President, Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, Maryland, USA.

Arjun Makhijani, President of IEER, holds a PhD in engineering (specialization: nuclear fusion) from the University of California at Berkeley. He has produced many studies and articles on nuclear fuel cycle related issues, including weapons production, testing, and nuclear waste, over the past twenty years. He is the principal author of the first study ever done (completed in 1971) on energy conservation potential in the U.S. economy. Most recently, Dr, Makhijani has authored Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free: A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy (IEER Press), the first analysis of a transition to a U.S. economy based completely on renewable energy, without any use of fossil fuels or nuclear power. He is the principal editor of Nuclear Wastelands and the principal author of Mending the Ozone Hole, both published by MIT Press.

Professor Makhijani spoke  at the Gender Summit 3 North America 2013 (GS3NA) about the use of Reference Man, a hypothetical 20 to 30 year old Caucasian male, in radiation protection regulations and guidelines, including those designed to protect the general public. This is scientifically inappropriate because the vast majority of people, including women and children, fall outside the definition. In general, it also does not protect those most at risk, who are often women and children.  He reflected on ways of improving how maximum radiation dosage is calculated so that risks of secondary cancer are reduced, which is becoming an urgent problem given the greatly increased use of radiation for medical purposes.