Researchers at Kennesaw State University are working on new ways to improve disaster cleanup, focusing on both nuclear accidents and structural damage assessment, according to a March 18 announcement.
The work is important as the world continues to use nuclear power and faces more frequent natural disasters. By studying past events like the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters, the researchers hope to develop better methods for environmental recovery and emergency response.
Eduardo Farfan, professor of nuclear engineering at Kennesaw State University, is researching environmental radiation monitoring, radioactive waste management, and radiological risk assessment. Farfan has studied how radionuclides such as cesium-137 and strontium-90 move through soil and building materials after nuclear accidents. “I have studied how radionuclides migrate through soil and building materials following nuclear accidents, how radiation affects ecosystems, and how advanced radiation detection technologies can help locate contamination in nuclear facilities,” Farfan said. He added that his research showed radioactive contamination can penetrate deeper into building materials over time: “If someone visited the Chernobyl exclusion zone today, they would see abandoned towns, recovering forests, and numerous research sites where scientists continuously monitor radiation levels and ecological impacts.”
Assistant Professor Da Hu is taking a different approach by using drones, sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning to speed up disaster response. Hu said these technologies allow for rapid analysis of large amounts of visual data from aerial images: “Machine learning models can analyze thousands of images quickly and automatically identify patterns associated with structural damage. This helps researchers and responders detect damaged buildings more efficiently than manual inspection alone.” According to Hu, even small improvements in data collection can make a big difference in response times during emergencies.
The Chernobyl exclusion zone remains one of the most important real-world laboratories for studying long-term effects of nuclear accidents. While it was once considered extremely dangerous due to high radiation levels, experts now say short-term visits are relatively safe.
As natural disasters become more common worldwide, Kennesaw State University researchers continue their efforts to apply lessons from past incidents toward future innovations in disaster recovery.
