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Harvard's second fukushima field trip course: an overview
Nihaal K Rahman1,2, Kazuma Parkinson1, Kathleen Kozak1
1Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Fukushima Journal of Medical Science
|June 10, 2026
Summary
Graduate students gained insights into Fukushima
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Environmental Health
- Disaster Management
Background:
- The 2011 triple disaster in Fukushima, Japan, caused significant challenges.
- The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health offered a course to study ongoing recovery efforts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide graduate students with field-based learning on disaster recovery.
- To examine interdisciplinary approaches to community resilience and health systems.
Main Methods:
- Students participated in the Field Trip to Fukushima Course (GHP549, Winter Session 2026).
- Learning involved direct engagement with diverse stakeholders at local, prefectural, and national levels.
- Students worked in three focused groups: Radiation and Environmental Health, Disaster Preparedness and Health Systems Resilience, and Community Recovery and Social Impact.
Main Results:
- The Radiation and Environmental Health group recommended a Japan-led nuclear disaster response task force.
- The Disaster Preparedness group proposed community strengthening via Disaster Welfare Assistance Teams and buckwheat farming.
- The Community Recovery group designed a LINE account for youth engagement and information sharing.
Conclusions:
- Field-based, interdisciplinary education is valuable for graduate studies in disaster preparedness and recovery.
- The course provided practical insights into addressing complex post-disaster challenges in Fukushima.
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