Emergency Response Research Webinar Series

Free webinars typically held on the second Wednesday of the month. Special webinars on COVID-19 research are conducted as research results become available. 

EPA's Office of Research and Development hosts this webinar series to share current research activities and results. This webinar series covers the latest information on research supporting EPA's response to chemical, biological, and radiological incidents, as well as natural disasters. This forum allows EPA to communicate directly with partners and stakeholders to foster collaboration and dissemination of information. 

NOTE: Attendees have the option of receiving a certificate of attendance. Acceptance of certificates is contingent on organization requirements—EPA cannot guarantee acceptance. Closed-captioned recordings of the webinars are provided below for later viewing and as a training resource; certificates cannot be provided for viewing webinar recordings. 

Webinar dates and topics are subject to change.

On this page:

• 2024 Schedule
• 2024 Webinar Recordings
• More Webinars by Topic Area

Upcoming Webinar

Protective Actions & Decontamination: Radiological Incident Response

Wednesday, November 13, 2024, 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET

Register to attend this webinar

Radiological incidents in the United States are rare. Many have little to no experience responding to accidents or disasters involving radioactive material. While state and local authorities have primary responsibility in such incidents, an overwhelming response may require assistance from the federal government. The EPA provides support through technical assistance in preparing for such disasters and helping determine necessary actions to protect residents during a response.

This presentation summarizes protective actions under the EPA's radiation response authorities, as well as the Protective Action Guide Manual for early, intermediate, and late phase stages of a response. It will discuss the EPA's role in radiological cleanup operations, including decontamination, containment, and waste management tools. The presenters will highlight related resources such as mobile water treatment and radioanalytical methods for specific matrices, as well as tools for radiological incidents that are not large scale. These tools and resources for thoughtful and effective response can reduce the recovery timeline costs.

About the Presenters

Matthew Magnuson is a Research Chemist for the EPA's Homeland Security Research Program for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, and has been with the EPA in Cincinnati, Ohio since 1996. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1994 from the University of Oklahoma (Norman) and is currently involved in homeland security research related to analysis and environmental fate of chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR) contaminants. A major focus of his work is management and treatment of large volumes of CBR contaminated water and wastewater, as well as resuspension and stabilization of radiological contaminants. Collaborations include U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and National Institute of Justice.

Ken Yale is the EPA's Director of the Center for Radiological Emergency Management. In this role he works with the EPA's National Center for Radiation Field Operations, National Analytical Radiation Environmental Laboratory, Office of Emergency Management, the EPA Regions and numerous federal, state, local, territorial, and Tribal partners to coordinate the EPA's response to radiological incidents. He also serves as the Advisory Team for Environment, Food, and Health Chair. Prior to his current position, he served as the Director of the Center for Planning and Training at the EPA's National Center for Radiation Field Operations. Before joining the EPA, Ken was the Chief of the Radiological Protection Section for the State of Michigan. In that role he oversaw the State's Radon, Radiological Emergency Response, Radiological Environmental Laboratory, and Radioactive Materials programs.

2024 Schedule

If you are interested in being notified when new webinars are scheduled, please sign up to receive email notifications here: Receive emails for upcoming webinars

Topic and presenters are subject to change. Additional information and registration links will be provided in advance of each webinar.

Date	Topic
December 11	Regional Research Partnerships to Address High Priority, Near-Term Research Needs: Splash Pads & COTS Flight Simulator to Support Aerial Recon Training