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About the Program

August 4 – 8, 2025

This program brings together industry experts, government professionals, and renowned academic faculty in radiation protection and emergency management to provide you with skills and strategies to effectively plan for and respond to radiological emergencies at the federal, state, local, or individual facility level.

On-Site
Occupational Environmental Health and Safety

Program Fees

  • Standard Price $3,300.00

Program Overview

Radiological Emergency Management brings together industry experts, government professionals, and renowned academic faculty in radiation protection and emergency management to provide you with skills and strategies to effectively plan for and respond to radiological emergencies at the federal, state, local, or individual facility level. This program is unique in bringing together stakeholders from across agencies, functions, and backgrounds for an intensive look at effective planning, response, and recovery from emergencies involving radioactive materials. This program offers:

  • Expert-led sessions on radiation fundamentals and regulatory requirements, interactive class activities, and case studies
  • Skill-building in communicating about radiological emergencies, medically managing casualties of incidents involving radioactive material, managing terrorism actions, and supporting other organizations during these crises
  • The ability to network with a wide variety of stakeholders  involved in radiological emergency planning, response, and recovery

Upcoming Program Details

  • Review and understand basic radiological principles, applications, and effects
  • Receive guidance, strategies, and updates from applicable radiological emergency planning and response government agencies
  • Understand the need for, and application of, protective action guides in emergency planning and response
  • Learn how local, state, and federal agencies can assist in radiological planning and response
  • Understand radiological emergency planning as it applies to current nuclear power plants, future nuclear power plants, radiological medical emergencies, and radiological terrorism events
  • Learn how the news and social media will report on your radiological emergency and how to prepare and successfully respond to that intense visibility
  • Actively participate in two radiological event simulations covering techniques used for a technical response and for news and social media response
  • Apply the knowledge learned to comprehensively review and upgrade your current radiological emergency planning

All Times are Eastern Time (ET).

Monday, August 4, 2025
7:30–8:00 am Check-In and Continental Breakfast
8:00–9:15 am Welcome and Introduction; Classroom Technology
9:15–10:30 am Refresher: Radiation and Radioactivity
10:30–11:00 am Refreshment Break
11:00 am–12:00 pm Refresher: Biological Effects and Risks of Radiation
12:00–12:45 pm Lunch
12:45–3:00 pm The Federal Framework for Emergency Planning
3:00–3:30 pm Refreshment Break
3:30–5:00 pm How to Speak, Eat, and Drive like a Bostonian!
Tuesday, August 5, 2025
7:30–8:00 am Continental Breakfast
8:00–9:00 am EPA and FDA Protective Action Guides (PAGs), Recovery, Tools
9:00–10:30 am NRC Emergency Planning
10:30–11:00 am Refreshment Break
11:00 am–12:00 pm Key Planning Factors
12:00–12:45 pm Lunch
12:45–2:00 pm Tools and Resources to Support Rad. Emergency Response
2:00–3:00 pm Responder RDD / IND Protocols
3:00–3:30 pm Refreshment Break
3:30–4:30 pm Nuclear Detonation: Planning Guidance
4:30–5:30 pm Nuclear Detonation: Aftermath Communications
5:30–6:30 pm Reception
Wednesday, August 6, 2025
7:30–8:00 am Continental Breakfast
8:00–9:30 am Nuclear Power Plant Emergency Preparedness Planning and Response
9:30–10:30 am The Nuclear Renaissance: Emergency Planning for Small Modular Reactors
10:30–11:00 am Refreshment Break
11:00 am–12:00 pm 20-20 Hindsight Strategies for NPP Accidents
12:00–12:45 pm Lunch
12:45–3:00 pm The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Accident: Consequences and Continuing Recovery Challenges
3:00–3:30 pm Refreshment Break
3:30–5:30 pm Tour of MIT Reactor Facility and Adjacent (and EHS) Radiological Labs
Thursday, August 7, 2025
7:30–8:00 am Continental Breakfast
8:00–8:30 am Social, Psychological, and Behavioral Issues
8:30–10:30 am Managing Terrorist Incidents Involving Radioactive Materials
10:30–11:00 am Refreshment Break
11:00 am–12:00 pm Medical Management of Radiological Casualties
12:00–12:45 pm Lunch
12:45–3:00 pm Planning for Recovery from a Radiological Terrorism Incident: Wide Area Resiliency and Recovery Program (WARRP)
3:00–3:30 pm Refreshment Break
3:30–5:30 pm Class Participation Exercise, Radiological Event: Technical Response
Friday, August 8, 2025
7:30–8:00 am Continental Breakfast
8:00–9:30 am Your Radiological Event: What the News and Social Media are Going to Do to You!
9:30–10:00 am Refreshment Break
10:00 am–12:00 pm Effective Radiological Event Communications
12:00–12:45 pm Lunch
12:45–3:00 pm Class Participation Exercise, Radiological Event: Media Response
3:00–3:30 pm Course Summary and Graduation

This agenda is subject to change.

Current faculty, subject to change

Steven M. Becker

Professor of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health

Old Dominion University

Steven B. Goldman

Instructor
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Ian Scott Hamilton

Chief, Diagnostic Physics, Corporate RSO
Baylor Scott & White Healthcare

Joe Sciacca

Enterprise Editor
Channel 7 News

Michael Philip Short

Class of ’42 Associate Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering Associate Director, Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Nuclear Science and Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This course is designed for personnel involved in radiological emergency planning, response, or recovery in the public, private, or nonprofit sectors. Health physicists, public safety professionals, and first responders will also find this program very beneficial. Participants— both U.S. and non-U.S.—from the following organizations will also benefit greatly from the curriculum: 

  • Defense or military organizations 
  • Departments of health 
  • Environmental health & safety (EHS) groups 
  • Homeland security and emergency management agencies 
  • National Laboratories 
  • Nuclear power generation—current and future plants 
  • Nuclear or energy-industry regulatory bodies 
  • State and local emergency agencies 
  • State and local radiation control agencies 
  • Private organizations involved with radioactive materials 

Credits & Logistics

All participants will receive a Certificate of Participation upon completion of the program.

August 2025

The Inn at Longwood Medical
342 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
TEL: (617) 731-4700 FAX:
$269/night + 16.45% tax

Conveniently located in the Longwood Medical Area, a 5 minute walk to the classroom.

A limited number of rooms have been reserved at a reduced rate until July 4, 2025. These rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please be advised that hotels in the Boston area can sell out very quickly. We recommend making your hotel reservation as soon as you receive registration and payment confirmation. Please mention group code HREM0825 and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to receive the special rate.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health will grant 3.6 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for this program, equivalent to 36 contact hours of education. Participants can apply these contact hours toward other professional education accrediting organizations.

The American Academy of Health Physics will grant 32 Continuing Education Credits for completion of this course.

All credits subject to final agenda.

Advance Your Career at Harvard with Radiological Emergency Management