Project Summary (2009-2014)

The Research Translation Core (RTC) is the main modality by which information of value and relevance to assessing issues related to environmental health and dealing with brownfields and Superfund site characterization, remediation and/or utilization becomes available to the broad range of stakeholders. It has developed a very effective management structure, which involves a State Agencies Liaison (SAL) to ensure that there is excellent communication with state partners and other regulatory agencies (EPA as well as regional regulatory groups). This program has made an operational decision to define as the scope of the activities covered by the RTC as communications on a "professional-to-professional" level, because there exists a closely coupled, but separate, Community Outreach Core (COC) that has as a main focus communication with non-professional stakeholders (the community). This definition of responsibilities ensures coverage of all key stakeholders, while establishing reasonable scopes for the RTC and COC. The objectives of the Research Translation Core may be summarized as follows:

1. Provide an effective communication interface between the SBRP and governmental agencies (especially state partner agencies) and other SBRPs.
2. Offer local health, regulatory, business, educational, journalistic, and economic organizations access to the best current scientific understanding of relevant environmental issues, and coordinate with the COC in these activities.
3. Provide Brown SBRP investigators mechanisms by which their results find both the broadest and most appropriate scientific audiences.
4. Offer technology transfer and development mechanisms within the program.