4.3 Status and Path Forward
The aforementioned education, outreach, and research activities are the central
pillars for the Institute for Resilient Communities. Based on these established
activities we will expand our outreach and research activities locally in Berkeley
and with our research and community partners and organizations in Japan and
beyond. Reflecting the need to work with local communities we are actively collaborating with cities, such as Berkeley in the U.S. and Koriyama in the Fukushima
Prefecture in Japan.
Complementary to the research, we will continue the RadWatch project’s efforts,
including near-realtime air monitoring and measurements of environmental and food
samples, and Kelpwatch, as part of the outreach and educational efforts. As before
and reflecting the importance of transparency in any of our activities to maintain
public trust, we will publish all our measurements, procedures, and findings.
5 Summary
Recent events associated with the releases of radioactive materials and the recognition of the possibility of events that are associated with the release of radioactive
materials to happen in the future represent major challenges for advanced and
global societies. Radiological or nuclear events due to accidents have and will have
an enormous socio-economical and political impact on local and global communities. While it is possible that such an event may have some health effects due to
radiation, the psychological impact will be significant, as observed in Japan. While
it is paramount to enhance the safety and security of the currently operating and
future nuclear power plants, it is also critical to enhance means in responding and
recovering from a possible event to minimize the impact of such events, i.e. to
increase the resilience to such events.
The Institute for Resilient Communities addresses this need by combining natural
and social sciences, technology and engineering, and education and outreach, and
involves local communities, all in a global context. It addresses the need to improve
the scientific understanding of the causes and impacts of such events. The education
and outreach aspect aims to minimize the psychological effects through a
better-informed public. While the initial focus will be on radiation, the goal is to
establish programs to enhance science and technological literacy more broadly,
including basic concepts in science and engineering. Data are collected and made
available to recognize and appreciate the world we are living in, particularly the
world we cannot see or physically feel. Local communities and schools are being
involved to effectively introduce these concepts to the public and into schools. By
providing such a framework, the Institute for Resilient Communities is a trusted
resource to the public, media as well as decision makers, essential in the response to
a radiological or nuclear event to minimize the effect and speed-up the recovery, i.e.
enhancing resilience.
216
K. Vetter
The aforementioned education, outreach, and research activities are the central
pillars for the Institute for Resilient Communities. Based on these established
activities we will expand our outreach and research activities locally in Berkeley
and with our research and community partners and organizations in Japan and
beyond. Reflecting the need to work with local communities we are actively collaborating with cities, such as Berkeley in the U.S. and Koriyama in the Fukushima
Prefecture in Japan.
Complementary to the research, we will continue the RadWatch project’s efforts,
including near-realtime air monitoring and measurements of environmental and food
samples, and Kelpwatch, as part of the outreach and educational efforts. As before
and reflecting the importance of transparency in any of our activities to maintain
public trust, we will publish all our measurements, procedures, and findings.
5 Summary
Recent events associated with the releases of radioactive materials and the recognition of the possibility of events that are associated with the release of radioactive
materials to happen in the future represent major challenges for advanced and
global societies. Radiological or nuclear events due to accidents have and will have
an enormous socio-economical and political impact on local and global communities. While it is possible that such an event may have some health effects due to
radiation, the psychological impact will be significant, as observed in Japan. While
it is paramount to enhance the safety and security of the currently operating and
future nuclear power plants, it is also critical to enhance means in responding and
recovering from a possible event to minimize the impact of such events, i.e. to
increase the resilience to such events.
The Institute for Resilient Communities addresses this need by combining natural
and social sciences, technology and engineering, and education and outreach, and
involves local communities, all in a global context. It addresses the need to improve
the scientific understanding of the causes and impacts of such events. The education
and outreach aspect aims to minimize the psychological effects through a
better-informed public. While the initial focus will be on radiation, the goal is to
establish programs to enhance science and technological literacy more broadly,
including basic concepts in science and engineering. Data are collected and made
available to recognize and appreciate the world we are living in, particularly the
world we cannot see or physically feel. Local communities and schools are being
involved to effectively introduce these concepts to the public and into schools. By
providing such a framework, the Institute for Resilient Communities is a trusted
resource to the public, media as well as decision makers, essential in the response to
a radiological or nuclear event to minimize the effect and speed-up the recovery, i.e.
enhancing resilience.
216
K. Vetter