Science Communication Fellows

Our Science Communication Fellows are a valuable resource for journalists and others who are seeking scientists to communicate about an array of topics related to environmental health and green chemistry.

Each year, 10 outstanding researchers from a variety of disciplines are chosen as Fellows. During the year-long program, they develop the essential skills to convey in plain and engaging language important research findings about the link between environment and human health and disease. The fellowship is unique in that it places researchers at the interface between science and journalism.

The program's aims are to train future scientific leaders and increase public understanding of the rapidly evolving research associated with environmental health sciences and green chemistry. The scientists publish original research reviews and commentaries at www.ehn.org. Environmental Health Sciences sponsors the program, which started in 2007 with Science Communication Network. Advancing Green Chemistry is a partner in the project.

The Fellows are chosen by a selection committee, which includes: Lynn R. Goldman, George Washington University; Louis J. Guillette, Jr., Medical University of South Carolina; Patricia A. Hunt, Washington State University; Richard J. Jackson, University of California, Los Angeles; Shuk-mei Ho, University of Cincinnati; Shanna H. Swan, The Mount Sinai Medical Center; and Frederick vom Saal, University of Missouri-Columbia.

2012 Nomination Instructions (closed)
News Releases: 2012 / 2011 / 2010 / 2009 / 2008 / 2007

All Fellows


2012 Fellows

Craig Butt
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Duke University
Brominated flame retardants; Fluorinated stain repellents; Bioaccumulation & biotransformation; Biological fate; Thyroid horomones
cb210@duke.edu / 919-613-7472
Beth Feingold
Postdoctoral Fellow in Global Change
Johns Hopkins University
Livestock associated MRSA; Spatial epidemiology; Health impact assessment; Zoning; Land use change; GIS
beth.feingold@jhu.edu / 919-681-7271
Virginia T. Guidry
Post Doctoral Fellow
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Air pollution; Industrial agriculture; Respiratory health; Environmental justice; Children's health
virginia.guidry@unc.edu / 919-966-7438
Jean-Philip Lumb
Assistant Professor
McGill University
Synthetic organic chemistry; Green chemistry; Natural products synthesis
jean-philip.lumb@mcgill.ca / 514-398-4889
Marty Mulvihill
Executive Director
UC Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry
Nanoscience; Environmental sensing; Pollution remediation; Catalysis
marty_m@berkeley.edu / 510-517-2135
Lesliam Quirós-Alcalá
Postdoctoral Scholar
UC Berkeley, Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health
Maternal and child health; Biomonitoring; Contaminants in indoor dust; Pesticides; Endocrine disruptors
lquiros@berkeley.edu / 510-684-8166
Cheryl Stein
Assistant Professor
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Epidemiology; Pregnancy; Environmental chemicals; Neurodevelopment
cheryl.stein@mssm.edu / 212-824-7083
Glenys Webster
Post Doctoral Fellow
Simon Fraser University
Prenatal exposures, thyroid hormones, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), flame retardants, neurodevelopment, pregnancy, peri-natal epidemiology, exposure assessment
778 668-2708
Jennifer Wolstenholme
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Virginia
Neuroscience; Endocrine disruptors; Bisphenol A; Behavioral epigenetics; Trans-generational effects
jtw4w@virginia.edu/804 363 4007
Kai Zhang
Research Fellow
University of Michigan
Climate change; Extreme weather events; Air pollution and health
zhangkai@umich.edu / 734-763-2663

