Trainees Herbertson and Gil-Loaiza Make the Conference Circuit

Dec. 18, 2013

The University of Arizona Superfund Research Program (UA SRP) trainees Linnea Herbertson and Juliana Gil-Loaiza have been busy with conferences this fall! The two are mentees of UA SRP Director Dr. Raina Maier, and have been travelling across the country to present their graduate work on phytoremediation, using plants to clean up metals in mine tailings.

First, the pair travelled with seven other UA SRP students to the 15th International Conference of the Pacific Basin Consortium (PBC) for Environment and Health, September 24-27, 2013, in Honolulu, HI. Gil-Loaiza remarked that the conference “increased my understanding of the integration of environmental remediation and its impact in environmental health assessment.” She was also interested to learn more about how state institutions and private companies are working in synergy with academia to solve health and environmental problems alongside affected communities.

After PBC, Herbertson and Gil-Loaiza hopped on a plane from Honolulu to travel directly to another conference. They attended the 10th International Phytotechnologies Conference, October 1-4, 2013, in Syracuse, NY. Herbertson was excited to deliver her first oral presentation at a conference, and for the opportunities to learn more about the field: “This conference really broadened my horizons on all sorts of phytotechnologies, beyond the phytostabilization technology my research focuses on.” Gil-Loaiza echoed the sentiment, saying it gave her the opportunity to learn more about the technologies, as well as build her professional network. It also made her aware of other issues. “I think one of our major challenges is to get to the community through outreach and science translation. I believe that part of our task as phytotechnologies advocates is not only to do good science, but to inform the society,” says Gil-Loaiza.

The students are grateful for the opportunities to present their work in a variety of venues. Says Gil-Loaiza, "As an international student in the US, to be able to attend these conferences was a unique and priceless opportunity. It was great to see how a local case study like my project may increase environmental and public health awareness on a global scale.”