Facts and fiction about Japan’s nuclear disaster

A panel of Simon Fraser University professors will assemble on Monday, April 11 from 7 - 9 p.m. at the Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue to discuss the ripple effects of Japan’s nuclear crisis. No reservation is required for the free public event, which will take place in the lower concourse.

SFU’s V-P Research office, the SFU chemistry department, and the Chemical Institute of Canada are sponsoring The Fukushima Nuclear Crisis.

SFU V-P Research Mario Pinto will deliver the opening remarks. David Murphy, a senior lecturer in SFU’s School of Communication, will moderate the discussion.

SFU researchers Mark Jaccard, Corina Andreoiu, Kris Starosta and Paul Schaffer will share their expertise in a variety of disciplines as they address issues related to the disaster, says SFU associate professor of chemistry Vance Williams.

“There is considerable confusion and alarm regarding the Fukushima nuclear crisis and its potential impact on residents worldwide and specifically in the Lower Mainland,” says Williams, the panel discussion’s organizer.

“While there is abundant information about Japan’s nuclear crisis, our panelists are in a position to put the numbers and discussions in perspective. A previous internal panel discussion geared to the SFU community highlighted the need for a public general dialogue led by a broad range of experts.”

Among questions that they will try to address are: How big are the risks? Are the levels of radiation detected in the Pacific Northwest dangerous? How safe is nuclear energy in general? How does the current crisis compare to accidents like Chernobyl and Three Mile Island? How does nuclear energy work?

Each of the panelists will speak for 15 minutes then take questions from the public.

Mark Jaccard, a professor of environmental economics in the School of Resource and Environmental Management, will discuss nuclear energy in the context of the global energy market and its prospect, post-Fukushima.

Corina Andreoiu, an assistant professor of nuclear science in the chemistry department, will discuss nuclear reactors — how they work and what happened at the Fukushima Dai-ichi.

Kris Starosta, an associate professor of nuclear science in the chemistry department, will discuss how radiation levels in the Pacific Northwest are monitored and the story they tell.

Paul Schaffer, an adjunct professor of chemistry and deputy head of the nuclear medicine division at TRIUMF, will discuss the impact of radiation on human health.

Provided by Simon Fraser University