In the event of a radiation incident such as the use of a dirty bomb or nuclear reactor incident, accurate and swift reporting is vital to public safety. Journalists play a key role in communicating information to the public in the aftermath of an emergency. The public is told to “stay tuned” for announcements and instructions that will be delivered via news media sources. In the case of a radiation incident, experts need to partner with journalists to get their message out in a timely and accurate manner. This talk will provide guidelines on how nuclear engineers can assist journalists in getting important radiation safety information out quickly and accurately.
Carolyn MacKenzie is a board certified health physicist with her Masters in Biophysics and is currently working as the Radiation Safety Officer for UC Berkeley. She has previously worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in radiation protection and international radioactive source security. She led efforts in 2004-7 in radioactive source search and secure throughout the world, as well as the development of a radiation warning symbol for the International Atomic Energy Agency. In 2008-2012, she worked with the National Nuclear Security Administration on the Global Threat Reduction Initiative securing radioactive sources in African countries. She has also supported the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization by leading training of international inspectors in how to locate radioactive sources.