2011 Fellows

Joe Braun
Research Fellow
Harvard School of Public Health
Epidemiology; Children's health, neurodevelopment; Endocrine disruptors; Bisphenol A; Phthalates
jbraun@hsph.harvard.edu / 617-849-8681
Aimin Chen
Assistant Professor
University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine
Heavy metals; Flame retardants - PBDEs; Electronic waste; Pregnancy outcomes; Child development
aimin.chen@uc.edu / 513-558-2129
Renee Gardner
Postdoctoral Fellow
Karolinska Institutet, Institute of Environmental Medicine
Immunotoxicity; Metals; Fetal Origins of Adult Disease; In vitro toxicology
renee.gardner@ki.se / +46 (0)8 524 874 10
Roxanne Karimi
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Stony Brook University, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
Heavy metals; Mercury; Fish contaminants; Seafood; Human exposures; Biomagnification in food chain; Ecology
rkarimi@notes.cc.sunysb.edu / 631-632-3128
Brandon Moore
Assistant Professor
Louisiana Tech University
Ovary; Wildlife; Fertility; Pollution; Sexual development
bmoore@latech.edu / 318-257-2359
Audrey Moores
Assistant Professor
McGill University
Green chemistry; Catalysis; Magnetic particles; Metal nanoparticles; Pollution remediation; Cellulose nanocrystallites; Ionic Liquids
audrey.moores@mcgill.ca / 514-398-4654
Steven Neese
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Illinois
Environmental estrogens; Cognition; Aging; Rodent models
stlneese@illinois.edu / 618-521-7193
Tamara Tal
Postdoctoral Fellow
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Developmental and neurotoxicology; Alternative models in toxicology; Zebrafish
tal.tamara@epa.gov / 919-541-0506
Wim Thielemans
Lecturer, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
The University of Nottingham
Green chemistry; Materials from renewable sources; Nanoparticles; Hydrogels; Aerogels; Cellulose, lignin, starch
Wim.Thielemans@nottingham.ac.uk / +44 ((0) 115 951 3507
Heather Volk
Research Assistant Professor
University of Southern California
Epidemiology; Gene-environment interaction; Traffic-related air pollution; Autism
hvolk@usc.edu / 323-442-5101

2010 Fellows

Emily Barrett
Research Assistant Professor
University of Rochester
Phthalates; Pregnancy/prenatal exposures; Bisphenol A; Reproduction; Estrogen; Testosterone; Nutrition
Emily_Barrett@URMC.Rochester.edu / 585-275-9187
Evan Beach
Associate Research Professor
Yale University, Center for Green Chemistry & Engineering
Green chemistry; Renewable resources; Algae; Lignin
evan.beach@yale.edu / 203-432-5201
Thea M. Edwards
Assistant Professor
Louisiana Tech University
Endocrine disruption; Nitrate; Wildlife reproduction; Fish, plant medicine; Endocrinology; Hormone mimics
tedwards@latech.edu / 318-257-2909
Giffe Johnson
Research Assistant Professor
University of South Florida

gtjohnso@mail.usf.edu / 813-974-3466
Jennifer F. Nyland
Assistant Professor
University of South Carolina, School of Medicine
Mercury; Immunotoxicology; Autoimmune disease
jnyland@uscmed.sc.edu / 803-216-3416
Patrick H. Ryan
Research Assistant Professor
University of Cincinnati
Air pollution; Neurodev; Neurobehavior; Asthma; Allergies; Pediatric env health; Epidemiology; Exposure assess
patrick.ryan@uc.edu / 513-558-0229
Heather Stapleton
Assistant Professor
Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment
Flame retardants; Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs); Bioaccumulation; Thyroid regulation; Biotransformation
heather.stapleton@duke.edu / 919-613-8717
Laura Vandenberg
Postdoctoral Fellow
Tufts University
Endocrine disruptors; Bisphenol A; Amphibian metamorphosis; Breast cancer; Estrogens
laura.vandenberg@tufts.edu / 617-627-4094
Adelina Voutchkova-Kostal
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Chemistry, George Washington University
Organometallic catalysis, Green chemistry, Chemical toxicology, Rational design of safer industrial chemicals
avoutchkova@gwu.edu / 202-994-5537
Ami Zota, Sc.D
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of California San Francisco, Prog. Reproductive Health & Environment
Env justice; Endocrine disruption; Prenatal exposures; PBDE flame retardants; Reproductive health; Thyroid; Stress
zotaar@obgyn.ucsf.edu / 510-986-8928

