Future Impact
Make an impact while building your career! As a NSSC contractor working at EPA you will gain unique and exciting research experiences. The sky’s the limit!
Make an impact while building your career! As a NSSC contractor working at EPA you will gain unique and exciting research experiences. The sky’s the limit!
Meet ORAU employee Kevin Mazze. Kevin is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Working in Laboratory Data Analysis Support in Research Triangle Park, NC, Kevin supports EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD), The Center of Environmental Measurement and Modeling (CEMM), the About Air Methods and Characterization Division (AMCD), and the Source and Fine Scale Branch (SFSB). Kevin’s work assists the national research program to enhance scientific approaches for understanding current and emerging chemicals, and how this is essential for effective environmental decision making under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act.
Kevin’s work with the ORD, CEMM, and the AMCD team includes providing laboratory support to the indoor air research group at SFSB. He is also assisting other lab members and ORD collaborators to conduct experiments and perform qualitative and quantitative data analysis. The research analysis performed focuses on chemical safety assessments and regulatory effective 7 steps to making decisions. In addition, he is working on a project to identify consumer products that contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and quantify the amount present and the amount that could potentially end up in water sources. PCBs are highly carcinogenic and were banned from production in 1976. However, PCBs have been found in certain yellow and orange dyes as a byproduct of their production.
Background
Kevin is from Concord, NC, which is near Charlotte, NC. As a sophomore in high school, he was introduced to many interesting chemistry concepts and knew he wanted to pursue them. He attended school at UNC Chapel Hill, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with a focus in Biochemistry and a minor in Biology. Working as an ORAU National Student Service Contract employee at EPA, Kevin is able to pursue his chemistry curiosity and collaborate on chemical safety research projects.
Factoids: Kevin is a cancer survivor and has been in remission for over 18 years.
Meet ORAU employee Julia Carlson. Julia is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Working in Aquatic Toxicology Laboratory Support in Duluth, MN, Julia supports EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD), The Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure (CCTE), and the Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division (GLTED). Julia’s work with GLTED focuses on freshwater ecotoxicity and freshwater coastal ecology. The Division encompasses traditional and predictive toxicity using advanced scientific tools to produce science to inform ecological risk assessments of chemicals by EPA’s Program Offices and Regions.
Julia’s work with the CCTE and the GLTED team includes assisting in one of several aquatic toxicology projects evaluating different aspects of chemical toxicity in aquatic organisms and assisting with general laboratory activities. In addition, she is currently working on a variety of projects. A few highlights include characterizing gene expression and deiodinase enzyme activity among different tissues across developmental stages in Xenopus Tropicalis, using CRISPR to create functional knockouts within specific genomes of Xenopus Tropicalis to determine the role the knockout plays in development, as well as exposing Xenopus Laevis tadpoles to diluted concentrations of target chemicals to analyze and observe any effects they might have on development.
When asked what her favorite part of working at EPA has been so far, Julia said, “My favorite part about joining the EPA team has been gaining lab experience and growing my passion for scientific research in addition to connecting with those who share similar goals.”
Background
Julia graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN. Growing up Julia had an affinity for science and all things water related. She was either concocting chemistry mixtures, spending time by the water, or trying to convince her parents to get her a microscope. Throughout high school, she discovered she enjoyed science and decided to further her curiosity at The College of St. Scholastica. It wasn’t until her junior year after taking numerous hands-on lab courses she realized she wanted to pursue a research career. Julia graduated in Spring of 2023 with a biology degree and began her job search. She landed the position of Aquatic Toxicology Lab Technician through ORAU and EPA’s Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division in her hometown of Duluth, MN.
Fun Facts: Julia enjoys spending time with friends and family, watching hockey, spoiling her dog, and baking. When the weather permits, she likes spending time on Lake Superior, hiking, and playing tennis.
Meet ORAU employee Christian Coffman. Christian is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Working in Statistical Programming Support in Duluth, MN, Christian supports EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD), The Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure (CCTE), and the Scientific Computing & Data Curation Division (SCDCD). Christian’s work with CCTE supports research under multiple national research programs by assisting with statistical programming and model development.
CCTE supports ORD by providing solutions-driven research to rapidly evaluate the potential human health and environmental risks due to exposures to environmental stressors and ensure the integrity of the freshwater environment and its capacity to support human well-being. Within CCTE, the Scientific Computing & Data Curation Division (SCDCD) develops the knowledge and information architecture necessary for integrating, transforming, and managing large-scale data streams related to assessing the risk of chemicals.
Christian’s work with the CCTE team includes assisting with scientific data management and integration, data visualization, identification of appropriate statistical and machine learning methods, data analysis, and R package and application development needs for CCTE. In addition, he is working on a project to streamline Great Lakes water quality data integration. Christian said, “The challenge lies in consolidating data from multiple databases, which has hindered researchers from fully utilizing its explanatory power. Our software package aims to remove this hindrance by providing automatic data assembly and quality control. We're also gearing up for a machine learning application to predict chlorophyll-a and harmful algal blooms by proxy.”
When asked what his favorite part of working at EPA has been so far, Christian said, “The EPA has been a delightful surprise, offering an efficient work environment and a fantastic culture. Colleagues not only respect each other's work but also their personal lives, fostering a positive and collaborative atmosphere with notable coworker friendships.”
Background
Christian graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale before attending graduate school at the University of Minnesota and earning a Master of Science degree in Chemistry. In addition, he is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Biostatistics at the University of Minnesota. After Christian received his master’s in chemistry, he shifted gears to teach statistics in New York at the high school level. Teaching statistics helped nurture his love for quantitative decision-making processes and statistics and eventually led him to pursue a Ph.D. in Biostatistics. While in his Ph.D. program, he led development teams at the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain in the development of statistical tools and quality control pipelines.
Fun Facts: Christian enjoys making music, playing sports, home improvement projects, and quality family time.
Meet ORAU employee Alex Schweitzer. Alex is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As a Research Assistant with Dr. Mallikarjuna Nadagouda in Cincinnati, Ohio, Alex supports EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD), The Center for Environmental Solutions & Emergency Response (CESER) along with the Water Infrastructure Division (WID) and the Chemical Methods and Treatment Branch (CMTB). Alex’s work with EPA is critical to assisting the mission of the agency by supporting experimental research in a laboratory environment.
CESER plans, coordinates, and conducts an applied, customer-driven, national research and development program to improve decision-making by EPA, federal, state, tribal, and local agencies when faced with challenging environmental problems in the built environment. Within CESER, WID and CMTB conduct customer-driven research and support, providing scientific leadership on national-scale problems associated with water quality in the built infrastructure.
Alex’s work with the CESER team includes being a member of a multi-disciplinary research team and assisting with a bench-scale wet air oxidation system, conducting experimental runs, and analyzing water and soil samples. Alex is working in Dr. Nadagouda’s lab learning novel approaches to PFAS remediation and wastewater treatment processes. In addition, he is learning various equipment and procedures that make PFAS testing possible.
When asked what his favorite part of working at EPA has been so far, Alex said, “I think the best part so far has been the people I work with. Everyone is very open and willing to teach, and the other ORAU employees who share our office space are always a good group to be around! The work also feels meaningful, which makes coming to this place just that much more exciting!”
Background
Alex graduated from Boise State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Geology. He then enrolled at Miami University to study Geology and Geochemistry, where he graduated with a Master of Science degree. At Miami University, he worked on geochemical aspects and co-instructed geology field camps and Intro to Geochemistry and Structural Geology. In addition, he was nominated by his instructors for the NAGT (National Association of Geoscience Teachers) student teaching instructor award in 2023 for his efforts. When Alex was defending his master's thesis and instructing field camps out of Montana, he discovered this Research Assistant position on the ORAU outreach website.
