University of Arizona

Project Summary (1995-2000)

The complexities associated with environmental issues necessitate an interdisciplinary approach to investigation and problem solving. The most successful graduates are those who have been educated in both science and engineering aspects of environmental systems. This program is providing this type of education through the collaboration of the Soil and Water Science Department, the Hydrology and Water Resources Department, and the Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department. The fellowship program is recruiting students wanting to embark on a degree program in one of the three departments, but is giving them the particular focus needed to address the multidisciplinary problems encountered in Superfund-related projects. Besides cross-disciplinary work in these departments, the curriculum for students recruited under the fellowship program involves training in environmental toxicology, including risk assessment. In total, our program is designed to provide fundamental scientific knowledge of environmental processes as well as training in their application to "real world" problems.