fellowships.
• Health Physics Journal Peer-reviewed monthly scientific journal (ISSN 0017-9078) covering all aspects of radiation safety science and practice, including a recurring Operational Radiation Safety section; available by individual and institutional subscription and published in partnership with Wolters Kluwer.
• American National Standards (ANSI N13 and N43) Radiation protection and non-medical radiation safety standards developed under HPS's role as Secretariat for ANSI Accredited Standards Committees N13 (Radiation Protection) and N43 (Equipment for Non-Medical Radiation Applications); standards are available for purchase through HPS.
• Professional Enrichment Program (PEP) Courses Paid continuing education courses in health physics and radiation safety offered by HPS, used by members and other professionals to earn continuing education credits and deepen technical expertise.
• HPS Annual Meeting Annual multi-day conference of the Health Physics Society featuring technical sessions, exhibits, networking, and society governance meetings; open to members and non-members with paid registration.
• Midyear Topical Symposium Topical midyear technical symposium hosted by HPS on rotating subject areas in radiation safety, with paid registration for members and non-members.
• HPS Special Publications Standalone monographs and topical publications produced by HPS on focused topics in radiation safety science and practice, available for purchase.
• HP Careers Job Posting Service Tiered paid job posting service for employers recruiting radiation safety and health physics professionals, available in 30-, 60-, and 90-day packages and accessible to the HPS member audience.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,808 members as of October 2024 representing diverse radiation safety sectors
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered moderate, core and minor.

• American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM)moderateOthersProfessional organization with shared interests in radiation physics and medical applications. Listed as an organization of interest to the HPS community.
• American Association of Health Physics (AAHP)coreOthersProfessional certification organization for health physicists. AAHP administers the American Board of Health Physics (ABHP) certification programs. Listed as organization of interest.
• American Board of Health Physics (ABHP)coreOthersCertification body for health physicists providing national recognition as a health physics professional. Listed as organization of interest.
• Health Physics Academic Education Center (HPAEC)moderateOthersAcademic education resource center supporting health physics education programs.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)moderateOthersInternational organization promoting safe, secure, and peaceful nuclear technologies. HPS International Collaboration Committee maintains ongoing communications with IAEA.
• International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP)coreOthersIndependent, international expert body providing recommendations and guidance on radiation protection. Listed as organization of interest.
• International Radiation Protection Agency (IRPA)coreOthersInternational organization providing communication among radiation protection professionals worldwide. HPS Awards Committee selects Society nominee for IRPA Rolf M. Sievert Award.
• National Commission on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP)coreOthersIndependent organization providing guidance on radiation protection and measurements. Listed as organization of interest.
• University of Tennessee, KnoxvillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHolds the official archives of the HPS organized by the Society, managed by the Archival Center for Radiation Science at UT. Archives contain membership directories, meeting programs, board minutes, presidential papers, and chapter/section records.
• Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHouses the Society's historical instrument and artifacts collection at its training facility. Also stores PEP/CEL training materials and the HPS Reference Library collection.
• Radiation Safety Without Borders InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational initiative to assist other nations in planning and organizing radiation safety/protection organizations. Supported by HPS International Collaboration Committee.
• Accredited Standards Committee N13 OrganizationscoreOthersIncludes representation from AAPM, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, AIHA, American Nuclear Society, CRCPD, IEEE, INMM, NCRP, NRRPT, NEI, US NRC, US DOE, US DOD, US DHS, EPA, and others for radiation protection standards development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements: Independent US organization providing radiation protection guidance, represented alongside HPS in ANSI N13. Highly comparable as a scientific body setting standards and recommendations consumed by HPS members.
• American Association of Health Physics: Core certification organization for health physicists, administering the American Board of Health Physics (ABHP). Functions as HPS's closest partner and overlapping community for credentialed health physics professionals.
• International Commission on Radiological Protection: Independent international expert body providing radiation protection recommendations. Listed by HPS as an organization of interest and the global counterpart for HPS's radiation-protection mission.
• American Industrial Hygiene Association: Professional society for industrial hygienists with overlap in occupational exposure monitoring. AIHA is represented on ANSI N13 alongside HPS, making it a peer in both professional society and standards-setting dimensions.
• Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging: International scientific and medical society for nuclear medicine. Comparable as a mission-adjacent professional society whose membership overlaps with HPS's medical and radiopharmaceutical constituencies.
• American Association of Physicists in Medicine: Professional society for medical physicists, the closest peer to HPS's Medical Health Physics section. Listed by HPS as an organization of interest and shares members in radiation oncology and medical imaging safety.
• Health Physics Academic Education Center: Academic education resource center supported by HPS that trains the next generation of health physicists. Functions as a peer ecosystem node feeding HPS's student pipeline and continuing education programs.
• International Radiation Protection Association: International association of radiation protection societies, of which HPS-affiliated professionals participate; HPS selects its nominee for IRPA's Rolf M. Sievert Award. Closest international federation peer.
• American Nuclear Society: Largest US scientific/educational society for nuclear science and technology, overlapping significantly with HPS's power reactor, decommissioning, and accelerator constituencies. Directly comparable as a technical professional society serving nuclear professionals across industry, government, and academia.

Broad incumbents

• International Atomic Energy Agency: International intergovernmental organization promoting safe, secure, and peaceful nuclear technologies. Larger and broader than HPS but the premier international convener in radiation safety with which HPS maintains ongoing liaison through its International Collaboration Committee.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hps_org
• Facebookfacebook.com/HealthPhysicsSociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Health Physics Society