Fun Facts: Alex has been somewhere on Earth that only two other people have been to. Where is that you might ask? During the summer of 2018, Alex was selected with four other students from three universities (Boise State University, University of Idaho, and MIT – Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) to participate in an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). This research experience objective was to assist and participate in examining a specific region of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (the vast mountain range that forms the plate boundaries between the North American and European/African tectonic plates). They participated in a 5-week research cruise where he conducted 18 submersible dives in the ALVIN submersible to collect and analyze over 400 samples of material from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. During that time, he went on a dive where they descended nearly 3500 meters (roughly 11,400 ft) to the bottom of the ocean. Why were they collecting samples from here? In the 1980s, a Soviet dredging operation turned up some peculiar lavas from this location that, upon arriving on the deck of the dredge ship, began to spontaneously “Pop!” thus earning the nickname “popping rocks.” This research cruise aimed to uncover the extent of these “popping rocks” and to determine potential origin causes for these rocks.
When not engaging in submersible dives or assisting Dr. Nadagouda with research, Alex enjoys spending time with his wife and completing improvements to their home. During the spring and summer, Alex and his wife are out in the garden preparing for the growing season. One of their favorite things to do is to take their 1-year-old Corgi named ‘Butter’ out to explore different places and sights. He also enjoys hiking, golfing, reading, and occasionally playing video and board games.
Meet ORAU employee Emily Sands. Emily is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Working in Science and Policy Outreach Support in Washington, D.C., Emily supports EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) and the Office of Science Advisor, Policy, and Engagement (OSAPE). Emily’s work with OSAPE is critical to supporting the agency’s official Scientific Integrity policy and human subject research review.
OSAPE’s focus is on the Agency’s official Scientific Integrity policy and human subject research review, as well as overseeing and managing intra-agency science coordination, the Action Development Process leadership, the Regional Science Program, Tribal Science, External Advisory Boards, and EPA extramural research support and partnerships (including research grants and partnerships, challenges, and prizes).
Emily’s work with the OSAPE team includes supporting science and policy-focused fora and workgroups by preparing, reviewing, and editing scientific documents and assisting with meeting planning and logistics, including preparation of scientific meeting materials and creating PowerPoint presentations. In addition, she assists the Scientific Technology and Policy Council along with the Risk Assessment Forum. In the Risk Assessment Forum, they are working on the Cumulative Risk Assessment Guidelines. Emily was brought on to help with editing and quality appraisal.
When asked what her favorite part of working at EPA has been so far, Emily said, “Getting an insider’s view as to what all goes into policy work has been truly fascinating. Additionally, I love how passionate everyone is. It is incredible to work in a place where we all share the same goal.”
Background
Emily graduated from Loyola University Chicago, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies before enrolling at University College London to study Global Health and Development. She graduated with a Master of Science from UCL. At UCL, she wrote her dissertation, Environmental Violence: A Systematic Review Examining the Impacts of Persistent Organic Pollutants and Environmental Injustice on the Health of Indigenous Women, on the connections between environmental injustice and exposure.
Fun Facts: Emily enjoys reading, hiking, paddleboarding, and exploring the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV)! Her favorite snack is dark chocolate covered pretzels.
Meet ORAU employee Kaleb Wilkes. Kaleb is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As an Engineering Support Modeler in Research Triangle Park, NC, Kaleb supports EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) and Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling (CEMM) along with the Air Methods and Characterization Division (AMCD). Kaleb’s work with both CEMM and AMCD is critical to supporting the laboratory's research and EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment.
CEMM conducts research to advance the Agency’s ability to measure and model contaminants in the environment. This includes research to provide fundamental methods and models needed to implement environmental statutes. Within CEMM, AMCD develops, evaluates, and applies advanced laboratory and field methods to measure, characterize, and analyze concentrations of pollutants in the air and at various emission sources.
Kaleb’s work involves comparing the products of incomplete combustion of short-chain PFAS and how they behave in comparison to their chlorinated homologues. The team would like to see if they can use their knowledge of chlorinated compounds to make better regulations for fluorinated compounds. They have found so far that PFAS can be much more challenging to destroy because they tend to break into smaller pieces. He is hopeful that since the larger molecules break up into shorter chains, if they destroy the shorter chains, then the larger ones will be broken as well. This would help change regulations for hazardous waste incinerators to treat these substances more efficiently and to reduce the amount of PFAS that is emitted into the air after incineration.
When asked what his favorite part of working at EPA has been so far, Kaleb said, “I really enjoy being given a task and having the time and resources to do it in a way that I feel proud of.”
Background
Kaleb graduated from North Carolina State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics. The academic experiences and the systems-oriented approach from physics led him to work with modeling the behavior of PFAS in Python using Cantera.
Fun Facts: Kaleb enjoys making short films with his friends as well as learning about vintage computing and obscure world history. Kaleb is an Eagle Scout and has always taken an interest in the environment and sustainable practices. In addition, he is from Fayetteville, North Carolina, and remembers learning about GenX (a PFAS) in their water as a kid, so it’s exciting to do work that has real impacts on his hometown.
Meet ORAU employee Abby Novak. Abby is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As an Avian Toxicology Technician in Duluth, MN, Abby supports EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) and the Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure (CCTE) along with the Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division (GLTED). Abby’s work with both CCTE and GLTED is critical to support the laboratory's research and technical assistance missions.
CCTE provides the science needed to understand the potential effects on non-human species of exposure to environmental contaminants. Within CCTE, GLTED focuses on the development of quantitative laboratory, field, and mathematical methods for predicting exposure to and effects of environmental contaminants.
Abby’s work involves performing quality analysis checks on the MCnest dataset. The dataset is a collection of life history and reproductive measures from a variety of North American bird species. Information from the database will be used alongside both EcoTox data and the lab’s field data as input for the MCnest model to predict reproductive outcomes in populations under stress from environmental contaminants. In addition, Abby is learning how to use R, helping to take biological samples from raptors, and assisting with a variety of side projects.
When asked what her favorite part of working at EPA has been so far, Abby said, “I enjoy summer fieldwork, especially collecting aquatic invertebrates because I like being in the water with waders and seeing all the cool creatures that we find. I’m looking forward to doing more of that next summer. I’m also having a great time learning to handle and take biological samples from raptors at Hawk Ridge.”
Background
Abby graduated from the University of Minnesota in Duluth, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She also minored in psychology. The academic experiences that led her to EPA include 1) her AP Biology class in high school. She realized during this class she wanted a career in bioscience 2) She spent her senior year of high school at the School of Environmental Studies, where the entire curriculum incorporated environmental teachings and 3) during her time at UMD, she worked on several research projects which helped her realize that she is most passionate about wildlife and ecology, especially field research.
Fun Facts: Abby enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, and camping, as well as road trips to explore national parks and other natural areas. She especially likes to spot wildlife on her explorations. Other hobbies she enjoys are drawing, canoeing, spending time with her friends and pets, reading, and playing Wii. She is currently learning to whittle wood. She also once crawled inside an abandoned wolf den, which was full of porcupine spines.
Meet ORAU employee Hannah Slep. Hannah is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As a Geospatial Analyst, Hannah supports the Office of Research and Development Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment team. She also supports the Public Health and Environmental Systems Division, and the Environmental Pathways Modeling Branch located in Research Triangle Park, NC.
Hannah is currently assisting ORD’s GeoPFAS and AFOmap teams with two projects. “The AFOmap team is significant because we analyze particular farms across the United States and how they impact the surrounding environment,” Hannah said. She uses ESRI products and the R programming language to analyze with the team. The GeoPFAS team focuses on where PFAS sources and occurrences potentially exist to aid in more efficient resource management in research and mitigation efforts. Hannah uses data acquisition and management and several ArcGIS web applications to create effective and interactive presentations to demonstrate the GeoPFAS team's resources.
Accomplishments
Two notable professional accomplishments occurred within the GeoPFAS team for Hannah. As a result of her and her co-workers' efforts in developing a detailed StoryMap and presenting it at a conference, they received a Shooting Star. This recognizes those who excelled above and beyond a specified task. Second, Hannah and her co-workers created a static map showcasing their PFAS data overlapping environmental justice data and submitted that to the first EPA Static Map Competition. The map they created won one of the 5 positions used on the EPA Geospatial webpage and promotional materials.
