Superfund Research Program

SRP's greatest assets are the students and professionals our researchers train. We have been able to capture several success stories of past graduates who have continued on to successful careers in various sectors. These stories are highlights from our program and show the variety of experiences our trainees encounter.

Collaborative Research Experiences and Training Forge Scientific Careers

Since 2011, the K.C. Donnelly Externship Award, provided by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP), has enabled graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to learn from experts across institutional lines. This opportunity, given to several people each year, equips them with the skills and connections critical to addressing complex environmental health challenges.

The award is named for the late Texas A&M University (TAMU) researcher Kirby (K.C.) Donnelly, Ph.D., who championed mentorship and partnership. In Donnelly’s honor, the awards empower SRP-funded trainees at a formative career stage to conduct research at other SRP-funded institutions, government laboratories, and state, local, or tribal agencies.

Over a decade later, SRP reflects on this award’s legacy. Since the externship’s inception, 86 trainees have received a K.C. Donnelly award. Many of them have since leveraged their SRP experiences to launch successful careers at other academic institutions, engineering firms, and government agencies.

A Lasting Legacy in Science and Mentorship

On the 25th anniversary of the death of Karen Wetterhahn, Ph.D., the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) reflects on her continued legacy in scientific excellence and mentorship. She died June 8, 1997, age 48, following dimethylmercury poisoning from a laboratory accident.

Wetterhahn devoted her career to understanding how certain metals initiate cancer and other human diseases at the molecular level. She also fostered interdisciplinary links between biology, chemistry, environmental studies, engineering, and medicine.

As a tribute to this legacy, in 1998, SRP created the annual Karen Wetterhahn Memorial Award to recognize and support outstanding early career scientists.

Riley Behan-Bush, University of Iowa

Riley Behan-Bush is a trainee at the University of Iowa SRP Center, who is mentored by James Ankrum.  

What is the focus of your research at the University of Iowa SRP Center?    
My research focuses on the impact of PCBs exposure on the development of metabolic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity. My work investigates how PCBs influence immune system cells called macrophages. My ultimate goal is to uncover new mechanisms driving PCB-induced metabolic disease.

How did you become interested in this work?     
As an M.D.-Ph.D. trainee, I had the unique opportunity to complete some of my clinical training before starting my Ph.D. This experience allowed me to witness firsthand the significant impact of metabolic dysfunction on individuals’ health. I became interested in the factors driving these conditions, particularly those beyond an individual’s control, such as exposure to environmental toxicants. Unfortunately, most medical providers don’t consider environmental exposures, so I was motivated to pursue a project that would fill this gap and provide more information about how the chemicals in our environment impact human disease.

Tell us about the recent NIH Kirschstein-NRSA (F-30) award you received and what it meant to you.
The process of preparing my F-30 grant application was one of the most important and rewarding experiences of my graduate training. I am deeply honored to have received this award, and I am confident that the training it will facilitate over the next three years will help me achieve both my short-term research goals and long-term goals of becoming a well-rounded physician-scientist.

What factors have contributed most to your growth as a researcher throughout your time as an SRP trainee?
I attribute so much of my success and growth to my lab, particularly my mentor, James Ankrum, and the graduate and undergraduate students I work with daily. I feel incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by such talented scientists and supportive individuals who inspire me to improve and strive for excellence every day.

What is one piece of advice that you have for other SRP trainees?
Keep an open mind and let your project guide you. SRP work is inherently multidisciplinary, which often means stepping outside your comfort zone to explore areas of science you may not have considered before. Embrace the journey, even if it feels non-linear, because every experience contributes to your growth.  

Brendan O'Leary, Wayne State University

Brendan O’Leary is a trainee mentored by Carol Miller at the Wayne State University SRP Center.  

What is the focus of your research at the Wayne State University SRP Center? 
I am studying how contaminants move through groundwater, air, and soil, particularly in urban environments, and their potential impacts on human health. Currently, I am developing field screening techniques and modeling approaches to understand how volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are transported below ground. One key focus is the development of a method called phytoscreening, which uses plant roots to detect the contaminants.   

