Research Experience and Training Coordination Core

University Of Southern California, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING COORDINATION CORE (RETCC): PROJECT SUMMARY PFAS contamination around Superfund sites presents major challenges for health, remediation, policy and decision-making. The Research Experience and Training Coordination Core (RETCC) promotes the mission and objectives of the Southern California Superfund Research and Training Program (ShARP) for PFAS Assessment, Remediation and Prevention to train a group of future leaders in environmental health, environmental science and engineering, community engagement, and data science for advancing rigorous scientific discovery with high potential for promoting healthier environments and communities affected by PFAS contamination around Superfund hazardous sites. RETCC is a central component of the ShARP, uniting all trainees and their mentors with common goals and shared activities over 5 years of proposed training. Every project has trainees, and every trainee interfaces with RETCC-sponsored training opportunities. The RETCC will provide ShARP trainees with specific cross-disciplinary curricula, collaborative mentorship, and hands-on training and research opportunities in ongoing center projects. An initial roster of 16 mentors will be taking part in the RETCC. Mentors’ robust areas of expertise, appointments in various education leadership roles, and rich history of collaboration on research project help link the institutions, departments, and other centers participating in the Center. RETCC leadership will be involved in two committees, the Administrative Core’s Executive Steering Committee and the RETCC’s Internal Advisory Committee. Both committees will provide input relevant to RETCC activities, such as advice on collaborative research projects for trainees, opportunities for research translation activities, career development, and strategies for dissemination with other SRPs, end users and the general community. The RETCC is expected to support training activities of 10-15 trainees across ShARP. Specific aims of the RETCC include: (1) Recruit a broad selection of pre- and postdoctoral trainees, (2) Provide training opportunities to SRP-trainees through cross-discipline curriculum, interdisciplinary research activities, and research translation opportunities, and (3) foster professional development training on leadership and communication skills. The RETCC plays a foundational role in the overall center by ensuring the recruitment and effective training of pre- and post-doctoral researchers with technical competence in the center research areas. The RETCC will be closely integrated with each ShARP project and core by engaging trainees in quarterly active learning discussions to share recent advances for respective aims. Through our proposed aims, trainees will be well equipped to address the overall ShARP project goals through interdisciplinary training and education. The focus on science translation will build a foundation for trainees to develop leadership training and experience to engage in solution-oriented science throughout their academic and professional careers.