Background
Hannah is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science. She continued her education and obtained a master’s degree in Geographic Information Science and Technology from the School of City and Regional Planning at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Her goal is to continue her education and obtain a Ph.D. in Animal Behavior/Zoology to work with animals in the field. She will use her GIS and ecological skills.
Fun Fact: Hannah has practiced yoga for 13+ years and is a certified yoga instructor.
Meet ORAU employee Adam Edelman-Muñoz. Adam is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As a Chemical Transformation Database Developer, Adam provides support to the Office of Research and Development Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure team, Chemical Characterization and Exposure Division, and the Computational Chemistry and Cheminformatics Branch located in Research Triangle Park, NC.
The Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure (CCTE) supports ORD by providing solutions-driven research to rapidly evaluate the potential human health and environmental risks due to exposures to environmental stressors and ensure the integrity of the freshwater environment and its capacity to support human well-being. CCTE researchers are developing and applying cutting-edge innovations in methods to rapidly evaluate chemical toxicity, transport, and exposure to people and environments. Within CCTE, the Chemical Characterization and Exposure Division (CCED) performs research to develop and advance analytical chemistry, computational chemistry, and cheminformatic approaches that are critical to the rapid characterization of the presence, structural characteristics, and properties of chemicals that underlie chemical exposure, environmental fate, toxicokinetic and toxicity.
Adam works with ORD’s Computational Chemistry and Cheminformatics Branch team as a developer working on a concept application called the Chemical Transformations Database (CTDB). The CTDB serves as a searchable database of observed chemical transformations sourced from literature with accessible reaction kinetics, system information, and references to the source material. The database is intended to support chemical exposure, risk assessment, and predictive modeling efforts within EPA.
Background
Adam was born in Houston, Texas, and was raised in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Adam is a graduate of New York University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Physics. He continued his education and obtained a master’s degree in Statistics from North Carolina State University.
Fun Fact: Adam is a black belt with 23 years of training in Jido-Kwon Tae-Kwon-Do. He also has been fencing for 15 years, and he has coached fencing for 5 years.
Meet ORAU employee Matilda Jensen. Matilda is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As a Human Capital Administrative Support Specialist, Matilda provides support to the Office of Resource Management within the Office of Research and Development and Human Capital Division located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
The Office of Resources Management is the premier provider of administrative and support services that enable and support research within the EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD). It is composed of five divisions with responsibility for extramural programs, budget planning/execution, human resources, safety, health and facilities, and accountability. Human Capital Division (HCD) provides leadership and expertise to the Office of Research & Development (ORD) on the impact and use of policies, procedures, programs, and organizational relationships related to the operation of human resources management.
Matilda works with ORD’s Office of Resources Management and Human Capital Division to process approval/training forms for scientists and other EPA employees. To ensure they receive all required training, she assists with workshops, conferences, and hands-on education. “These experiences help to improve research, networking, and communication within EPA and other organizations,” Matilda said.
Background
Matilda was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in Washington D.C. “I thought I wanted to study business but fell in love with science and graduated from Purdue University in 2021 with a bachelor’s in Environmental Sustainability. I chose to pursue a career at the EPA, so I could continue to be involved with environmental issues,” Matilda said.
Matilda’s biggest accomplishment so far is successfully processing over 100 training forms for EPA to ensure individuals and groups receive the training and experience they need. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen and teaching cooking classes.
Meet ORAU employee Jessica Tolan. Jessica is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As an Ecosystem Dynamics Research Associate, Jessica provides support to the Office of Research and Development Center of Environmental Measurement and Modeling team and the Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division located in Gulf Breeze, Florida.
Jessica works with ORD’s Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling team to conduct ecosystem modeling in a Florida estuary studying the behavioral movement of aquatic mobile organisms during hypoxia events. She finds this research interesting because it allows her to use non-invasive methods of studying organism movement without impacting the environment. It also incorporates high-performance computing to create an extensive amount of data points in a short amount of time. She is making an impact by using non-invasive ecosystem research techniques to provide stakeholders with management strategies that protect our watersheds and estuaries in the Gulf of Mexico. “This research matters because it allows us to safely monitor the human-environment relationship so that we can protect not only ourselves but the organisms that reside here,” Jessica said.
Background
Jessica is a graduate of Texas A&M - Corpus Christi where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology. She continued her education and obtained a master’s degree in Oceanography and Coastal Services from Louisiana State University. She discovered her passion for the ocean and environment after completing an ocean class in 6th grade. She loves teaching people about the environment.
Jessica’s biggest accomplishment so far is successfully defending her master’s thesis and finding a position that allows her to do what she loves each day. Her thesis was cited in a published scientific journal. Her future goal is to be the author of a published research paper she is currently working to complete.
Meet former ORAU employee Olivia Willoughby. As an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Olivia provided Environmental Laboratory Support to the Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division (GEMMD).
Alongside researchers in the Ecosystem Dynamics and Effects Branch, Olivia performed laboratory work in support of ongoing research related to current environmental issues. As heavy metal pollution can have a variety of detrimental effects on human health, the EPA aims to adopt a fast, safe, and accurate method of detecting lead in soil systems. Olivia’s role involved finding new ways to accurately quantify these toxins in terrestrial soils. She contributed to the design of a biosensor that responds to different quantities of lead via bioluminescent signaling. Most of her work took place in molecular and microbiology laboratories, where she performed procedures such as culturing microbes, DNA extractions, restriction enzyme digests, gel electrophoresis, and media preparation.
Additionally, she was able to network and collaborate with other EPA scientists by contributing to various GEMMD projects. For example, she participated in a field study using sediment profile imaging, which captures a variety of physical and biological parameters of the sea floor. The team deployed the equipment in the Pensacola Bay area.
Recently, Olivia accepted a full-time position as an Environmental Specialist II with Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection Mining and Mitigation Division. Her duties will include conducting field surveys on sites that have been previously disturbed due to mining efforts and utilizing this information to determine the best path for rehabilitation.
“I am extremely excited to be able to continue on a career path dedicated to ensuring that our environment stays healthy and protected so that others are able to experience the joy that the great outdoors brings, just as I have,” Olivia said.
BACKGROUND
Olivia attributes her natural gravitation toward science to growing up in a family of outdoor enthusiasts. Combining her love of the outdoors and laboratory work, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Northern Iowa. Eventually, she would like to return to school and pursue a Master’s or Doctorate in a biology-related field.
Outside of the lab, Olivia is a frequent traveler and loves to explore new places. In fact, she spent a summer in Japan and was able to hike Mt. Fuji. Additionally, she recently completed a half marathon and has hopes of completing both a triathlon and a marathon in the future.
Meet ORAU employee Shareena Cannonier. Shareena is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As a Program Management Analyst, Shareena provides support to the Atlantic Coastal Environmental Science Division’s (ACESD) Safety, Health, and Environmental Management (SHEM) Programs.
The ACESD is responsible for coastal watershed, freshwater, estuarine, and coastal ecological research. Alongside the EPA team, Shareena’s responsibilities include maintaining a program portfolio for the division’s SHEM programs using project management tools and software. As projects develop, she enters data and tracks the intended activities and goals. Through the use of performance and flow boards, the organization is able to evaluate and improve its activities.
Shareena regularly develops training materials in new platforms, focusing on engagement and tracking. Additionally, she maintains the SHEM website and serves as the office’s liaison with the ACESD communications team to highlight various SHEM activities.
“My role aids in the completion of tasks and audits within the division of Program Operation Services (POS) and supports scientists who need to access safety forms/protocols,” Shareena said.
Background
Shareena hails from the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Lincoln University and her Doctoral degree in Environmental Science from Florida A&M University. In 2020, Shareena was featured in the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program: Innovators and Trailblazers Magazine. Eventually, she hopes to become a federal employee focused on environmental projects.
Meet ORAU employee Jason Kobylanski. As an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Jason provides Laboratory and Analytical Support to the Epidemiology Branch in the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment Division.
