Moreno Ramirez Presents Voices Unheard at University of Arizona Earth Week
July 16, 2019
Congratulations to PhD candidate Denise Moreno Ramirez who won second place for her oral presentation entitled: Voices Unheard - Preserving Oral Histories about Contaminated Sites in Arizona at the 2019 University of Arizona Earth Week SWESx Day celebration. Denise’s graduate advisors are UA SRP Research Translation Core Director Dr. Monica Ramirez Andreotta and UA SRP Director Dr. Raina Maier.
Denise created the Voices Unheard project to recover the historical accounts, descriptions, and insights from people living near two contaminated sites in Arizona. Moreno Ramirez believes it is necessary to listen to the stories of individuals as well as document local knowledge when it comes to environmental issues. She will use Voices Unheard to remind people that we not only share a common environment, but that we also share an invaluable history. It is important to listen to the stories of individuals as well as document them to preserve local knowledge. Superfund sites not only have a history of pollution, but also of research, advocacy, and illness. Everyone’s story matters when it comes to the impacts of contamination. By encapsulating the environmental history of Arizona, Voices Unheard is creating an invaluable archive for future generations.
The UA SRP recognizes and lauds Denise for this important effort.