Foreword. International Conference on Nuclear Analytical Techniques

Complete text of publication follows. The 2022 International Conference on Nuclear Analytical Techniques (NAT2022) was held during December 7-9 at the IBS Science Culture Center in Daejeon, Korea. NAT2022 was conducted in conjunction with the 8th Symposium on Radiation in Medicine, Space, and Power (RMSP-VIII) and the Symposium on Applications of Chemical and Analytical Technologies in the Nuclear Industry (Nu-ACT 2022). The event was organized through a collaborative effort involving the Korean Nuclear Society (KNS), the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), and the Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology at Seoul National University (SNU). Additionally, this conference received support and collaboration from esteemed organizations, namely, the Korean Committee on Activation Analysis (KCAA), the Korean Committee on Moessbauer Spectroscopy, the Korean Committee on Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy, and the Korea Retrospective Dosimetry Network (KREDOS). Significantly, every conference session and meeting were conducted in an in-person format, with strict adherence to social distancing regulations implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby guaranteeing the safety of all attendees. The sessions were thoughtfully curated by experts recommended by the pertinent academic committees, encompassing a range of relevant topics. These sessions encompassed: Session A: Reactor and Accelerator-based Activation Analysis; Session C: Radiochemistry in the Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations and Radioactive Waste Management; Session F: Radiochemistry: Fundamentals and Applications; Session I: Instrumentations and Sensors for NATs; Session R: Radiation in Medicine; Session E: Radiation in the Environment and Space; Session H: Radiation in Cultural Heritage; Session M: RI/In-beam Moessbauer Spectroscopy and Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy; Session D: Radiation Dosimetry in Radiological Sciences and Emergency. During the conference, distinguished plenary speakers, including Professor Amares Chatt (Dalhousie University, Canada), Professor Masakazu Furuta (Osaka Metropolitan University, Japan), Dr. Insoo Jun (NASA/JPL, USA), Professor Jong-Ki Kim (Daegu Catholic University, Republic of Korea), Professor Yang-Ki Hong (The University of Alabama, USA), Dr. Tomoko Haraga (JAEA, Japan), and Professor Thaddeus J. Wadas (University of Iowa, USA) delivered valuable presentations encompassing a range of topics within the domain of nuclear analytical techniques. The conference primarily addressed a broad spectrum of radiation sciences and their applications, with a particular focus on nuclear analytical techniques. In its entirety, the conference featured seven invited presentations and 148 contributed presentations, including talks and posters. It is worth noting that the NAT2022 conference witnessed a substantial increase in participation from experts and students when compared to its predecessor, NAT2020, which accommodated 114 contributed talks and posters. This substantial expansion in attendance serves as an indicator of the growing significance and interest within the field of nuclear analytical techniques. Among the 32 papers submitted for consideration from NAT2022, a rigorous peer review process resulted in the acceptance of 22 papers for publication in a dedicated special issue of the Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry (JRNC). On behalf of the committee members of NAT2022, I wish to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the members of the International Committee on Activation Analysis (ICAA), the editors of JRNC, and the dedicated reviewers of the special issue for their invaluable contributions to the successful organization of NAT2022 and the subsequent publication of these proceedings. (author)