Alongside the EPA team, Jason contributes to multiple projects focused on human health and the environment. For example, the Epidemiology Branch is developing a COVID-antibody assay to assess the spread of COVID-19 in the Research Triangle area. By understanding the population’s role in the proliferation of the disease, communities can develop informed long-term strategies. Jason runs various laboratory experiments to optimize the assay and process the participant information. Optimization includes assessing cross-reactivity for different antibodies and identifying the best candidates of different commercial and non-commercial antigens to use as the basis of the assay.
Additionally, Jason supports the Residential Environment, Allostatic Load and Diseases (RENALDI) project. The goal of the research is to assess the health effects of urban green spaces in relation to diseases. The lab analyzes various biomarkers and metrics to assess diseases ranging from Toxoplasma and H. pylori to differing types of Noroviruses within the Research Triangle region. The team uses GIS to generate maps, and Jason provides preliminary data analysis highlighting problematic samples.
Background
In 2018, Jason graduated from the University of Georgia as a triple major in Genetics, Biology, and Plant Biology. During his undergraduate career, he worked in the Donovan lab which assessed large-scale physiological trade-offs in Helianthus Annus, the common sunflower. The team aimed to generate strains of the sunflower with the ability to resist environmental stressors such as drought and salt.
Ultimately, Jason hopes to demonstrate his appreciation for his mentors by serving as a mentor to future students. Also, he hopes to motivate those around him by pursuing his own goals, such as running a marathon and squatting over 300 pounds by the end of the year!
Meet ORAU Employee Niko Ilias. As an ORAU contractor working at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Niko provides Environmental Evaluation Support to the Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division (GEMMD).
Alongside the EPA team, Niko supports research to develop methods and metrics for evaluating restoration effectiveness. He examines databases, develops environmental and socio-ecological characterizations, organizes and analyzes data, and conducts literature searches and reviews. Additionally, he conducts GIS activities and has begun to code and script in Python. Currently, Niko is contributing to a project focused on local greenspace access across a variety of locations and demographics. Traditionally, social sciences and environmental justice issues have been difficult to quantify. However, with continued progress in spatial data and analysis, the EPA team hopes to create tools with the ability to accurately highlight potential social, racial, or economic disparities.
“The tools that I have been creating help foster the further development of these projects, which would ultimately bridge the gap between lower-income families and their access to open, green spaces,” Niko said.
Background
Niko is a self-proclaimed outdoor enthusiast. In fact, he spent a significant portion of his 20s traveling around the world participating in outdoor activities, such as hiking, camping, and surfing. This love of nature led him to pursue environmental studies.
“I figured if there was ever a career that I could believe in, it would be one where I could help protect what I love the most—our beautiful planet,” Niko said.
In 2019, he received his Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management from the University of West Florida and quickly entered a graduate program. In 2020, he completed his Master’s degree in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Management. Not only was Niko the first person in his family to attend college, but he was also the first to earn a graduate degree and finish at the top of his class. Outside of his studies, Niko started a small business of restoring and selling antique Volkswagen buses out of his garage.
Fun Fact: Look for Niko to appear on your Netflix screen in early 2021. After auditioning for several movies and television series, he landed a role in an upcoming Netflix feature film.
Meet ORAU Employee Nick Grokhowsky. Nick is an ORAU contractor working at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Data Manager. He has contributed to the collection and analysis of data for numerous studies with the goal of better understanding the environmental factors that negatively affect human health.
Initially, Nick’s role involved assisting several studies focused on the location analysis of lead levels in children less than six years old throughout the United States. These studies used various cluster detection and machine learning techniques to identify groups of high blood lead levels and the social and environmental factors related to exposure.
Additionally, he participated in the data management for the National Children Study (NCS) by parsing large amounts of data and providing critical analysis for the EPA researchers. His contributions will be used for numerous studies regarding the effects of many chemical analytes (including Pb, Hg, Cd, As, PFAS, PFOA, and phthalates) on pregnant women and children across forty geographical regions in the United States.
Currently, with the EPA team, Nick is designing a geospatial data science project that will allow the county level prediction of PFAS and PFOA based on the health conditions related to these chemicals. Before geospatial analysis can begin, the project requires data collection from numerous online sources, aggregation of these data sets, and identification of sociodemographic and environmental variables. By identifying the causes and locations of these pollutants, the EPA is able to better assist states with their efforts to combat the pollutants causing serious health conditions.
“The small part that I have played in each of these studies will contribute to efforts to clean up or mitigate the damages caused by these pollutants,” Nick said. “I am proud to say that my efforts with the EPA in the last ten months will make a difference.”
Background
After more than a decade as a producer, business consultant, and entrepreneur in the insurance industry, Nick redirected his career into the field of data science and analytics, with a focus in geospatial data science. In 2018, he earned his master’s degree in forest resources and conservation with a focus in geomatics from the University of Florida and completed a graduate certificate in computer programming from Harvard University in 2019.
Aside from developing data science projects, Nick spends most of his time with his wife, three children, and their dog. They enjoy hiking, playing sports, and watching movies. Recently, they were able to travel to Scotland and Ireland and have their sights set on France, Germany, and Switzerland. But their next immediate adventure involves welcoming a new Bernese Mountain puppy into the family.
Meet ORAU Employee Lucas Doran. Lucas is an ORAU contractor working at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Wet Lab Technician.
As an EPA contractor, Lucas works closely with the Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) and the Safe and Sustainable Water Resource (SSWR) teams to help determine molecular and population level effects of chemical stressors on aquatic organisms. As the teams identify and understand the processes that can impact human health and the environment, they can better evaluate the risks of such pollutants to both humans and ecosystems.
Additionally, Lucas assists with related assignments in support of division research such as the preparation of biological and environmental samples for chemical analysis, field collection of specimens and water samples, database management of toxicity databases, maintenance of laboratory culture and testing systems, and the culture of coral, fish, and frogs.
Background
Lucas graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2018.
Outside of the lab, he participates in scuba diving, a hobby he’s had for nearly fifteen years. In 2015, he earned his National Association of Underwater Instructors certification which allows him to teach classes ranging from the beginning level Open Water Diver course to the leadership level Divemaster course. He enjoys teaching because it provides an opportunity to share his passion with others who are equally excited about the activity. When Lucas is not scuba diving, he can be found playing pickleball.
Meet ORAU Employee Alexis Bryant. Alexis is an ORAU contractor working at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington D.C., where she provides administrative support for the Office of Science Advisor, Policy, and Engagement (OSAPE).
As an EPA contractor, Alexis contributes to various internal office initiatives and projects to support the OSAPE. With her team, she updates and edits the EPA intranet (internal) Human Subjects Research and Science and Technology Policy Council web areas and the EPA internet (public) Citizen Science, Environmental Measurements and Modeling, Innovation, and Science Advisor Programs web areas. Maintaining these outlets allows the agency to remain transparent and disseminate relevant information to stakeholders and the general population. Additionally, she prepares official governmental correspondence including technical reports, letters, and memos for routing and signature or for mailing.
While at EPA, Alexis has enhanced her administrative skills by managing calendars and scheduling meetings for executive level personnel, completing supply order documentation, and preparing records for storage. She has also had the opportunity to attend meetings and publish minutes for the Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board and Subcommittee on Open Science. Her ultimate goal is to become an Environmental Health Specialist, living up to her name meaning “defender [of the earth]” and the values of her native people, the Piscataway Conoy.
Background
Alexis, a first generation college student, completed her B.S. and M.S. in Environmental Management and earned an M.B.A. from the University of Maryland, University College.
Her previous experience includes volunteering at the Chesapeake Conservation Corp and spending two summers as an Environmental Science intern at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where she conducted an environmental research project on how biomedical research operations impact the quantity of pollutants in the wastewater. She presented this research at a national conference held by the American Indian Science and Engineering Society.
When she isn’t working, Alexis collects cacti and succulents. She also enjoys drawing, painting (with acrylic), and dancing (at Zumba class or using a Wii).
The EPA NSSC is a program managed by ORAU and contractors working under the NSSC become long-term temporary employees of ORAU while contributing to the EPA mission. For more details, www.orau.org/epa.