How did you become interested in this work? 
Mentorship sparked my interest in this field. While pursuing degrees in geology and civil engineering, I investigated the role of air pollution in preterm birth rates and asthma hospitalizations. This work opened the possibilities of how applied earth science could help us understand the impacts of chemical exposures on public health and urban communities. This led to a dual Ph.D. in civil engineering and urban sustainability with research on VOC fate and transport in urban neighborhoods, under the advising of Carol Miller.

Tell us about a recent publication or award you received and what it meant to you.
I was fortunate to receive the K.C. Donnelly Externship Award Supplement and the opportunity to work with Kelly Pennell and SRP trainee, Herman Tay, at the University of Kentucky (UK) SRP center. With this externship, I learned to use the AROMA-VOC — a real time VOC measurement tool — and brought it to our field sites in Detroit, Michigan. While many collaborations are moving online, the opportunity to have support for going to the UK SRP Center and conducting collaborative fieldwork at active VOC urban neighborhoods enhanced my learning and understanding of using real-time devices in the field.

What factors have contributed most to your growth as a researcher throughout your time as an SRP trainee? 
The most significant factors contributing to my growth as a researcher have been strong mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and hands-on field experience. Mentorships from my postdoctoral advisors, Carol Miller and Glen Hood, have not only guided my technical development, but also helped provide models for me to independently lead research projects like the K.C. Donnelly. The interdisciplinary collaboration at Wayne State has expanded my perspective, allowing me to tackle complex environmental challenges from multiple angles, integrating geology, civil engineering, and biological sciences. Finally, hands-on fieldwork — especially deploying advanced tools like the AROMA-VOC in urban environments — has been instrumental in expanding my technical field background.

What is one piece of advice that you have for other SRP trainees? 
Stay curious and be open to exploring areas outside your immediate field of study or expertise. Many of my successes were through collaborations with peers outside my home department and usually through informal conversations. I encourage trainees to engage with others outside of the lab!  

Juliana Agudelo Areiza, University of Rhode Island

Juliana Agudelo Areiza is a trainee at the University of Rhode Island (URI) SRP Center, mentored by Angela Slitt.  

What is the focus of your research at the URI SRP Center?  
My research focuses on evaluating the presence of PFAS in human liver samples. PFAS are a large class of persistent environmental toxicants. Some legacy PFAS, like perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are known to cause adverse health effects and accumulate in the liver of many species, but little is known about PFAS concentrations in human livers. Through my research, I hope to better understand how PFAS manufacturing shifts have impacted human exposure, quantify how PFAS are accumulating in the liver, and reveal the biological impact of PFAS exposure on a molecular level.  

How did you become interested in this work?  
I became interested in scientific research after completing a summer internship that introduced me to PFAS and environmental toxicology. Upon learning that exposure to some PFAS can result in severe adverse health effects and that PFAS can stay in the body and the environment for years without degrading, I wanted to learn more about them. Knowing that PFAS are still produced and that we only have risk assessment data on a handful of PFAS, I knew right away that I wanted to pursue a doctorate that would allow me to evaluate which PFAS are getting into human bodies and understand how these may be associated with liver toxicity.  

You recently received two awards, the 2024 Society of Toxicology Risk Assessment Specialty Section John Doull Risk Assessment Endowment Award and the 2024 Society of Toxicology Mixtures Specialty Section Best Student Abstract Award. Tell us about them and what they meant to you.  
Receiving these prestigious awards was extremely meaningful for me because they demonstrated that my project, which I put so much work into, has important implications and contributions to the toxicology field. My project and the awards emphasize the importance of assessing human PFAS exposure in the liver and the need to PFAS as mixtures to improve risk assessments.  

What factors have contributed most to your growth as a researcher throughout your time as an SRP trainee?  
Having an amazing support system and resources has made a profound difference in my growth as a researcher throughout my time as an SRP trainee. I feel lucky to work with and learn from our own URI team of brilliant scientists across a variety of scientific disciplines. We are a highly collaborative center, which has allowed me to complete laboratory rotations in other URI SRP members’ labs and at collaborating partner labs, like the EPA as part of the K.C. Donnelly Externship Award. My mentor, Angela Slitt, is highly supportive and has always encouraged me to learn other techniques, collaborate in interdisciplinary projects, and attend regional and national scientific conferences which has really made me a well-rounded young scientist.  

