UCR well represented at the UC Toxics Annual Meeting at the Mission Inn

On April 11-12, the systemwide UC Toxic Substances Research and Teaching Program held its annual meeting at the Mission Inn in Riverside. A number of our students who are receiving support from the Program presented posters and Jay Gan gave a nice talk about his research on pyrethroids. In addition, a substantial number of our students and faculty attended. Below are a series of photos that my wife Elizabeth and I took at the symposium.

Opening reception. See if you can find the 3 UCR students.

Karla Pliego

Heather (Yehong) Wang

Mae Nillos, JP Baquiran and Dr. Dan Schlenk

Melinda Bigelow, Katy Zimmermann, Karla Pliego and Cathy Cathers

Dr. Bob Krieger

Yanhong Li

Homero Camacho

Mae Nillos and Catherine Gibbons

Catherine Gibbons, Karla Pliego and Katy Zimmermann

Karla Pliego, Cathy Cathers, Elizabeth Eastmond, Katy Zimmermann, Noriko Nishino, Melinda Bigelow

Yong Jiang, Yanhong Li, Wesley Hunter

Drs. John Knezovich and David Eastmond

Dr. Jay Gan

Zhenshan Chen and Sukon Aimanant

Sharon Walker recognized as Woman of Distinction

Sharon Walker, a relatively new ETOX faculty member, was recently recognized by the Girl Scouts of the San Gorgonio Council as one of the top 10 female leaders in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Sharon is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, and according to the Inside UCR newspaper, was selected for the 2008 Women of Distinction for achievement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Her research focuses on the investigating factors controlling bacterial adhesion and transport as it affects water quality. She has recently begun similar studies of the movement of nanoparticles through soil. We congratulate Sharon on this nice recognition.

Alvaro Alvarado presents seminar at UCR

On April 2, Alvaro Alvarado (Ph.D., 1998) returned to UCR to speak in the Environmental Toxicology Seminar series. His talk was entitled, "Quantifying the Health Impacts of Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter” and drew upon his experience working with both the federal EPA and his more recent experience working at the California Air Resources Board. Following his seminar at lunch, he talked to a group of our graduate students about working in government and his experiences in applying and interviewing for positions. It was an enjoyable visit and I know the students appreciated his insights about job hunting. [I forgot to take a picture during his visit but a recent picture of Alvaro and his daughter can be seen on the ETOX blog as one of last summer's posts.]