It s a fact of life that the only thing that remains constant is change. Faculty members retire, take sabbatical leave or move on to other institutions.
Entire laboratories leave old facilities and move into new ones.
For the Radiation Safety Division, this presents special challenges in the oversight of radiation-producing machines and radioactive materials. This oversight is mandated by North Carolina State law, and is a condition of the licenses Duke holds for the possession and use of radioactivity. Because radioactive materials are essential in conducting research in over 250 campus laboratories, it is important that all users be aware of their role in helping the Radiation Safety Division provide the required oversight. If a laboratory is to be permanently closed as a consequence of the authorized user retiring or leaving Duke, the laboratory must go through a closeout procedure. In this process, all hazardous materials, including radioactive materials or sources of ionizing radiation, must be removed from the premises.