The 3rd International Conference on Applications of Radiation Science and Technology (ICARST 2025) was held from April 7 to 11, 2025, at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria. Professor Tang Danling and postdoctoral researcher Yang Xiaobo from of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) attended the conference. They participated in key sessions including “Remote Sensing Monitoring of Radioactive Seawater” and “Irradiation-Generated High-Performance Plastics from Recycled Materials,” and engaged in the Chinese side event titled “Radiation Technology for a Better Home.”

On April 8, the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA), the China Isotope and Radiation Association, and the China Isotope & Radiation Corporation jointly hosted the side event “Radiation Technology for a Better Home.” The event highlighted China’s advancements in radiation technology applications, including food preservation, radiation medicine, irradiation-assisted seed selection, and radiation detection sensors. Professor Tang and Dr. Yang joined discussions on nuclear wastewater management, as well as the effective detection range and sensitivity of radiation sensors.

South China Sea U Team, leaded by Professor Tang Danling, specializes in satellite remote sensing for marine ecological environment research and marine disaster early warning, with a focus on environmental challenges such as nuclear wastewater, contaminated water, and marine microplastics. Recently, Tang Danling and Yang Xiaobo co-authored the research article ”Can Contaminated Waters from the Fukushima Daiichi NPP Penetrate the East China Sea? ” published in Pure and Applied Geophysics. At ICARST 2025, they presented their findings on the monitoring and distribution mechanisms of radioactive contaminated water, fostering in-depth exchanges with international experts.

Organized by the IAEA under the theme “Radiation Science and Technology: Solutions for Sustainable Development,” the conference brought together global academic leaders and industry stakeholders through 12 plenary sessions, 28 specialized forums, and 5 satellite events, showcasing interdisciplinary innovations in radiation science and technology. Nearly 1,000 experts, scholars, and industry representatives from 104 countries and regions presented 32 keynote reports and over 200 academic papers. Conference outcomes were made globally accessible through the IAEA’s knowledge-sharing platform.

The conference underscored the pivotal role of radiation science and technology in addressing global sustainability challenges, while also spotlighting China’s contributions to advancing these fields.