What is one piece of advice that you have for other SRP trainees?  
One piece of advice that I have for other SRP trainees is to have grit. As a first-generation college student, I have come to learn that impactful research comes with many challenges, but you have to keep going and have faith in your capabilities.  

Christopher Olivares, University of Arizona

Christopher Olivares is a trainee at the University of Arizona SRP Center, mentored by Jim Field. Olivares is now an assistant professor at the University of California, Irvine in the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

What is the purpose of your current research?
I am currently evaluating how microbes and organic pollutants interact, particularly in the context of climate-related disasters. Specifically, we are looking at microbial markers of PFAS in soils and groundwater and are studying how wildfires change the water microbiome. We also use data science tools to identify hotspots of PFAS unmeasured in previous years and to predict the concentration of PFAS in wastewater.

What is the focus of your research at the University of Arizona SRP Center?
I researched microbial transformations under different conditions with Jim Field and Reyes Sierra-Alvarez. I also learned about zebrafish embryo toxicity thanks to the K.C. Donnelly Externship and the Robyn Tanguay Lab at the Oregon State University (OSU) SRP Center.

How did you become interested in this work? 
I grew up in Mexico City, but visited my cousins many summers in South Tuscon, a community impacted by nearby Superfund sites and trichloroethylene, or TCE, which is a widely used industrial chemical. As an undergraduate, I later learned about microbial remediation, and I became fascinated that microorganisms were capable of cleaning up industrial contaminants.

How did your time as a trainee at the University of Arizona SRP Center inform your current work?
It helped me think more holistically about my research and about having a research vision that integrates environmental health, community engagement, and the need of environmental literacy.

Could you tell us more about the writing skills workshop that you recently hosted?
A group of graduate students, postdocs, and faculty met last year at the University of California, Santa Cruz to increase participation of students in STEM and academia. It became clear that a common challenge was the lack of formal training in proposal writing and other topics relevant to academia. We wanted to share broadly some tips, resources, and opportunities to connect trainees and early career faculty, and to practice some of these skills. 

What factors have contributed most to your growth as a researcher throughout your time as an SRP trainee?
The opportunities available through the community engagement core helped my growth, and still continues to ground my research and service. At the University of Arizona, I had the opportunity to volunteer in translating fact sheets into Spanish and help to develop educational modules. I am also very thankful for Stephanie Cormier's invitation to allow me to cohost a session as a student with her in the SRP Annual Meeting.

Lucie Ford, Texas A&M University

Lucie Ford is a trainee at the Texas A&M University (TAMU) SRP Center, mentored by Ivan Rusyn.

What is the focus of your research at the TAMU SRP Center?
My research uses various cell-based models that mimic either individual organs or heterogenous human populations to test both individual environmental chemicals and mixtures. Most recently, we have been modeling exposure scenarios for a large number of PFAS chemicals, individually and in mixtures.

How did you become interested in this work? 
During my undergraduate career, I had the opportunity to participate in a summer fellowship at the University of Rhode Island in Angela Slitt’s lab. This experience was my first introduction to the field of toxicology, where my summer research focused on evaluating the potential toxicity of various PFAS using human liver cells. This research motivated me to explore and apply to toxicology graduate programs during the fall semester. My current research involves PFAS, so it feels like a full circle from where my research interests initially started.

Tell us about the awards you received at the Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting and what they meant to you.
Recently, I was honored to receive the Graduate Student Award from the In Vitro and Alternative Methods Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology. It was gratifying to witness the enthusiasm for our research on PFAS Mixtures and the in vitro approaches we use. The interest in our research and methodologies is not only motivating, but also excited me to share our findings with others in the field.

What factors have contributed most to your growth as a researcher throughout your time as an SRP trainee?
The mentorship that I have received from my principal investigator, Ivan Rusyn, as well as my other committee members — Weihsueh Chiu, Fred Wright, and Stephen Safe — has been instrumental in my professional development. Additionally, the networking opportunities to connect with professionals in toxicology across various sectors along with fellow students have been invaluable for my growth as a student researcher.

