Summary
In 1957, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was established for the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear technology. The IAEA is best known for its inspections of suspected nuclear weapons facilities across the world, but the agency has a host of responsibilities. Whether it is encouraging the use of nuclear energy, setting safety standards for radiation exposure, or using radiation to improve medicine and agriculture, the IAEA has an impact across the planet. Once an autonomous organization, the IAEA is now a part of the United Nations and is often referred to by the media as the United Nation's nuclear watchdog. In 2005, the agency shared the Nobel Peace Prize with its director, Mohamed ElBaradei, for its ongoing efforts to combat nuclear weapons proliferation. International Atomic Energy Agency, Second Edition examines the roles of this global agency, from the inspectors who search for traces of nuclear material to enforce international agreements, to those who inspect the safety of nuclear power plants in war and disaster zones, to the development of an RT-PCR test to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus during the COVID-19 pandemic.
About the Author(s)
Russell B. Olwell received his doctorate in the history of science and technology from MIT. His book At Work in the Atomic City is a history of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, during and after the Manhattan Project. He is a professor and an associate dean in the Winston School of Education and Social Policy at Merrimack College, where he researches and writes about nuclear history, youth mentoring, and early college/dual enrollment programs.