Radiological Emergency Management

Overview

Protecting the public from harm during a radiological event requires a thorough and well-designed radiological emergency management program.

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.

After sessions on radiation fundamentals and regulatory requirements, this program will provide skills and strategies for communicating about radiological emergencies, medically managing casualties of incidents involving radioactive material, managing terrorism actions, and supporting other organizations during these crises. Several interactive class activities and case-studies provide additional learning and hands-on experience.

This dynamic course offers an effective combination of lectures, case studies, and class participation activities conducted by knowledgeable and experienced instructors who are leaders in their fields. This program will enhance your capabilities and allow you to provide more efficient and effective oversight of radiological emergency management and response efforts.

Objectives & Highlights

• 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

Develop Your Network

Participants in this course will include radiological, regulatory, and other professionals brought together by their commitment to protecting public health. This program is a unique opportunity to meet with and discuss radiological emergency management from the perspective of the many stakeholders involved in radiological emergency planning, response, and recovery. Participants will have many networking opportunities to interact with the lecturers and with their peers. Both novice and experienced personnel will benefit greatly from this program.

Credits and Logistics

Please note: A laptop or other portable personal computing device is strongly recommended for course enrollees.

Accommodations

Program Check-in

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
FXB Building
651 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
617.432.2100

The program takes place at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, located in the heart of the Harvard Longwood Campus in Boston. Public transportation is readily available to the city’s many shopping districts, museums, and restaurants.

For directions, please click here.

Continuing Education Credit

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.

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

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has an Education and Research Center (ERC) funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Faculty

Current faculty, subject to change.

Steven B. Goldman, EdD

Program Director

August 4 – 8, 2025

Director, Crisis Courses
MIT

Senior Lecturer
MIT

Instructor
Crisis Communications/Risk Communications/Crisis Management
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Michael Philip Short, PhD

Program Director

August 4 – 8, 2025

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

Steven M. Becker, PhD

Faculty

August 4 – 8, 2025

Professor of Community and Environmental Health
Old Dominion University

Ian Scott Hamilton, PhD, DABR

Faculty

August 4 – 8, 2025

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

Joe Sciacca

Faculty

August 4 – 8, 2025

Enterprise Editor
Channel 7 News

Agenda

Who Should Participate

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
• 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