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Dr. Amanda Armijo

• 25^th recipient of 2022 Karen Wetterhahn Memorial Award at NIEHS SRP Annual Meeting

Barathkumar Baskaran

• One of four 2023 Travel Grant recipients, Abdul Latif Jameel Water & Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS), to attend the UNC Water & Health Conference

Nicolette Bugher

• 2023 Poster Winner for the category of Environmental Science and Engineering at NIEHS SRP Annual Meeting

Dr. Bevin Engelward

• 2023 Society of Toxicology Education Award
• 2024 Alexander Hollaender Award, Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomic Society

Dr. Ariel Furst

• 2023 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award
• NSF Career Award
• 2023 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award
• 2023 Scialog Fellow for Negative Emissions Science
• 2023 Scialog: Negative Emissions Science – Collective Innovation Award
• 2023 American Institute of Chemical Engineers – Women in Chemical Engineering Rising Star Award

Dr. Jennifer Kay

• 2024 Society of Toxicology, Women in Toxicology – Outstanding Young Investigator Award

Dr. Desirée Plata

• Appointed Co-Director of MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium, September 2023

Dr. Kathleen Vandiver

• 2022 Massachusetts Association of Science Teacher Conference Recognized Presenter Award
• Recognized at Leventhal Center 10^th Anniversary Event (2023) for the Malden River Works Project

Dr. Lindsay Volk

• 2023 Best Poster Award at the Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society 54^th Annual Meeting

Dr. Christa Wright

• Outstanding Technical Contribution in Industry Award at the 2024 Black Engineer of the Year Aw

The MIT SRP created and conducted an Environmental Justice Experiential Learning Opportunity (ELO) program from June 3^rd to July 28^th, 2023.  Supported in part by an MIT ELO award, this program offered eight MIT undergraduate students the ability to participate and experience on-hands laboratory activities in a range of ongoing SRP research.  In addition, there were seminars from the US EPA and Silent Spring Institute to underscore the need for public health work centered on environmental justice.  Furthermore, workshops such as strategies in reading manuscripts and research papers as well as career options gave the ELO students practical concepts as they continue their academic path.  To make the learning tangible, there a visit to Wilmington, MA where the Olin Chemical Superfund site is located.  This field trip allowed the students to see first-hand how environmental contamination has public health consequences, but more importantly, the discussions and interactions with Wilmington community members showed them on a personal level, the difficulties and the life changing aspects for those living near a Superfund site.

As part of the program, the students kept a journal, reflecting upon each experience, whether it was a workshop, research work, or a field trip.  These reflections were to describe not just what they learned academically, but also to ponder on and to examine societal behavior and moral struggles regarding public health and economics.  The feedback from the students expressed a new understanding and a greater appreciation of how research can advance public health and the benefits of community engagement.  They noted that this multi-faceted learning experience enriched their:

• Understanding of environmental justice and its associated challenges
• Research skills
• Knowledge of public health organizations and their impact on problem-solving
• Career development ideas
• Wellness in balancing studies and personal happiness
• Awareness of what community members experience when they are impacted by hazardous chemicals.

A critical aspect to the training program was to provide training to Postdocs and Graduate Students who served as mentors for the undergraduates. The mentoring experience both enhanced their leadership skills while also raising awareness to the public health challenge that are faced by millions of people living close to Superfund Sites. The importance of environmental justice was also a theme throughout the training experience.

 

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