Re: Dealing with NJ's "hot" rock panic - school training

[Chris Davey <cdavey@med.phys.ualberta.ca>]

This sounds really good.  It would be great if a program such as this were
extended to other areas (all States...  all of North America??) as it
avoids the 'reinventing the wheel' syndrome.

The federal body in Canada is undergoing major restructuring (the Atomic
Energy Control Board will become the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
some time in 1998 or 1999), and might be pursuaded to fund, or at least
coordinate such a program up here.  Alternatively, the Canadian Radiation
Protection Association might be willing to get involved.

Let's see if either of these groups makes a response to this!

Regards,

Chris Davey

       RSO  Cross Cancer Institute  11560 University Avenue
        Edmonton   Alberta   Canada  T6G 1Z2
        (403)432-8616   fax 432-8615    email cdavey@med.phys.ualberta.ca



On Thu, 29 May 1997, Jerry Morse wrote:

> We in health physics have enjoyed little success explaining radiation to 
> adult audiences often too conditioned by the media and anti-nuclear 
> organizations. Perhaps it is timely to reach out to the more curious in 
> our midst -- the young.
> 
> Under Colorado Health Department leadership and EPA sponsorship, we 
> developed a 2-3 week curiculum explaining natural radiation to students 
> at the middle school level across the state. Now in its fourth year, the 
> program endeavors to train middle school teachers with science 
> backgrounds to teach the course to their grade 7-10 students. The module, 
> called 3-R's for radioactivity, radiation and radon, combines lectures 
> with individual "hands on" training making extensive use of a kit 
> containing a GM counter, alpha, beta and gamma sources, shielding 
> materials, a cloud chamber, samples of common minerals, fertilizer, a 
> radium dial watch, piece of Fiesta Ware ceramics, and more. Kits are 
> borrowed from the Colo School of Mines while the module is being taught. 
> Teacher training requires one week; student training is at the teacher's 
> discretion, usually 2-3 weeks. Our final training program this year 
> begins June 16 on campus in Golden. It is not yet full. Please contact 
> Marsha Barber, Director, Earth Science Program, CSM: 
> mbarber@flint.mines.edu 
> 
> Feedback strongly indicates the course has been well-received by 
> teachers, students, and even the latter's parents who occasionally call 
> teachers telling them their kids do a far better job explaining radiation 
> than do the media! 
> 
> We doubt seriously that any of our trainees would panic on finding a
> "hot" rock in their midst as was done recently in NJ..
> 
> Our sponsors are considering extending the program beyond the state's 
> borders, but are uncertain as how best to do it.
> Jerry Morse, Physics Dept., jmorse@slate.mines.edu
>