Meet ORAU Employee Allison Eames. Allison is one of our amazing Research Associates. As an ORAU Student Services Contractor for the EPA Office of Research and Development, she is currently working on a Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) project in conjunction with EPA Region 5. Allison and her co-workers are investigating exposure to mineral particulates in mining communities. Their goal is to get into the field during 2019 to collect samples. “I find this work really important because there is a history of elevated disease and cancer in these populations. Last week, I presented our plan to technical experts at a meeting in Seattle, and I’m so grateful for their feedback and assistance. Scientists are so welcoming! We also were lucky and had sunshine all week, leading to beautiful views of the mountains.”
Last January, Allison presented some of her Washington State research at the American Meteorology Society Conference in Austin, TX. In early December, she attended the annual meeting for EPA’s Technical Review Workgroup on asbestos in Seattle. She saw laboratory demonstrations and listened to experts discuss the state of the science on asbestos. She also presented her current project plan and received technical feedback.
“In terms of future endeavors, I’m very interested in how climate change will impact vulnerable groups, specifically women and children, and how public health professionals can mitigate some of these effects. At some point I will definitely be attending graduate school in the public health arena, but I’m keeping my options open for now!” Besides being an amazing Research Associate, Alison is also a pet parent. She has a corn snake named Chupy and a German shepherd puppy named Lady Lechuga.
Background
Allison grew up in the Atlanta area, where she spent her time involved in theater, diving, and volunteering. She graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill where she received her BSPH in Environmental Health at the Gillings Global School of Public Health (minor in Chemistry). Her degree was interdisciplinary. She had the opportunity to work on various research projects throughout her undergrad which helped her figure out what she wanted to do. While in school, she also volunteered as a birth doula at UNC Hospitals and participated in women’s activism groups.
Meet ORAU Employee Anam Khan. Anam is a contractor working at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the Research Triangle Park facility. She is providing GIS support for the EnviroAtlas project.
As an EPA contractor, Anam has been working in the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) on EnviroAtlas. EnviroAtlas is a set of publicly available geospatial data, tools, and other resources related to clean air, clean water, protection from natural hazards and human health. Anam works on updating the dasymetric population map for the conterminous (or contiguous) United States. She uses python programming to turn various geospatial datasets into a gridded population density map. Population density is a crucial variable for estimating the human footprint on our planet, understanding the patterns and drivers of human settlement, and studying the relationship between human settlement and ecosystem function. Population density data is also a vital part of estimating human exposure to natural hazards and disease. Along with creating the population density data, Anam is also updating the ArcGIS Intelligent Dasymetric Mapping (IDM) toolbox for EnviroAtlas and creating an open source IDM tool for users who want to create population density maps of their own study area.
Background
Anam completed her B.S. in Geography and Environmental Resources from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She then completed her M.S. in Geographic Information Science for Development and Environment (GISDE) from the International Development, Community, and Environment Department and the Graduate School of Geography at Clark University. During Anam’s time as a graduate student in GISDE, she used satellite imagery to map hurricane damage to the forests of the southern Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. She is a former research assistant at Clark Labs, where she mapped coastal habitats and aquaculture in Myanmar using satellite imagery. Her experience on projects that assessed the impacts of mining and infrastructure expansion on water and forest resources in the tropics made her an ideal candidate for her EPA position. Anam’s future plans include pursuing a Ph.D. She wants to use remote sensing to improve estimates of vegetation function, and study the integration of remotely sensed measurements used for understanding changes in photosynthesis. When Anam isn’t working, you will find her reading about remote sensing and plant physiology. She also loves spending time in the Blue Ridge Mountains and Asheville, NC.
View positions like Anam’s at https://orau.org/epa/!
Meet former ORAU employee Bailey Stearns. For the past four years, Bailey was an EPA National Student Services Contract (NSSC) contractor working in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) as a Science Communications Outreach Associate. She worked closely with her EPA Team to develop and implement communication strategies for research initiatives, planning outreach activities around national awareness campaigns (American Hearth Month and Earth Day), and engaging with EPA’s Public Health Association partners. Additionally, Bailey’s role involved exhibiting at scientific conferences throughout the country.
“During my time in the NSSC program, I made many great friends and learned a tremendous amount from my mentors and colleagues,” Stearns said. “The NSSCs at EPA have created a community together, and being part of that was amazing.”
Recently, Bailey was hired by EPA as a Program Analyst on the ORD Communications team. In this position, she works with the Communications Director and Chief of Staff to support the organization’s communication and stakeholder engagement efforts, both internally and externally. She looks forward to continuing to work alongside the colleagues she met during her time as an EPA NSSC contractor.
Background
Bailey received a B.A. in Environmental Studies from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her M.S. in Coastal and Ocean Policy from The University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She has volunteered at several organizations including the Currituck County Planning Department, the North Carolina Coastal Federation, and the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust. Outside of the lab, she enjoys indoor rock climbing and playing video games. Bailey also spends a lot of time with her family, her partner, and her dog Ernie.
The EPA NSSC is a program managed by ORAU and contractors working under the NSSC become long-term temporary employees of ORAU while contributing to the EPA mission. For more details, www.orau.org/epa.
Meet ORAU Employee Ryan Furey. Ryan is an ORAU contractor working at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development, in Narragansett, RI, as a social science researcher.
“I’ve been fortunate to work with a team of social scientists who are using novel data sources to tackle the socioeconomic and cultural aspects of environmental issues. Traditionally, social scientists have been limited to traditional means of data-gathering and analysis, which takes considerable time and resources. But the modern world is awash with new forms of information, like data from mobile phone applications and remote sensing. The social science team here has been attempting to use these forms of data to better understand how people behave around environmental resources, and I have been lucky to contribute to the work.”
Background
A Florida native, he studied economics at Harvard University. Most of his coursework focused on developing economies and natural resource economics. Prior to the EPA, Ryan had worked for a non-profit in Tanzania, as a photographer for a travel guide, and as the director of research for an early stage startup. If you can’t find him in the office, he is probably out surfing! Ryan would like his future work to address environmental issues in resource constrained parts of the world.
Meet ORAU Employee Carolyn Carter. Carolyn is an ORAU contractor working at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a communications specialist. She has been working in the National Risk Management Research Laboratory-Water Systems Division, a part of the Office of Research and Development.
Carolyn is making a difference by helping scientists get their work out to the public, as well as people in other EPA offices. Her hope is that the information sharing makes everyone’s jobs a little easier. “It is so important for people to know about all of the crucial work the researchers in my division are doing.” Her division does a wide variety of water-related research including lead corrosion control, PFAS, microbial source tracking, nutrient trading and harmful algal bloom research, among other things.
A major professional accomplishment she is excited to have accomplished, is being a coauthor on a couple EPA factsheets. “It’s really cool to see your name associated with an agency that is doing such incredible work.” Last November she also attended the Water Quality Technology Conference in Portland, OR. “Attending an event of such caliber just solidified that I want to continue a career in the science field.” Her future professional goal is to become a permanent federal employee at the EPA.
Carolyn’s #lifeoutsidethelab is just as exciting as her work! Last summer she scuba dove in the Great Barrier Reef. “It was the most incredible experience of my life.” In October, she finished a full Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run). This summer, she will be traveling to Belize and hopes to scuba in the Great Blue Hole. She’s only getting started though. She has several big future personal goals including qualifying for the Boston Marathon, qualifying for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, and completing an ultramarathon!
Background
Carolyn graduated from Miami University in 2015 with a major in Environmental Earth Science and a minor in Writing. After job searching for a few months, she says she found the perfect position as a contractor with ORAU at the EPA. She celebrated her three year work anniversary this February.
Meet ORAU Employee Chelsey Fattal Sooriyarachchi. Chelsey is an ORAU contractor working within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air and Energy Management Division (AEMD) at the National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL). As an air emissions modeler, she analyzes air emissions data on animal feeding operations (AFOs) in SAS, performs literature reviews on relevant work, and writes reports to communicate her findings to other scientists.
