CHE Café: Petroleum 238: A 7-Year Investigation of Oilfield Radioactivity

Justin writes on science and environment for United States magazines, literary journals, and investigative sites. His investigation into the radioactivity brought to the surface in oil and gas production was published in 2020 with Rolling Stone Magazine, “America’s Radioactive Secret,” and awarded best long-form narrative by the National Association of Science Writers. Justin’s reports on this in his latest book, Petroleum-238: Big Oil’s Dangerous Secret and the Grassroots Fight to Stop It (Simon & Schuster 2024).

Larysa is a graduate of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Following residency and board certification in pediatrics, she practiced general pediatrics and held the position of Director of Pediatrics at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, NJ. She has been a United Nations representative to ECOSOC with the World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations, where her work was focused on children’s rights, particularly health. She is a founding member of Sullivan Area Citizens for Responsible Energy Development. Together, with fellow New York medical colleagues, she founded Concerned Health Professionals of New York.

James is a writer, husband and father, and tribal member of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in western North Dakota. He lives in the community of Four Bears and has advocated tirelessly for the protection of his family, the environment, and his community against rampant and relentless oil and gas development.

Kristin has over three decades of experience in the field of environmental health and justice. After working as a Communications Specialist at EPA and with World Resources Institute in Washington, DC, she moved back to Northern California where she held various roles—including executive director—over a 25-year tenure with Pesticide Action Network (PAN) North America. Throughout her career she’s had a particular focus on children’s health, collaborating with partners to promote protective policies at the state, national, and international levels. Kristin holds a Masters in Social Change and Development from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. She serves on the Board of the Coming Clean Collaborative, and loves to bike ride and garden.