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“Pandora’s Promise” Screening Generates Approval from American Nuclear Society Members at the University of Florida”

By: Olin W. Calvin

For decades, nuclear reactors have provided clean energy for nations around the world and promoted peace by preventing the need for nations to struggle with one another over dwindling supplies of fossil fuels. Despite the numerous successes of nuclear energy in the civil sector, the mention of the word “nuclear” still conjures images of bombs and the apocalypse in the mind of the general public. Pandora’s Promise highlights this misinformation with testimonies from people who spent years protesting the advancement of nuclear energy in the United States. However, these same activists attest that when they took the time to conduct genuine research in the subject of nuclear energy, the came to the realization that their beliefs, intrinsic to their “environmentalist” mindset, were based on lies and myths and not science.

Indeed, perhaps the most important aspect of Pandora’s Promise is the fact that it provides a general overview of the nuclear industry without delving into the more technical and scientific aspects of the field. Kathleen Smith, a Pre-Social Worker at the University of South Florida states that, “[The film] was easy to understand. The general concepts of the film were clear and the film provides scientific evidence without getting too technical.” She also states that, with regards to a scene in the film, “I really liked the graph comparing the death tolls of different energy sources.” which stated that coal power plants are responsible for thousands of deaths every year, with nuclear energy being responsible for less than 100 deaths in the past decade.

Students with a more in-depth interest and study in the nuclear field also support the film as a way to better bridge the current gap between the knowledge of nuclear scientists and the public’s conceptions of nuclear science. Chelsea Collins, President of the American Nuclear Society at the University of Florida and a Graduate Student in Nuclear Engineering, raves, “The film adds a dimension of drama to make an informative film engaging. I would definitely show the film to all of my friends and family, 4/4 stars.”She also qualifies that, “Having a background in nuclear science helps you understand the film better, but the point of the film in dispelling preconceived notions can be understood regardless of your background.”

Support for the film even came from the various professors in attendance. Dr. Sedat Goluoglu, PhD in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Tennessee, commented on how, “I was expecting more of a documentary, but was surprised at how they interviewed mainly ex-anti-Nuclear environmentalists in the movie in order to make their point.” Pandora’s Promise also addressed the “elephant in the room” when it comes to dealing with anything nuclear: radiation. Dr. Goluoglu reflected on how, “The part with the counter showing varying levels of background radiation made a good point in showing how high levels of radiation people are exposed to in nature everyday.” Indeed the makers of the film demonstrated that even some quarantined zones in Chernobyl did not match levels of radiation found in certain beaches and cities.

Perhaps the overall sentiment of the film is best summarized by Hernan Godoy, a Sophomore in Nuclear Engineering at the University of Florida, who said, “I would definitely recommend this film as important for my friends and family to see.”

Pandora’s Promise succeeds in taking an otherwise bleak scenario and crafting a beacon of hope for the nuclear industry and the future of humanity as a whole. Indeed the film outlines that the greatest enemy of nuclear energy is misinformation, and that, as with so many problems in this world, the best way to combat it is education, and Pandora’s Promise is a great step towards educating the public.