NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in China

Cromie Meghan M, Lubbock TX

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds Meghan Marie Cromie of Texas Tech University to conduct a research project in Biology during the summer of 2013 at Nanjing Medical University in Nanjing, China. The project title is "Determination of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Township Waters of China and Their Ecological Impact." The host scientist is Dr. Shou-Lin Wang, M.D., Ph.D. With a growing population and a heavy reliance on industry and agriculture, China has experienced an increase in the concentration of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) being released into surface waters, specifically in townships located in Eastern China near Nanjing. With higher cancer incidences near this region, it is this project's hope to identify and quantify the POPs responsible for this problem. This study aims to address these research gaps by determining POPs and identify possible sources of contamination throughout the region using different approaches, including biological and chemical techniques. Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Furthermore, the Fellow intends on mentoring and training a female, senior undergraduate student from the University. Through mentoring, the Fellow will provide training that will prepare a student to eventually carry out her own independent research, which will hopefully build on data collected over the course of the summer. In addition, the time in China will be used to present the Fellow's master's and doctoral research projects at the host university, as well as neighboring universities to increase networking and enhance potential international collaborations. The research conducted in China will also be used by the host collaborator's lab for epidemiological studies to determine relationships between contamination sites and townships with increased incidences of cancer. Finally, upon the Fellow's return to the United States, she plans on presenting her research at a conference, publishing with the host collaborator and implementing some of the findings in her dissertation research.