Arkansas Tech University student Logan Pryor has been selected to conduct research as part of the Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
Pryor, a junior from Conway, is studying emergency management at Arkansas Tech.
As a fellowship recipient, he will receive funds to conduct in-depth research on a topic related to his field of study. For his research, he will evaluate the effectiveness of emergency instructions related to Arkansas Nuclear One.
Dr. Peter Chen, assistant professor of emergency management, and Clayton Frasier, adjunct professor of emergency management will serve as mentors during the research process.
“The project will evaluate if spatial and socioeconomic factors play an integral role in risk perception,” said Pryor. “In addition, it will attempt to determine whether receiving information from the ANO emergency instruction brochure makes a significant difference in improving residents’ preparedness skills.”
Pryor said he hopes the research will offer insight into ways to enhance and improve preparedness in the event of nuclear emergencies.
“Past nuclear emergencies have shown that evidence-based public risk perception and effective governmental risk communication play important roles in preserving human lives within the vicinity of nuclear plants,” he said. “Therefore, providing necessary information to local residents of the nuclear risk and preparing them well in a proactive manner will reduce loss of life if a real-world nuclear disaster occurs.”
Outside of his research, Pryor said studying emergency management is his passion and a way of contributing to the safety of the community in which he lives.
“Emergency management is very important,” said Pryor. “It encompasses everyone in the country, starting on a local level with individuals and moving up into businesses, non-profit organizations, and then finally the local, state, and federal government.”
Learn more about the Arkansas Tech Department of Emergency Management.