Chelsey is part of a small scientific team which is spearheading and continuing the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study (NAEMS). The NAEMS project was created in 2005 to characterize air emissions from various AFOs across the United States and coincides with an Air Compliance Agreement (70 FR 4958) between the EPA and certain agricultural communities. In a combined effort to improve air quality, farmer management, and Agency transparency, they are developing emissions estimation methodologies (EEMs) that will serve all [North] American farmers as an easy-to-use predictive tool. Their team is excited to currently be in the midst of writing and submitting a report on EEMs for Layers (the chicken/egg-laying animal sector), since it’s been about 10 years from the start of NAEMS project.
Why does their project matter? Regulations are not keeping pace with the growing size of many AFOs. “Without sound methodologies to estimate AFO air emissions [from respective animal sectors], we cannot reliably determine whether or not they [i.e., the farmers/facility] are complying with the Clean Air Act (CAA, 1990) requirements [soon to be] set for them.” The work Chelsey and her team is doing will guide the decision-making process and creation of future regulations.
During her tenure at the EPA, she has completed 3 (going on 4) SAS courses, received a fellowship to attend Harvard’s Risk Analysis Conference, attended numerous high-profile meetings, and contributed to a national project with experts in their field. This September she will be attending OceanObs in Hawaii. When she’s not busy accomplishing all these things, you can find her traveling, writing, and exploring landscapes.
Meet former ORAU Employee Victoria Kurker. Victoria started her career as an ORAU National Student Services Contractor working at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an Ecotoxicology Research Support Associate in Duluth, MN. Victoria was researching pesticide impacts and how they affect bird and fish species. Recently, Victoria accepted a full-time job as a federal employee at the EPA in Arlington, VA. Congratulations Victoria!
In the aquatic arena, she conducted live lab studies, testing the dose response of certain pesticides on fathead minnows. When she started, she was doing a lot of biology research support (fish care), but she was able to train under the retiring chemist. When the chemist retired, Victoria became the sole chemist on her team. Her duties included creating chemical stocks, verifying that the tanks were getting the correct dosage of pesticide, and analyzing the effects of the pesticide on the fish. Victoria discovered that she enjoys chemistry much more than biology because she likes mathematical analysis and chemical samples don’t misbehave like live fish sometimes do! These pesticide studies matter because Victoria and her team are currently looking at neonicotinoids, the class of pesticides associated with the collapse of bee populations. By understanding these pesticides and their impacts on fish, other groups and risk assessors can determine how to further regulate pesticide usage.
In the avian arena, Victoria conducted similar work, determining how bird populations are impacted by toxins, specifically pesticides, using the Markov Chain Nest Productivity Model (MCnest). The model, developed by her EPA mentor Matthew Etterson, uses the breeding success of birds (nest survival and failure probabilities) to calculate estimated chemical exposure impacts on their populations. This research is important because scientists cannot expose birds in the field, especially threatened and endangered species, to pesticides to see how their populations are impacted.
Victoria’s new role as a federal employee at the EPA will be as a biologist! She will be working for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, in the Office of Pesticides Programs, in Arlington, VA. Broadly, she will be working on pesticide risk assessments. This could include writing scientific evaluations related to the impacts of pesticide use, conducting exposure analyses to support risk assessments, and applying federal laws and regulations to pesticide management use. Her pesticide work experience while a part of the EPA NSSC program made her an ideal candidate for the position.
“I am going to miss Minnesota in general and all the friendships I’ve made here. Moving halfway across the country to a place you had never heard of before, and not knowing anyone, is a difficult but rewarding experience. I have made life-long friends here and consider it home now. (I will also definitely miss the cheap rent.) I am most excited to start a federal career for the EPA in Arlington, VA in a place I have always wanted to live, with a job I’ve always wanted to have. I am excited to work on the assessment side of science, taking research and really seeing it applied and making a difference in the public health of communities.”
Background
Victoria’s father worked for the US Air Force. She decided at an early age her career path would take her to the federal government just like him. She became aware of climate change and other environmental issues. She was determined to solve these problems. This determination focused her college education on the human health impacts of climate change and chemical pollution. Victoria graduated from University of Massachusetts Lowell in 2017, with a BS in Biological Sciences and a minor in Environmental Health.
While at Umass Lowell, she participated in several professional experiences. Through a community co-op scholarship, she volunteered for a summer project testing antibiotics on superbugs to find an antibiotic that was universal to a variety of the superbugs. She also worked as an undergraduate researcher, coauthoring an article for World Climate, a climate change negotiations role play game for climate education.
These experiences solidified what Victoria ultimately wanted to gain, and give, from her career. “My work at the US Army solidified my desire to work for the government because I wanted to work for the benefit of the community and the United States as a whole. My undergrad research solidified my desire to teach and spark motivation to address climate change and environmental problems. My goal is to reduce someone’s suffering and worry by ensuring that they have a safe and clean environment to live in. I want to make an impact, no matter how small, in preventing people from getting sick from their environment.”
After graduating, she continued taking math and computer modeling courses. Victoria learned that ORAU offered entry level jobs at the EPA through the National Student Service Contract (NSSC) program. With her dream of becoming a federal employee temporarily on hold due to a hiring freeze, she turned her eye to an EPA NSSC job in Duluth, MN which involved computer modeling and live fish studies. “I eventually became confident enough to apply and move so far away from home and it was the best decision I have made. I was able to transition to chemistry support out of need on our team, which I enjoy a lot more than biology and am better at. The opportunities at MED (Mid-continent Ecology Division) and the supportive work environment has made this job one of my favorites.”
Meet ORAU Employee Dustin Woodruff. Dustin is an ORAU contractor working at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a research assistant. Since May 2016, he has been working in the Office of Research and Development in Duluth, MN. He enjoys the variety provided by being a member of different research teams and projects.
One of the projects he is currently working on aims to develop stream condition assessment methods to be used by the National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS), a nation-wide, collaborative, aquatic monitoring program. His team is studying stream nutrient spiraling models to understand nutrient transport and kinetics. Their research indicates that using the Tracer Additions for Spiraling Curve Characterization (TASCC) model for streams is an important aspect of informing land managers about variations in land use and best restoration practices. In October 2018, he presented a poster at the River Restoration Conference in Two Harbors, MN. This presentation displayed the use of the TASCC method as a tool to characterize ecosystem function and nutrient retention, and demonstrated how a stream’s physical habitat features could decrease nutrient loading and limit negative impacts in downstream communities. Learn more about NARS at https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys.
Another study he is participating in is Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments (SPRUCE), which aims to understand how whole ecosystems are affected by environmental stressors. The SPRUCE site is a bog within a series of wetlands at the Marcel Experimental Forest in Northwestern Minnesota. “It is comprised of a conglomerate of open-top enclosures and boardwalks that appear to be like something from outer space.” Each enclosure can have the temperature and CO2 levels adjusted to model and predict wetland responses to changing climate. The goal of his team’s research is to understand how increasing temperature and atmospheric CO2 impacts microbial communities and N2O production in nutrient poor wetlands. Learn more about SPRUCE at https://mnspruce.ornl.gov/.
Additionally, he has been working on the Great Lakes and their connecting channels. “I have had the honor of working with a group of scientists on a week-long trip along the coasts of Lake Superior aboard the Lake Guardian, a 180’ research vessel which travels throughout the Great Lakes conducting long term monitoring research.” He has also had the opportunity to be a part of a project assessing the Niagara River as part of the National Coastal Condition Assessment (NCCA) program. This research effort assessed a variety of water and sediment quality measures as a part of a long-term monitoring program.
Meet ORAU Employee Jan Sitterson. Jan is an ORAU contractor working in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) as a watershed modeler. In June, she gave two presentations on her research with the EPA at the International Environmental Modeling and Software Conference in Fort Collins, CO. She’s excited to announce that her papers for the conference proceedings were accepted! You can view her papers at the links below.
She is also considering going back to school for her Masters or PhD. “Once I complete my degree I would like my job to travel around (the country or world) and solve environmental problems relating to water resources. My dream job would be to work for the United Nations Environmental Program which does the description above, but that is quite a dream. I am pretty sure there are other environmental companies (environmental engineering companies) that do something similar, so that is where I would like to start after I finish my degree and potentially work up to the UN.” Dream big Jan!
