Superfund Research Program

Research Translation Core

Project Leader: Scott N. Spak
Grant Number: P42ES013661
Funding Period: 2006-2020

Project-Specific Links

Final Progress Reports

Year:   2019  2014  2009 

The aims of the Research Translation Core (RTC) of the Iowa Superfund Research Program are to transfer technology to commercial entities, to contribute to the development of sound public policies, to contribute to the general research base and to help develop a broader public understanding of the problems and solutions regarding environmental hazards and their remediation. These have not changed.

Studies and Results:

1. To formally transfer technology to commercial entities able to develop and deliver products or services to the public - Several Cores and Projects in the center continue to work with the firm Ecolotree, Inc., a private firm which uses hybrid poplar trees to stabilize and remediate a PCB contaminated site in Altavista, Virginia. State regulators are putting more pressure on the small town to deal with this site, but researchers expect that bio-remediation using techniques developed by the isrp will be approved as a reasonable and low cost treatment process.
2. To contribute to the development of sound public policies and practices - The RTC convened a fifth workshop for state legislators co-sponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the American Lung Association in Springfield, Illinois in February 2014. The attendee list included eleven senators or representatives and eleven staff members of the Illinois General Assembly. The President of the Senate and the Assistant Majority Leader were among those attending at least one session. Nearly all staff members and many elected officials attended all or nearly all the sessions. Speakers included Dr. Erin Haynes of the NIEHS funded center at the University of Cincinnati.
3. To contribute to the research base in SRP investigator disciplines - Larry Robertson organized the 8th International PCB Workshop on October 5 – 9, 2014, in Woods Hole, MA. PCBs in school buildings was the focus of this meeting done in cooperation with the Superfund Center at Boston University. The RTC leader was able to bring an activist, Jennifer deNicola of Malibu Unites, a group of parents opposed to the testing and remediation of PCBs by their local school board in school buildings in the Los Angeles area. In addition to having Ms. deNicola speak, the Woods Hole workshop sought out community groups to attend. Madeleine Scammell, who directs research translation at the Boston University Superfund Center and who serves on the center External Advisory Committee, worked with workshop organizers to allow for a special one-day reduced price for local activists to hear both about the science and from the Malibu Unites activists on the second day of the workshop. Her efforts led to 30 additional attendees boosting the workshop audience by 25%.
4. To contribute to a broader public understanding of problems and solutions regarding environmental hazards and their remediation - Meetings designed to have citizens explore the latest ideas in science have been going on for nearly ten years around the nation through the Science Café or Café Scientifique model. At least two Research Translation Cores at centers similar to ours have programs. The RTC has brought this institution to small towns near Iowa City to engage a less academically oriented audience in learning about SRP work and other exciting science research from the College of Public Health. The series began in October 2013 and thus far four of the seven presenters are associated with the center.
• October 9, 2013 Dr. Hornbuckle presented on PCBs in paint – 39 attendees
• December 9, 2013 Dr. Thorne presented on climate change and health – 22 attendees
• February 12, 2014 Dr. Ludewig presented on hazardous chemicals and health – 49 attendees
• April 28, 2014 Dr. Joel Klein presented on new knowledge on Asthma – 19 attendees
• September 29, 2014 Dr. Tom Peters presented on frac sand mining in NE Iowa – 21 attendees
• November 4, 2014 Dr. Craig Just on safe drinking water for Africa – 26 attendees
• December 9, 2014 Dr. Ken Gayley on the science in the movie Interstellar - 36 attendees

Significance:

RTC staff members believe legislator workshops and science cafés to be effective approaches to providing research translation to research target audiences.

Plans:

Three more science cafés are planned for Mt. Vernon and the neighboring small town of Lisbon, Iowa during the spring semester of 2014/2015. Another legislative workshop is being planned as well as a meeting between members of several NIEHS centers and state legislators at the NCSL national meeting in Seattle, Washington in August 2015. The RTC continues to work with the firm Ecolotree and the research publications of the center continue to be strong.