UA SRP Participates in IAGS 2015

April 20, 2015

The 27th International Applied Geochemistry Symposium (IAGS) was hosted by the Association of Applied Geochemists in Tucson, AZ, April 20-24, 2015. This event is a “worldwide meeting of applied geochemists, with first level scientific and technical content, as well as opportunities to meet mining or environmental industries, specialist suppliers, and stakeholders.”

A number of University of Arizona Superfund Research Program (UA SRP) Trainees from the laboratories of UA SRP investigators Raina Maier and Jon Chorover participated in the Symposium. Juliana Gil-Loaiza gave a talk entitled "Phytostabilization of acidic metalliferous mine tailings reduces dust emissions." Corin Hammond presented her work on "Plant-assisted stabilization of arsenic-contaminated Iron King Mine tailings in Dewey-Humboldt, AZ does not enhance arsenic lability." Both talks were part of the Emerging Geochemistry session. Gil-Loaiza says she enjoyed learning about the geology that goes into mining exploration. She also enjoyed the networking: “It was a very good experience to meet students, consultants and professors from Australia, Canada, South Africa and South America like Chile and Ecuador. It was not only to share knowledge and science, it was also very nice and interesting to know about their personal view of mining, geology and the politico-economical perspective involved in these activities, not only of their own countries but also in multiple countries in where some of them have worked and experienced.”

Five Trainees presented posters at the Symposium, including undergraduate Yadi Wang, who took second place in the student poster competition. Wang also appreciated the opportunity to network: “I was honored to be part of the UA SRP team to present at IAGS. This conference created a great environment to develop the relationship between academia and industry. Many attendees showed interests to all five of our UA SRP research topics. I am looking forward possible future collaborations through this network.”

The conference was also a great opportunity to reunite and network with former UA SRP Trainees John Villinski, now a senior researcher at Clear Creek Associates, a hydrogeological consulting firm in Tucson, AZ; Omar Felix, now with SRK Consulting, an earth and water resource consulting firm in Tucson, AZ; and Madhumitha Raghav, now with Freeport McMoran at the Environmental Technology Office in Oro Valley, AZ.

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