Meet ORAU Employee Riquetta Brown. Riquetta is working as a Contractor at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She is an Accounting and Budget Associate in the Budget Execution Division (BED) of the EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD).
As an EPA contractor, Riquetta is studying the management of financial reports and accounting records, and examining their accuracy to find financial discrepancies. She utilizes both of the BED’s financial systems to enter accounting information—Integrated Resource Management System (IRMS) and Compass Financials. One of her major accomplishments was using data analytics to successfully create the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory’s (NHEERL) budget and travel reports in Microsoft Excel to track spending from different divisions. She compared 2018 and 2019 fiscal years for NHEERL, creating a historical budget analysis to provide the numbers and charts that ensured two open commitments were not over spent on their budget. She also implemented corrective measures to ensure that accounting discrepancies did not transpire. Tracking BED transactions and preparing budget reports to reveal financial realities is important to the operational and strategic decisions that BED’s supervisors make. Thorough, accurate accounting ensures projects are completed on budget. Riquetta’s goal is to further her career in becoming an Accountant or Budget Analyst.
Background
Riquetta graduated from Fayetteville State University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a minor in Finance. In her spare time she enjoys reading or writing poetry.
As an EPA contractor, Jazzlyn has been working in the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment (CPHEA), Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division (PHITD), Inhalation Toxicology Facilities Branch (ITFB). Her group is using novel methods to analyze various pesticides and other chemicals considered Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). These types of chemicals do not dissolve in solvent, so they cannot be tested using the high throughput processes that are generally used to analyze most other chemicals in the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Substance Inventory. To solve this problem, her team has created a specialized exposure machine capable of generating chemicals as vapors/aerosols. It then delivers them to human bronchial cell cultures at air-liquid interface (ALI), meaning the cell cultures are exposed to air, using in-vitro testing methods. After exposure, they analyze how the cells reacted to the chemical and assess what effects the chemical may be having on human airways. This study also supports the agency’s mission to reduce animal testing. Seeing success in their exposures lends evidence to the idea in-vitro studies are a good replacement for animal inhalation exposure studies.
Jazzlyn also participates in STEMbassador, an EPA educational outreach program at Research Triangle Park, NC. This program enables volunteers to interact with the community at various events, showcasing the importance of environmental sustainability. The STEMbassadors also act as mentors to students looking to pursue STEM careers.
Background
Jazzlyn graduated from North Carolina State University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences. She is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Beta Kappa Honors Societies. Jazzlyn currently lives in Raleigh, NC. She enjoys spending with nearby friends and family, trying new foods, working out in the gym, crafting new DIY projects, and modeling. She might also be obssessed with Rick and Morty. Jazzlyn’s goals include presenting a poster at the Society of Toxicology Conference in 2020, becoming a coauthor on a published research article, and attending graduate school to acquire her Ph.D.
Meet ORAU Employee Brittany Schulz. Brittany is a contractor working at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) providing Toxicology Research Support.
As an EPA contractor, Brittany has been working in the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment (CPHEA). Her primary duties include screening and extracting data from studies that are being considered for use in chemical assessments. Her work matters because it is helping to further chemical assessments—which are created by programs like the Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTVs) and Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) to identify and characterize the health hazards of chemicals found in the environment. These assessments may be used to inform public health-related policy decisions. Brittany also trains new student interns and flexes her creative muslces making a variety of tables and graphics for summarizing toxicity information. Lately, she has been working on R scripts for generating the graphics more quickly.
Background
Brittany graduated with honors from Wheaton College (IL) with a B.S. in Environmental Science and a B.A. in Spanish. Prior to her current position, she completed a National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at Grand Valley State University, where she contributed to research on methods for E. coli testing at Lake Michigan beaches. Presenting her NSF-REU research was a proud accomplishment. Brittany not only came to the rescue of our beaches, but she also comes to the aid of our four legged friends. One of the highlights of her week is working with all the cats a local shelter she volunteers at. While that goal is to help them all find forever homes, Brittany’s current career goal is to become an author on a publication. She would also like to continue learning new technical skills and building upon her existing ones. In the future she may return to school for a master’s degree. A long-term goal of Brittany’s is to use her Spanish degree to pursue a career abroad where the infrastructure for public health and industrial hygiene is less developed.
Meet ORAU Employee Alex East. Currently, Alex works as a contractor at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) providing Asbestos Research Support.
As an EPA contractor, and trained Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) Analyst for mineral fibers, Alex has been working in the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) to better understand the risks associated with asbestos, a known pollutant. Though asbestos is regulated by the Clean Air Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act, the mineral is not banned in the United States. As the pollutant becomes harmful once it enters the air, current EPA research focuses on how naturally occurring abestiform fibers in soil and mining tailings become airborne from various human activities and wind. Additional research is being conducted on sampling techniques used to quantify asbestos in both soil and air. By ensuring the use of reliable instrumentation, consistent measurement methods and exposure levels, the EPA can better understand the present risks of the fiber.
Background
Alex earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Policy and Management with minors in Math and Economics from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Eventually, he hopes to pursue graduate studies related to human health and the environment.
#OutsideTheLab, Alex participates in ultramarathon running, defined as any race spanning farther than a traditional marathon. As a twenty-year old, Alex was the youngest person to complete a 100-mile distance event in Ohio. Since then, he has competed in similar events in Tennessee and West Virginia with running times ranging from 23-29 hours. “I love to get out there and challenge myself,” Alex said. “It’s definitely had an overwhelmingly positive effect on my career and mental health.” Up next, he plans to attempt a 135-mile race through Death Valley, California, known as the Badwater 135.
Meet former ORAU Employee Amanda Haddock. Amanda started her career as an ORAU National Student Services Contractor working at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Digital Research Librarian. Her role involved supporting the Health and Environmental Research Online (HERO) project.
The HERO database provides an easy way to access and influence the scientific literature behind E PA science assessments. The database includes more than 3 million scientific references and data from the peer-reviewed literature used by EPA to develop its regulations for the following: Integrated Science Assessments (ISA) that feed into the NAAQS review, Provisional Peer Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTV) that represent human health toxicity values for the Superfund, and the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), a database that supports critical agency policymaking for chemical regulation. These assessments supported by HERO characterize the nature and magnitude of health risks to humans and the ecosystem from pollutants and chemicals in the environment.
Amanda provided literature search, data curation, and document acquisition for the project. An integral part of her work was presenting data in a manner that anyone could understand, regardless of background. In an effort to remain transparent, the public can access HERO to view the information and studies that inform EPA decisions. “I believe that data integrity is even more important today to avoid bias interpretations and manipulative reporting,” Amanda said.
Recently, Amanda was hired as Technical Information Specialist with the EPA’s Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment.
Background
Prior to joining ORAU, Amanda received a B.S. in Mathematics from James Madison University and a M.S. in Information Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During her master’s program, she focused on using research metrics and statistics to help medical researchers have a better understanding of the current topics in their field and find potential collaborators.
Amanda had the opportunity to present her work in research network visualization at the Medical Librarian Association 2018 conference and delivered a talk on her experience as a research assistant at a medical library at the Library Association at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill annual meeting in 2019.
When she is not participating in research, Amanda is perfecting her home preservation and fermentation methods. She became familiar with food preservation as a child when her parents canned food grown in their garden. After mastering jam production, Amanda recently decided to venture into home-brewing kombucha, a fermented tea drink. As the fermentation process can take several weeks, she has been enjoying testing different temperatures and fermentation lengths to create the perfect version.
Meet former ORAU Employee Faye Andrews. While pursuing her doctoral degree in Environmental and Occupational Health at Oregon State University (OSU), Faye began working as an ORAU Student Services Contractor with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Corvallis, OR.
Faye contributed to Final Ecosystem Goods and Services (FEGS) research through reports and coordination of review for the National Ecosystem Services Classification System (NESCS). Ecosystem services are benefits supplied by nature to people. Faye’s goal was to identify and quantify metrics and indicators of FEGS at national and regional scales. Her experience taught her about the value of goods and services for activities in nature and how to apply those metrics and indicators to various scales.
