Discovery Corps Fellowship: Integrating the "bio" into the environmental biogeochemistry of the arsenic project

University Of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst MA

Investigators

Abstract

The Division of Chemistry supports Julian Tyson of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst as a Discovery Corps Senior Fellow for the 2007-2008 academic year. Tyson's group will study natural and anthropogenic arsenic compounds and will develop measurement technologies needed to determine the relevant arsenic compounds in complex environmental and biological matrices. In collaboration with life-sciences faculty, they will apply the techniques of molecular biology to the interaction of arsenic compounds with plants and microorganisms. These studies will increase our understanding of the environmental cycling of arsenic and inform the development of novel bio-remediation strategies. The research will be integrated with teaching via the development of an interdisciplinary, undergraduate concentration in environmental science and the further development of an independent study program, in which first-year students engage in authentic research in small groups mentored by upper-level undergraduates. Underrepresented K-12 students and teachers will participate in guided inquiry activities related to arsenic in their local environments. Students' understanding of the global dimensions of chemical measurements and remediation will be enhanced by the development of links with international researchers. Tyson will visit several universities and institutes in Bangladesh, Thailand, and Vietnam, three countries currently dealing with severe contamination issues. The Discovery Corps Fellowship Program seeks new postdoctoral and professional development models that combine research expertise with professional service. Discovery Corps Fellows leverage their research expertise through projects that address areas of national need. Their projects enhance research capacity and infrastructure and contribute to workforce development and job creation. The Discovery Corps Program supports both Postdoctoral Fellows and Senior Fellows.