What is one piece of advice that you have for other SRP trainees?
Engage and participate in networking opportunities both at conferences and within SRP itself. These experiences are an excellent way to expand your professional network and foster collaborations that can lead to opportunities after graduate school.

Dillon King, Duke University

Dillon King is a former Duke University trainee mentored by Heather Stapleton. King is now a postdoctoral fellow at NIEHS.

What is the focus of your research at the Duke University SRP Center?
I studied how environmental exposures damage mitochondria — the organelle that makes energy for our cells. My work specifically focused on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and how mitochondria deal with mtDNA damage, particularly from chemicals like benzo[a]pyrene or UV irradiation.

How did you become interested in this work?
As an undergraduate student majoring in marine science, I had taken an environmental toxicology course. I then wanted to know more about the health impacts of pollution, so I got an additional degree in biochemistry. I am passionate about protecting the environment and people, and I believe these fields allow me to study how the environment and humans impact each other.

Tell us about a recent accomplishment and what it meant to you.
I recently defended my dissertation and accepted a position as a postdoctoral fellow at the NIEHS. Finishing my dissertation and seeing the culmination of over five years of hard work was very rewarding. I am very proud of all the work I put into my graduate studies and research, and I am grateful to all of the people who helped me along the way.

What factors have contributed most to your growth as a researcher throughout your time as an SRP trainee?
The help and encouragement of my mentors, Joel Meyer and Susan Murphy. They encouraged me to be creative with my science, try out experiments, and explore hypotheses that I was really interested in. Being able to direct the trajectory of my research gave me confidence in my ability to lead projects and come up with ideas. 

What is one piece of advice that you have for other SRP trainees?
Try as many new things as you can! Some of my favorite activities on campus during graduate school were collaborations that I had with other labs and non-science related activities that I did. You get to learn what you like and what you don’t like. Getting involved with science communication, outreach, mentorship, teaching, and science outside of your field will help you figure out what you want to do.

Junming Shi, University of California Berkeley

Junming (Seraphina) Shi is a trainee at the University of California (UC) Berkeley SRP Center who is mentored by Alan Hubbard and Haiyan Huang.

What is the focus of your research at the UC Berkeley SRP Center?
My research at the UC Berkeley SRP Center involves the development, exploration, and application of statistical machine learning methods and algorithms to explore how genetics and environmental factors contribute to health outcomes, with a particular emphasis on cancer.

How did you become interested in this work?
My interest in this field stems from a longstanding passion for leveraging real-world data to enhance our healthcare system. The potential to make meaningful improvements in patient care and outcomes through data-driven insights has always fascinated me.

Tell us about the award your group received and what it meant to you.
Securing third place in the NIH Long COVID Computational Challenge was a moment of immense pride for our UC Berkeley School of Public Health team. This competition was more than just an opportunity to showcase our skills; it was a collaborative effort among statisticians and epidemiologists to uncover the potential drivers of long COVID and develop predictive models for it. Winning third place was not only a testament to our team's hard work and innovation but also significantly enhanced my understanding of long COVID. This experience has broadened my perspective on my capabilities and the potential to aid in understanding diseases and advancing healthcare systems.

What factors have contributed most to your growth as a researcher throughout your time as an SRP trainee?
Several things have really helped me grow as a researcher. Talking regularly with my mentor and peers and being naturally curious have been key. Knowing when to ask for help to move forward faster, finding different resources on my own, and always trying to learn more about the overall picture while paying attention to small details have all been important. These factors have helped me learn a lot and get better at my research.

 

Paige Haley, University of New Mexico

Paige Haley is a trainee at the University of New Mexico (UNM) SRP Center who is mentored by Jose Cerrato.

What is the focus of your research at the UNM SRP Center?
My research is focused on the impact of the Jackpile Mine on the village of Paguate, New Mexico. Specifically, I am working to learn more about the fine particles of the soil that have high levels of uranium and are carried easily by wind.

