MEDIA ADVISORY

ANN ARBOR—Leaks in underground storage pits at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have released an estimated 32,000 gallons of radioactive water, previously used to cool the reactor cores. Experts from the University of Michigan’s highly ranked nuclear engineering program are available to discuss the environmental and health risks posed by the contaminated water and how the spill might be remediated.

Kimberlee Kearfott, professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences, can discuss environmental transport pathways and health effects of radioactive water. Her research interests include radiation detection in water and soil samples, environmental monitoring, internal radiation dose assessment and radiation safety. She is also a professor of biomedical engineering and an adjunct professor of radiology. She can be reached at kearfott@umich.edu or (734) 763-9117. For more information: http://www-ners.engin.umich.edu/people/kearfott.html

John Lee, professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences, can discuss the risk posed by the radioactive water and how it might be remediated. He is co-author of the book Risk and Safety Analysis of Nuclear Systems and his research interests include reactor safety analysis, reactor core physics and power plant simulation and control. He can be reached at jcl@umich.edu or (734) 764-9379. For more information: http://www-ners.engin.umich.edu/people/lee.html