Administrative and Research Translation Core

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Core Leaders

Center Director, Principal Investigator

Associate Director, Co-Investigator

Co-Investigator

Co-Investigator

Summary

The University of Arizona Superfund Research Center (UA SRC) Administrative Core is the "glue" that holds the many parts of the Center together, making the "whole" of the program greater than the sum of the individual research projects and cores. The Administrative Core integrates the many components of the program to meet the needs of the overall NIEHS Superfund Research Program, UA SRC's stakeholders, and the community. The Administrative Core encompasses both the management aspects and the creative development of the Center. The management component includes the responsibilities for the supervision, direction, planning, and coordination of the UA SRC, as well as communication with stakeholders and financial accountability. The development component involves seeking innovative ways to increase the impact of the Center, including building partnerships within the University of Arizona, with sister SRPs, and with stakeholders (NIEHS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, state agencies, communities, and the mining industry). The overall goal of the Center is to address the management, remediation, and health effects of environmental pollutants, namely arsenic and other metals, related to the metal mining industry in the U.S. Southwest. The Administrative Core objectives are to:

1. Manage and coordinate the research projects and support cores to ensure attainment of the Center's proposed research, training, and translational objectives;
2. Promote the exchange of scientific information at all levels through interaction with NIEHS and stakeholders and the translation of research products to risk assessment, intervention, education, and hazardous waste site management and remediation;
3. Creatively leverage the Center to expand its research base and ability to test and transfer new exposure assessment, intervention, and remediation technologies; and
4. Facilitate the UA SRC to serve as a global resource for human and environmental health issues associated with metal mining.

Administrative Core's Research Translation (AC's RT) Functions

The Research Translation (RT) functions of the Center are now facilitated through the Administrative Core (AC).  Dr. Mónica Ramírez-Andreotta serves as the RT lead scientist for the Center.  We work synergistically with our research and core scientists to communicate timely and cutting-edge research results to local, state, federal, and industry stakeholders.   

On-going Research Translation Projects and Activities of the Center: 

• Gardenroots, A Citizen Science Garden Project: Ongoing Research Translation Projects in Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona. This project was developed by Dr. Mónica Ramírez-Andreotta in response to home gardening concerns in the Dewey-Humboldt, AZ community over possible metal contamination from the neighboring Iron King Mine and Humboldt Smelter Superfund site. 
   
• Transdisciplinary Environmental Science for Society (TESS) Program: There is a gap between scientific information generated by researchers and the needs of society to address today’s increasingly complex environmental problems. And there has been frustration on both sides: researchers want to see the result of their efforts being used, and decision makers need relevant information to assist in planning and practice. To help close that gap, University of Arizona faculty members Dan Ferguson, Gregg Garfin, Mónica Ramirez-Andreotta and Connie Woodhouse designed the Transdisciplinary Environmental Science for Society (TESS) Program.
   

• Thesis Thursday:  Dr. Ramirez-Andreotta co-host Thesis Thursday at local radio station KCXI. Thesis Thursday is a weekly segment on KXCI at 91.3 FM (4:55 am, 11:55 am, 2:55 pm) that features research of students and investigators. 

• Health Opportunity Wellness Landscape (HOWL): Environmental health mapping tool that can be used by community members, policymakers, and researchers to visualize environmental health resiliencies and vulnerabilities in AZ communities to combat health disparities across the state.
   
• Community and Stakeholder Meetings hosted by the UA NIEHS SRP Research Translation Core: 
   
  • ASARCO Hayden Plant Superfund Alternative Site (Hayden-Winkelman, Arizona): The ASARCO Hayden Plant Site is 100 miles southeast of Phoenix, Arizona and 50 miles northeast of Tucson, Arizona and is a Superfund Alternative site. The site consists of industrial areas including the ASARCO smelter, concentrator, former smelter (Kennecott), and mine tailing facilities. Contamination at the site is due to historical smelting and processing activities as well as ongoing operations. 
    The UA SRC Research Translation Core participate in regular multiorganization conference calls with our stakeholders to discuss potential health issues at this site. 
    
    Contact list of Organizations Working on Environmental and Health Issues in Hayden and Winkelman, AZ
     
  • Iron King Mine and Humboldt Smelter Superfund Site (Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona): Dewey-Humboldt is a community about 85 miles north of Phoenix and 12 miles east of Prescott, Arizona. Dewey-Humboldt is home to the Iron King Mine and Humboldt Smelter Superfund Site, which was added to the US Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List in 2008. 
    The UA SRC Research Translation Core participate in regular multiorganization conference calls with our stakeholders to discuss potential health issues at this site.