“Through my career in public health, I have always been passionate about protecting community health and understanding how environmental contamination harms populations,” Faye said.
Background
After receiving a B.S. in Biology from St. Lawrence University and a M.P.H. in Environmental Health at Boston University School of Public Health, Faye held positions as a Health Inspector for a town outside of Boston and as an Environmental Analyst with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Currently, she is continuing to work on her Ph.D. at OSU.
During her program, Faye has developed research projects looking at the health effects of metals exposures on maternal and child health outcomes from a prospective birth cohort in Bangladesh. Specifically, her research seeks to characterize the relationships between metal mixtures (arsenic, lead, and manganese) during pregnancy and associations with maternal cardiovascular health, fetal/neonatal mortality, and children’s immune development.
Recently, Faye received the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute (OCTRI) TL1 training award. The funding is provided through the National Institutes of Health, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences to Oregon Health & Science University. She was selected from students throughout Oregon to help fund her living and education expenses through her dissertation research and engage in clinical and translational research experiences not offered at her home institution. Additionally, the program provides opportunities for professional and leadership development.
Outside of academia and research, Faye enjoys making pottery and going hiking with her dog and fiancé.
Meet ORAU Employee John Eastman. John is an ORAU contractor working at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an Environmental GIS Analyst. He supports the Watershed Exposure Branch (WEB) in the Computational Exposure Division (CED) of the National Environmental Research Laboratory (NERL).
As part of an EPA effort to develop innovative software tools for evaluating water quantity and quality, the WEB is conducting a project focused on a component-based watershed modeling system which can be used to compose workflows to assess water quality and quality as they relate to exposure. Alongside EPA staff, John provides technical support for collection and analysis of environmental data leading to the development of microbial exposure assessment in various geographical areas.
“I am making a difference by assisting the EPA with its watershed tools,” John said. “My efforts go toward making the software run better so that people can use it easily.”
Recently, John created a web tool for a Regionally Applied Research Effort (RARE) project. Once completed, the tool will allow users to visualize the location and spread of potential sources of dangerous bacteria. As these tools become user friendly, more people will have access to resources to protect both their personal health and the health of the environment. So far, John’s experience at EPA has allowed him to improve his coding skills and introduced him to new languages, such as TypeScript.
Background
At age 14, John, who grew up in the Chicago suburbs, enrolled in his first coding course. He has always been interested in how technology can improve the environment and was drawn to the creative aspects of coding. Nearly 10 years later, he recognizes the profound impact this education had on his life. In 2019, he earned dual bachelor’s degrees in GIS and Environmental Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. John would like to empower youth to embrace coding at an early age, as he was able to, and contribute to the development of resources to introduce students to software.
Meet ORAU employee Carter Thunes. Carter is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As a Bioactivity Application Developer, Carter provides support to the Office of Research and Development Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure team, Scientific Computing & Data Curation Division, and Data Extraction and Quality Evaluation Branch located in Research Triangle Park, NC.
Carter works with ORD’s Computational Toxicology and Exposure team to support research efforts developing new computational tools and providing quantitative analysis for improving environmental risk assessments and regulatory decisions under the Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) research program. This work is crucial to promote the development of new approach methodologies (NAMs) and data interoperability to ultimately achieve reductions in animal testing. He supports software development, database curation and quality evaluation efforts for in vitro chemical screening data in the Toxicity Forecaster (ToxCast) program.
Carter’s work with ORD’s Scientific Computing & Data Curation Division includes software development, data management, analysis, and annotation support for the ToxCast program and working with a multi-disciplinary team of scientists at the EPA. He is working towards the release of ToxCast’s latest snapshot of invitrodb (database) and tcpl (R package). His favorite additions to the R package thus far are improving the bidirectional model fitting flexibility as well as expanding the plotting capabilities of tcpl.
When asked what his favorite part of working at EPA has been so far, Carter said, “I enjoy collaborating with highly educated people of many diverse fields every day.”
Background
Carter is a graduate of North Carolina State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science. He also minored in Statistics and Music Studies. His computer science and statistics background brought him to EPA, and he now works with bioactivity data by developing the ToxCast Pipeline R package (tcpl).
Fun Facts: Carter played the French horn for the last 6 years and played the flute for 6 years prior to playing the French horn. When he was in school, he routinely enrolled in wind ensemble and marching band, and since graduating he stayed sharp by playing French horn weekly at a local church. He is looking to join a community ensemble at some point in the future. When Carter isn’t playing musical instruments, you can find him relaxing on his couch on Sunday’s enjoying NFL Football.
Meet ORAU employee Savannah Mays. Savannah is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As a Materials Management Researcher in Cincinnati, OH, Savannah supports EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) and the Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response (CESER) along with the Homeland Security and Materials Management Division (HSMMD). Savannah work assists both CESER and HSMMD with data collection/entry, laboratory analysis, and experimental upkeep.
CESER’s focus is to plan, coordinate, and conduct an applied, customer-driven, national research and development program to improve decision-making by EPA, federal, state, tribal, and local agencies when faced with challenging environmental problems in the built environment. Savannah’s work with the CESER team includes digitizing information and data from scanned documents into databases, recording laboratory data into appropriate EPA Laboratory Notebooks, following appropriate EPA quality assurance and quality control protocols, and much more. She is working towards publishing different types of waste databases. In addition, she is learning and testing tools used in landfills to measure gases to see if they may contribute to future research.
When asked what her favorite part of working at EPA has been so far, Savannah said, “I enjoy getting the opportunity to meet a group of amazing people with so many different skills coming together for a greener future. Plus, getting to help contribute to science in any way that I can allows me to fulfill my lifelong dream of being like MacGyver.”
Background
Savannah is a senior at Xavier University, where she will earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics, Sustainability, and Society. She chose this field because she wanted to learn about the environment and sustainability in a way that could be understood across intersectional global concerns.
Fun Facts: Savannah’s favorite animal is sharks! She enjoys watching movies and playing cards with her friends, and she also enjoys baking and cooking.
Meet ORAU employee Rayna Ellison. Rayna is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As an Environmental Research Assistant in Ada, OK, Rayna supports EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) and the Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response (CESER) along with the Groundwater Characterization & Remediation Division (GCRD). Rayna’s work with both CESER and GCRD is critical to support the laboratory's research and technical assistance missions.
CESER’s focus is to plan, coordinate, and conduct an applied, customer-driven, national research and development program to improve decision-making by EPA, federal, state, tribal, and local agencies when faced with challenging environmental problems in the built environment. Within CESER, the Groundwater Characterization & Remediation Division (GCRD) plans, coordinates, and conducts an applied, national-scale, customer-driven research program to provide data, tools, models, strategies, and technologies to protect and restore groundwater.
Rayna’s work with the CESER team includes analyzing water quality with high-grade technological machinery and working in the metal lab at the Kerr Lab Research facility. In addition, she recently completed digesting and analyzing 97 soil samples for lead isotopes. The results helped demonstrate the benefits of collaborating with others.
When asked what her favorite part of working at EPA has been so far, Rayna said, “getting to learn other ways to analyze water quality with high-grade technological machinery. These machines are not the easiest to learn however, the experience is most definitely worth it as well as intriguing.”
Background
Rayna graduated from Oklahoma State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Water Resources. She also minored in soil science. The academic experiences that led her to EPA include: 1) working as a student worker on the Oklahoma State University campus for two research entities, 2) completing higher-level education courses at OSU to extend her knowledge of environmental problems and solution methods - in particular Soil Science courses and an Environmental Problem-Solving course which led to her leading a well water quality program across the state of Oklahoma as her senior capstone project, and 3) completing a two-year Environmental Biotechnology STEM Academy at the Pontotoc Technology Center. In addition, she competed in elective science fair courses focused on wastewater treatment in the category of Environmental Science at the Intel Science and Engineering Festival for two years in the states of Arizona and California.
Fun Facts: Rayna enjoys hanging out with her Australian cattle dog named Lucy, reading, watching DVDs, and gardening.