By Kacey Fitzpatrick
It’s the first week of October which happens to be my favorite month of the year. I love October, and fall in general, because the crisp weather and leaves changing color make it the best time of year to be outside. Visiting an orchard, hiking a trail, or just taking a nice evening stroll through the neighborhood – these activities make October a great time to appreciate the environment.
It’s been a good week for EPA science, too. So, if you’re not outside enjoying the change of seasons, check out the latest news about Agency research.
- Globally Linking Scientific Knowledge through the Adverse Outcome Pathways Wiki
EPA and partners released the online Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) Wiki—an interactive, virtual encyclopedia for the development and evaluation of adverse outcome pathways. It is important to understand and map these pathways in order to incorporate toxicological data into chemical risk assessments and support decisions made to advance chemical safety. Read more. - EPA Chemical Safety Data Summit Held In Research Triangle Park, NC
EPA’s Chemical Safety Data Summit: Exploring How to Use ToxCast Data was held September 29th and 30th. The summit brought together a wide range of stakeholders to discuss past, present, and future work using the massive amounts of new chemical safety data flowing from new, innovative chemical screening methods such as high-throughput screening technologies. Participants shared techniques and ideas on how to use the emerging wealth of data to inform chemical policy and regulatory decisions. More than 200 stakeholders participated in person and 80 stakeholders tuned in remotely via online webinar. Read more. - Going to the Dogs: EPA Researchers Use Dog Waste to Explore New Ways to Monitor Water Quality
Dog feces left on the ground can wash into waterways, sometimes carrying bacteria that can make people sick. A team of EPA researchers is developing a genetic test to advance new, high-tech and efficient ways to monitor water quality, and figure out how much uncollected dog waste might be contributing to related health concerns. Read more. - EPA’s Exposure Toolbox Update: Check Out the New Features
EPA-Expo-Box is a one-stop shop risk assessment resource for risk assessors, researchers, public health officials, and others. Originally released in November, 2013 it has been recently updated to enhance the search feature, include additional tools, and provide a form for users to suggest additional tools they would like in the toolbox. Read more. - Post Doc Recruitment
Did you recently earn your doctoral degree? Do you find EPA research interesting? If so, be sure to check out the post-doctoral research opportunities now open with the Office of Research and Development! More than 30 post-doctoral positions are open for scientists and engineers who want to protect the environment and public health. The program offers appointments of up to four years, state-of-the-art facilities, world-class scientific expertise, locations throughout the United States, travel to professional scientific meetings, and active trainee organizations. Read more.
If you have any comments or questions about what I share or about the week’s events, please submit them below in the comments section!
About the Author: When not out enjoying the crisp, cool October air, student contractor Kacey Fitzpatrick writes about EPA science for the Agency’s Office of Research and Development.