How did you become interested in this work?
I have always been passionate about environmental research. I grew up on Chesapeake Bay in Virginia, so I was exposed to the idea of using scientific research to help the earth from a young age. As for uranium specifically, some of my family lives in an area of Virginia with high concentrations of uranium in the soil, so I have a personal connection to the subject.

Tell us about the poster award you received at the latest SRP Annual Meeting and what it meant to you.
I recently received the award for Best Graduate Poster at the SRP Annual Meeting. I think the award meant a lot to me because it shows how special the UNM SRP Center really is. I feel so lucky to do research in a community like Paguate. My project would not be possible without community members’ help, so winning the award hopefully draws more eyes to the problems they face and highlights their achievements.

What factors have contributed most to your growth as a researcher throughout your time as an SRP trainee?
One factor is the mentorship from my advisors, Jose Cerrato and Eliane El Hayek. They have helped me develop my scientific knowledge and critical thinking, and I am so grateful to them for their dedication to their students and the center. The other factor is the UNM SRP Center community. I have learned much from participating in events with community members from Laguna Pueblo, Red Water Pond Road, Cameron Chapter, and Tachee-Blue Gap. Events such as community meetings and cultural trainings have really helped me put my research into perspective. 

What is one piece of advice that you have for other SRP trainees?
My advice would be to say yes to as many opportunities as you can. The worst thing to do would be to focus solely on your project. I’ve gained a lot of experience from collaborating with different projects at the Center. Not only does it make you a better candidate for future jobs or faculty positions, but it makes you a better researcher in general.

Nicolette Bugher, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Nicolette Bugher is a trainee at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) SRP Center who is mentored by Desiree Plata.

What is the focus of your research at the MIT SRP Center?
My research focuses on finding and identifying toxic chemicals in the environment. Specifically, I study N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which is an industrial chemical and disinfection byproduct that has been found in the groundwater of Wilmington, Massachusetts, where the Olin Superfund site is located.

How did you become interested in this work?
I have always been interested in studying water. As an undergraduate, I began academic research on domestic well water quality in vulnerable areas, and I found contaminants that suggested a lot of human influence on our drinking water sources. Since then, I have sustained an interest in filling in the often decades-long gap between discovery of a chemical contaminant and regulation in drinking water.

Tell us about the poster award you received at the latest SRP Annual Meeting and what it meant to you.
Winning the poster award was a humbling and fulfilling experience. It was my first opportunity to attend the SRP Annual Meeting and receive feedback on my project. Speaking to the other SRP researchers and community members underscored the common goals of the SRP research centers and was a reminder of the impact my work can have.

What factors have contributed most to your growth as a researcher throughout your time as an SRP trainee?
The strong mentorship within our center has been pivotal to my advancement as an SRP trainee. Our directors, Bevin Engelward and Desiree Plata, along with Clara Chow and the many other principal investigators and senior trainees in our group, foster a welcoming environment that encourages collaboration and strengthens our community. Members of the MIT SRP team have specifically supported my research interests and facilitated my success within the program.

What is one piece of advice that you have for other SRP trainees?
At the start of my traineeship, Bein Engelward, emphasized that we should take advantage of our unique opportunities to collaborate across disciplines. At the time, I never thought I would create opportunities to work with researchers outside of my discipline, but over time collaborations came naturally out of conversations at SRP events. Utilize the opportunities for collaboration that SRP facilitates - it's easier than you think.

Breandon Taylor, University of Louisville

Breandon Taylor is a trainee at the University of Louisville SRP Center who is mentored by Sanjay Srivastava.

What is the focus of your research at the University of Louisville SRP Center?
My studies are aimed to examine the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which volatile organic compound (VOC) exposure regulates vascular inflammation, especially in atherosclerosis, the leading cause of most cardiovascular disease and stroke.

How did you become interested in this work?
I’ve always had a keen interest in the natural sciences and how the world around us shapes human health. We are exposed to many chemicals throughout our daily lives, and unfortunately many impoverished communities are disproportionately subject to this. I really became interested in this work when I realized that my contribution through research could provide a positive impact to the wellbeing of my community, as well as others on a larger scale.

