Home Official News Releases Environmental historian to speak at Drake before screening of ‘The China Syndrome’

Environmental historian to speak at Drake before screening of ‘The China Syndrome’

News Photo
Amahia Mallea

On Tuesday, April 5, environmental historian Amahia Mallea, who is a visiting assistant professor of history at Drake University, will give a brief lecture on the history of domestic nuclear power and the 1979 Three Mile Island incident in Pennsylvania.

The lecture will precede the screening of the fictional film, “The China Syndrome,” which depicted a domestic nuclear accident and was showing in theaters in 1979. In the film, reporters (played by Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas) observe a nuclear accident, which is covered up by the plant supervisor (played by Jack Lemmon).

Both the lecture and film are free and open to the public as part of a film series sponsored by the Drake Center for Global Citizenship. The event will take place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in room 101 of Meredith Hall, 2805 University Ave. For more information, call 515-271-2840.

Mallea is an environmental historian who studies rivers, cities and public health. She has taught environmental and American history classes at Drake for four years. Growing up in the West made her very aware of nuclear power because she lived near a domestic power plant, as well as a facility that produced weapons. As an undergraduate, her archival research project investigated the Hanford nuclear facility in Washington state. That project piqued her interest in nuclear history and she always devotes a lecture to it in her environmental and American West history classes.  

What: Lecture on the history of nuclear power in the United States and a screening of “The China Syndrome”

When: Tuesday, April 5, 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Where: Room 101 of Meredith Hall, 2805 University Ave.

Cost: Free

For more information: Call 515-271-2840