Elena Walter
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Lynn Carpenter
Research Mentor School/College/Department: EEB/MCDB / Other
Program:
Authors: Lynn Carpenter, Elena Walter
Session: Session 5: 2:40 pm – 3:30 pm
Poster: 45
Abstract
Three Mile Island is a well-known nuclear disaster in America, namely for being the most destructive domestic nuclear crisis the United States has faced. Although it doesn’t compare to the level of destruction wrecked by Chernobyl or Fukushima, Three Mile Island continues to be a reminder for the domestic industry of the risks associated with nuclear power. The local community had to shelter indoors and later evacuate, and even now the immediate area continues to remain uninhabited. Luckily, Three Mile Island was a relatively contained disaster. Despite this, the people present at the facility as the plant was melting down were exposed to a significant amount of radiation, posing potential long-lasting threats to their health. This study seeks to determine the direct impact of the radiation on the workers present and to understand the greater implications of future possible nuclear disasters. By analyzing historical records and reaching out to potential relatives and archives, we hope to discover how many were later diagnosed with cancer and to potentially determine if these cancer diagnoses were linked to their presence at Three Mile Island and subsequent exposure to the radiation. The goal is to understand the lasting impact of a nuclear disaster, so that in the future the nuclear industry will have the information necessary on further consequences if another meltdown were to occur, and they can develop safety measures to better protect their employees and the public as a whole.
