Project Summary (2015-2017)

The University of Arizona Superfund Research Program (UA SRP) seeks to move beyond conventional approaches to graduate student training. The success of their approach is evidenced by the number of awards UA SRP students receive and by their placement upon graduation into desirable academic, regulatory, and industry positions. The overarching mission of the UA SRP is to use their research on the impacts of hardrock mining for the improvement of human health and the environment. The Training Core drives this effort through the production of interdisciplinary graduates who are equipped to address complex 21st century hazardous waste challenges associated with the mining industry and beyond. UA SRP students are intimately involved in generating the scientific discoveries made by the UA SRP as well as presenting these discoveries to the science community and general public.

The UA SRP Training Core will provide intensive and extensive training opportunities but most importantly, they will establish interdisciplinary collaboration and the incorporation of research translation and community engagement as the norm for student training. Any graduate student affiliated with or supported by a UA SRP Project/Core is welcome to participate in their formalized Training Core activities.

The UA SRP Training Core objectives are:

• To provide fellows with access to intensive and extensive training opportunities in Environmental Sciences, Environmental Hydrology, Environmental Engineering, Public Health and Risk Assessment, and Environmental Toxicology;
• To require fellows to become familiar with the language and culture of multiple scientific disciplines;
• To require fellows to participate in one research translation or community engagement activity related to Center goals;
• To require fellows to become familiar with best practices in the responsible conduct of research;
• To incorporate community-engaged research concepts and experience into each fellow's education experience; and
• To provide opportunities for multi-mentor apprenticeship to fellows.