Superfund Research Program
Research Translation Core
Project Leader: Monica Ramirez-Andreotta
Co-Investigators: Mark L. Brusseau, Janick F. Artiola, Raina M. Maier
Grant Number: P42ES004940
Funding Period: 2005-2020
Project-Specific Links
Final Progress Reports
The University of Arizona Research Translation Core (RTC) is dedicated to understanding stakeholder needs and expectations in translational efforts and to teaching participatory approaches in formal and informal settings so that both scientists and nonscientists can overcome barriers to research translation. Through current RTC activities, the research team has supported the: a) Center for Environmentally Sustainable Mining (CESM), b) local radio program-Thesis Thursdays, c) Gardenroots: A Citizen Science Garden Project, d) the Dewey-Humboldt Community Environmental Board, e) quarterly multi-organizational transdisciplinary team conference calls, and f) face-face engagement with government stakeholders. Highlights over the last year include the addition of a fourth major mining company, with a fifth company pending, to the CESM industry-academic cooperative on revegetation as well as the inception of a second cooperative on erosion control. The RTC developed a partnership with a local radio station, KXCI, 91.3 with contributions to a weekly program “Thesis Thursdays”. More than 35,000 listeners tune in to KXCI, each week over the air and online. Also in 2019, Gardenroots: A Citizen Science Garden Project expanded into Superior, Arizona and Nevada City, CA, and presently has seven participating communities. Each community either neighbors a hazardous waste site and/or resource extraction activities. The RTC was invited to give two presentations at the US EPA Region 9 office to share evidence-based information about public participatory approaches and environmental monitoring strategies and outcomes. RTC personnel also met with ATSDR and US EPA to discuss the Superfund Alternative Site-ASARCO Hayden Plant, discuss related datasets, and plan future community outreach/engagement efforts.