Introduction to Radiation Safety
~Risk Assessment for Our Life and Society~
[Research Promotion Department ]
Professor Yuichi Niibori
[Graduate School of Science]
Professor Hirokazu Tamura
Professor Emeritus,Tohoku University
Yoshio Hosoi
Course period: August 6 (Wed) - March 31 (Tue)
Registration opens: August 6 (Wed)
※The course is in Japanese.
※The registration page is written in Japanese.
Since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the risks of radiation and radioactive materials have become strongly recognized not merely as issues for specialists to handle, but as challenges that many people should share as part of everyday wisdom. Simultaneously, there is strong interest in issues related to radiation protection during nuclear disasters and medical use of radiation, as well as risk management of radioactive waste.
However, despite being urgently desired both domestically and internationally, resolving these challenges remains difficult.
Meanwhile, many faculty members at our university are advancing research and education related to radiation. Therefore, the aim of this lecture series is for faculty from the Graduate School of Science, the Graduate School of Medicine, and the Graduate School of Engineering to introduce the fundamentals of radiation and radioactive materials, along with their own perspectives on radiation. This will help participants deepen their understanding of radiation and radioactive materials and apply this knowledge to their daily lives.
Week 1: “Learning the Basics of Radiation” will clearly explain the scientific fundamentals of radiation. We will cover what radiation is, its types and properties, radioactive materials, radiation exposure, natural radiation, radiation measurement, and the uses of radiation. Additionally, we will conduct a live demonstration of radiation measurement.
Week 2: “Radiation and Society: The Impact of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident” focuses on the relationship between environmental contamination by radioactive materials and society. Based on scientific data, it introduces the sequence of events of the Fukushima nuclear accident, the resulting contamination of soil and food, and the actual exposure of residents. It summarizes the responses taken and the social issues that arose. It also introduces related initiatives by the Graduate School of Science at Tohoku University. Furthermore, it discusses safety and security concerning radiation.
Week 3: “Medicine and Radiation” explores radiation from a medical perspective. Lectures cover the effects of radiation exposure, including internal and external exposure, radiation-induced carcinogenesis, increases in non-cancer diseases due to radiation, and hereditary effects of radiation. Medical exposure from procedures like CT scans and mammography is explained, along with radiation protection measures.
Week 4: “Earth Science and Radioactive Waste” covers the management and disposal of radioactive waste from an earth science perspective. First, based on earth science, we will overview the Earth's formation while deepening our understanding of the radioactive substances present on Earth. Then, we will overview various types of radioactive waste and lecture on efforts to utilize the subsurface, the Earth's surface layer, for their management and disposal from the perspectives of earth science and radiation protection.
*This course covers the same content as the 1st session held in January 2021, the 2nd session held in January 2022, the 3rd session held in January 2023, the 4th session held in January 2024, and the 5th session held in January 2025, with some modifications to the assignments.
※This video is played in Japanese.
