Superfund Research Program

Training Core

Project Leader: Catherine P. Koshland
Grant Number: P42ES004705
Funding Period: 2000 - 2011

Project-Specific Links

Final Progress Reports

Year:   2010  2005 

Core E (Training Core) provides opportunities for interdisciplinary discussion and collaboration amongst SBRP-supported graduate students. These opportunities are in addition to the expectation that Superfund trainees pursue their research and engage in a core of courses that supplements their major field of study. In past years, students had been required to attend an interdisciplinary seminar on a current public health/environmental topic led by a nationally prominent scholar. This year, the core has asked the students to decide amongst themselves what sort of activities would enhance their experience as Superfund trainees. The aim of these meetings is to engage the students to explore common themes amongst their research projects and in the process be exposed to the multi-faceted nature of research related to basic and applied science of the Superfund program. Already, the students have engaged in open discussion about their research projects and toured a local SBRP site (Alameda Naval Air Station, Alameda, CA), led by Professor Jim Hunt, whose SBRP Project (#6) is providing a historical exposure assessment for this site. Next, they plan to organize a first-ever student session(s) at their SBRP Annual Conference (with platform presentation, discussants and posters), invite alumni of the UCB SBRP program to discuss how SBRP training has affected their careers and meet with local community-based environmental NGOs to learn their concerns regarding Superfund and other “toxic” sites in their neighborhoods. The students consistently report that participation in these sorts of activities and other interdisciplinary academic courses, particularly in collaboration with the core’s Toxic Substances Research and Training Program, have been a significant aspect of their traineeship. Many graduates continue collaborations and professional relationships that began in these seminars.

The research training core provided travel support to doctoral students to present their work at technical meetings and symposia as well as providing some travel support for data collection. The program initiated its work with another group of trainees, competitively evaluated by the steering committee.