(Photo by Flickr user PhotoDu.de)
“It became clear to me that the policy folks really didn’t have a very good understanding of even the most basic components of the science—the origin of radioactivity, how nuclear energy works, how a nuclear weapon works,” said Dr. Cahill, a uranium chemist. “I just sensed this huge disconnect between the science and the policy, and vice versa.”
Now he’s in the process of establishing a program to address the science piece of that equation. Dr. Cahill, along with physics professors William Briscoe and Gerald Feldman, recently were awarded a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to design a nuclear science curriculum for the non-technical set—or “science for suits,” as Dr. Cahill called it with a laugh.
The curriculum will be aimed at people working in the realm of nuclear policy—from all corners of government, think tanks and industry—as well as non-science focused GW students.
The professors envision a program that offers a practical science primer, fortified with real-world scenarios and hands-on learning. Guest speakers, who might be culled from the ranks of nuclear submarine commanders and other on-the-ground administrators, will share their experiences as a gateway for discussing the science needed to resolve situations. And basic physics experiments will be used to demonstrate the scientific fundamentals and introduce students to Geiger counters, dosimeters, gamma spectrometers and other tools of the trade.
“We’re not trying to train the next generation of International Atomic Energy Agency weapons inspectors,” said Dr. Cahill. “We’re trying to create a bunch of administrators and policy folks that have an appreciation for the technical challenges and protocol.”
The year-long curriculum will focus on four areas: the nuclear fuel cycle; safeguards and security; health and the environment; and materials control and accounting. Anticipated to be in place for the fall 2012 semester, Dr. Cahill said working professionals and GW undergraduates might be grouped into separate classes that largely cover the same material, but may approach the coursework slightly differently. For the professionals, coursework might be taught with more of an applied approach, he said, touching on topics they may be encountering at the office.
Drs. Cahill, Briscoe and Feldman, the investigators on the grant, also will be working closely with nuclear nonproliferation expert Douglas Shaw, the Elliott School’s associate dean for planning, research and external relations. He’ll help connect them with policy experts and people from field who can lend specific insights.
The grant allows for one year of curriculum development and a one-year run through of the course. “The beauty of this—and the demands of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission—is that this is a sustainable entity,” said Dr. Cahill, “so I view this as the first of many courses going forward in terms of what GW can offer in this environment and in this context.”
This could also be set up like George Gamov’s 1 hour Friday lecture
on “modern Theoretical Physics for non physics majors”.
I loved it and it was a sellout in the 1950′s.
February 17, 2012
The effort on developing a Curriculum to Offer Nuclear Primer for Non-Scientific Set is commendable! I see a missing component: The principles and instrumentation that offer vital measurements to shelter public.
This Curriculum should have been available at GW since the early age of “disastrous atomic era” that offered us nuclear bombs (or tools of barbarity) and nuclear energy (or pollution for centuries and proliferation unlimited). Indeed, the lack of understanding of science base has resulted in boundless waste of federal resources, increased arm race, and the current unsafe world. For example, the standoff between United States and Iran on nuclear energy has brought the world to the brink of WW III.
Thanks to the military-industrial complex that controls Congress, American governments generally have been powerless to mount a viable effort to lead America and eight powers to a verifiable agreement for eliminating 20,500 nuclear bombs. Accordingly, American governments repeated warnings to Iran on the so-called “Iran nuclear program” are just derisory. This is especially pitiful when the United States is professing “wisdom” it does not hold up. As long as America sets itself as example of morality and civility to follow, then we must march the path of integrity. Any deviation from this simple standard is unacceptable.
On August 8, 1945, President Truman ordered dropping the first atomic bomb on Japan. A few days later, the 2nd bomb fell. The human-generated Evils eventually led to the murder of 200,000, mostly children, old men and women who played no role in the war! If the same action is taken today by any insane leader, many in this world, each bomb melts one million people.
Regrettably, most Americans are oblivious of an important fact: There was no need to drop the bomb to end hostility with Japan. Yet, several historians know the truth. Indeed, the majority of top American military leaders, in all services, had a similar verdict after the war. Importantly, conservatives, not liberals, were far more honest in demanding the truth, and considered the decision wicked. Yet, and the main men behind the cruel hate were, we must admit, scientists and engineers, not poets, musicians, or spiritual writers. One main man, Edward Teller, was a Professor of Theoretical Physics for 10 years in the same building that I have my Office. This tale deserves volumes to inscribe. By the way, Teller is the father of hydrogen bomb. In 1980, he was the darling of President Ronald Reagan and his Administration!
It is my hope the proposed Curriculum would offer our students and the current leaders the science that would address all issues address above. Certainly, no new science or true insight can be realized unless measurements tools are addressed in the proposed Curriculum.
Respectfully,
Akbar Montaser
Columbian Professor
Department of Chemistry
725, 21st Street, NW
The George Washington University
Washington, DC 20052
Tel: 202-994-6480
Fax: 202-994-5873
Homepage: http://home.gwu.edu/~montaser/
From The noble 13th Century Persian Sufi Poet Rumi:
“I go to a synagogue, church, and mosque, and I see the same spirit and the same altar