Tell us about the poster award you received at the latest SRP Annual Meeting and what it meant to you.
Receiving the award for best biomedical research poster presentation at the 2023 SRP Annual Meeting was a very humbling and rewarding experience. It is particularly satisfying and motivating to learn that leaders in the field appreciated my research.

What factors have contributed most to your growth as a researcher throughout your time as an SRP trainee?
I’ve really appreciated the intellectual and material resources, especially the cutting-edge technologies, available at the University of Louisville Superfund Research Center for my project. Additionally, my K.C. Donnelly externship experience at Louisiana State University (LSU) accelerated my independence and growth as a developing researcher.

What is one piece of advice that you have for other SRP trainees?
Challenge yourself and be enterprising. Great things can come from your willingness to bounce ideas off of your mentors and peers.

Rayna Vue, University of New Mexico

Rayna Vue is a trainee at the UNM SRP Center who is mentored by Debra MacKenzie.

What is the focus of your research at the UNM SRP Center?
There are over 500 abandoned uranium mines across the Navajo Nation, exposing communities to toxic metals. My focus is assessing the distributions of metal concentrations in Navajo children. So far, we have analyzed metal concentrations in children from birth to five years of age. We are now collecting and analyzing samples at later timepoints to further assess outcomes of long-term exposure to environmental metals.

How did you become interested in this work?
As an undergraduate at UNM, I participated in a research program that sparked my interest to work on a research team. I knew I was interested in doing community-based research in hopes of improving health within local communities. As I am not native to New Mexico, being able to learn about Navajo Nation and conduct research to help Indigenous populations was something I became very interested in and felt would be meaningful to pursue.

Tell us about the poster award you received at the latest SRP Annual Meeting and what it meant to you.
The 2023 SRP Annual Meeting poster award was my first scientific recognition, and so it will truly hold a special place in my heart. I have so much more to learn as I am new to the research field, but this award furthered my motivation to keep pursuing community-based research and have a positive impact on the health of local populations.

What factors have contributed most to your growth as a researcher throughout your time as an SRP trainee?
Being able to collaborate with leaders within the Navajo community has been a humbling and enlightening experience. I think working with Indigenous communities has given me the unique chance of developing cultural humility and realizing the importance of community-researcher engagement.

What is one piece of advice that you have for other SRP trainees?
Present your research at any chance you get! It’s good practice and a great way to meet new researchers. Getting questions and feedback can allow for better poster building in the future as well.

Christian Rude, Oregon State University

Christian Rude, a trainee at the OSU SRP Center, is mentored by Robyn Tanguay, and his research is focused on polycyclic aromatic hydrocardons (PAHs).

What is the focus of your research at the OSU SRP Center?
My work at OSU is centered around PAHs. PAHs occur in fossil fuels and are formed naturally during combustion. One of my current projects uses new technologies to measure RNA in zebrafish exposed to PAHs, and another is building a model to predict the dose of PAH that enters the zebrafish from their water.

How did you become interested in this work?
I'm a bit of a boundary pusher. If someone tells me not to do something because it is dangerous, I want to know how dangerous it is, because that boundary might be worth adjusting. I’m interested in toxicology because it helps us understand the dangers of various chemicals so we can make informed decisions about them.

Tell us about your recent publication and why it is important to your field.
Contaminant mixtures are tricky, and we're still building our knowledge of how to approach them. Our recent publication addresses this by using passive sampling devices and experiments with zebrafish to characterize hazards of environmental mixtures from the Portland Harbor Superfund Site. Our analysis suggested toxic modes of action we wouldn't have expected, or even known to look for, given our knowledge of the chemicals in the area.

What factors have contributed most to your growth as a researcher throughout your time as an SRP trainee?
It's all come down to the people around me. My mentor, Robyn Tanguay, is excellent. I also receive a lot of support from other researchers in the program, fellow trainees, and my spiritual communities at my church and the Graduate Christian Fellowship.

What is one piece of advice that you have for other SRP trainees?
Make good friends and get good at failing. We all need to know and be known and to love and be loved. If we do all the best science in the world but are completely alone, it's still a bummer. As for failing, being a trainee is about learning and growing. The best way to learn and grow, whether we like it or not, is to fail and learn from those failures.