Ecology For many years, the AEC provided the most conspicuous example of the benefit of atomic age technologies to biology and medicine. Shortly after the Atomic Energy Commission was established, its Division of Biology and Medicine began supporting diverse programs of research in the life sciences, mainly the fields of genetics, physiology, and ecology. Specifically concerning the AEC's relationship with the field of ecology, one of the first approved funding grants went to Eugene Odum in 1951. This grant sought to observe and document the effects of radiation emission on the environment from a recently built nuclear facility on the Savannah River in South Carolina. Odum, a professor at the University of Georgia, initially submitted a proposal requesting annual funding of $267,000, but the AEC rejected the proposal and instead offered to fund a $10,000 project to observe local animal populations and the effects of secondary succession on abandoned farmland around the nuclear plant.
ecology for many years the aec provided the most conspicuous example of the benefit of atomic age technologies to biology and medicine shortly after the atomic energy commission was established its division of biology and medicine began supporting diverse programs of research in the life sciences mainly the fields of genetics physiology and ecology specifically concerning the aec's relationship with the field of ecology one of the first approved funding grants went to eugene odum in 1951 this grant sought to observe and document the effects of radiation emission on the environment from a recently built nuclear facility on the savannah river in south carolina odum a professor at the university of georgia initially submitted a proposal requesting annual funding of $267000 but the aec rejected the proposal and instead offered to fund a $10000 project to observe local animal populations and the effects of secondary succession on abandoned farmland around the nuclear plant