June 28, 2023  We gave an invited lecture at Fukushima High School. ＜by Prof. Gusyev＞

On June 28^th 2023, the IER Project Associate Prof. Maksym Gusyev gave an invited lecture for about 40 senior students at Fukushima High School, which is designated as a “Super Science High School (SSH)” by MEXT. As one of the SSH activities, students have unique opportunities to receive lectures given in English by the major international visiting researchers from their host institutes.

The lecture began with an introduction of Prof. Gusyev’s educational background, followed by his past and current research in Ukraine, the USA, New Zealand, and Japan. Then, he talked about the situation of the ALPS-treated water containing tritium that is currently scheduled for discharge into the ocean from the TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), explaining the chemical properties and safety of tritium, as well as its natural role as an environmental tracer in New Zealand and Japan. After the lecture, students gave presentations in English, and many students stated that they gained new information about tritium radionuclide, had a shift in understanding about the safety of tritium in water, and raised a great interest in the natural tritium as a tracer. During breaks, many students enthusiastically asked questions.

Prof. Gusyev concluded the event with a message: “Science is about learning from data and numerical modeling to make new knowledge and discoveries. Please keep your enthusiasm and continue growing your science mindset. I look forward to seeing you again on your scientific path in the future.”