2009 Fellows

David Buchwalter, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
North Carolina State University, Dept. of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology

david_buchwalter@ncsu.edu / 919-513-1129
Jonathan Chevrier, Ph.D.
Assistant Researcher
University of California-Berkeley, Center for Environmental Research & Children's Health
Human studies; PBDE flame retardants; PCBs; Pesticides; DDT; Thyroid hormone; Neurodevelopment; Biostatistics; Endocrine disruption; Bisphenol A
chevrier@berkeley.edu / 510 642-8917
Paul Eubig, DVM
Ph.D. candidate
University of Illinois
Neurobehavior; ADHD; Neurotoxicology; PCBs; PBDE flame retardants
eubig@illinois.edu / 217-333-2506
Heather Hamlin
Assistant Professor
University of Maine, School of Marine Sciences
Reproductive endocrinology; Aquaculture; Wildlife reproduction & development; Marine organisms; Endocrine disruption; Environmental exposures
heather.hamlin@maine.edu / 207) 581-2563
Kim Harley, Ph.D.
Associate Director for Health Effects
University of California-Berkeley, Center for Children's Environmental Health Res.
Epidemiology; Bisphenol A; PBDEs; Pesticides; Fertility; Neurodevelopment; Child development; Obesity
kharley@berkeley.edu / 510-643-1310
Karen Kidd
Professor and Canada Research Chair
University of New Brunswick, Biology Department
Mercury; Fish contaminants; Biomagnification in food chains; Estrogens and aquatic organisms; Endocrine disruption in fish
kiddk@unbsj.ca / 506-648-5809
Michele A. La Merrill, Ph.D.
Environmental Pediatric Fellow
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
PCBs; PBDEs; Dioxins; Pesticides; Epidemiology; Toxicology; Obesity; Diabetes
Michele.LaMerrill@mssm.edu / 212-824-7003
Negin P. Martin, Ph. D
Biologist
Research Triangle Park

neginmartin@yahoo.com / 919-782-3219
Kathleen M. McCarty, Sc.D.
Assistant Professor
Yale University, School of Medicine / Graduate School of Arts & Sciences

kathleen.mccarty@yale.edu / 203-785-6062
Heather Patisaul, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
North Carolina State University
Endocrine disruptors; Soy; Bisphenol A, Brain organization; Behavior; Sex differences; Reproduction
heather_patisaul@ncsu.edu / 919-513-7567

2008 Fellows

Jennifer Adibi
Research Fellow
University of California-San Francisco

adibij@obgyn.ucsf.edu / 415-476-1092
Benson T. Akingbemi
Associate Professor
Auburn University
Environmental toxicology; Developmental exposures; Bisphenol A; Phytoestrogens; Testis
akingbt@auburn.edu / 334-844-4489
Niladri Basu
Assistant Professor
University of Michigan, Department of Environmental Health Sciences
Environmental toxicology; Fish and wildlife sentinels; Community health; Neurochemical biomarkers; Ecosystem health; Indigenous peoples; Water quality and risk assessment of legacy and emerging pollutants; Gene-environment interaction
niladri@umich.edu / 734-764-9490
Abby D. Benninghoff, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Utah State University

abby.benninghoff@usu.edu / 435 797-8649
Heather Hamlin
Assistant Professor
University of Maine, School of Marine Sciences
Reproductive endocrinology; Aquaculture; Wildlife reproduction & development; Marine organisms; Endocrine disruption; Environmental exposures
heather.hamlin@maine.edu / 207) 581-2563
Kim Harley, Ph.D.
Associate Director for Health Effects
University of California-Berkeley, Center for Children's Environmental Health Res.
Epidemiology; Bisphenol A; PBDEs; Pesticides; Fertility; Neurodevelopment; Child development; Obesity
kharley@berkeley.edu / 510-643-1310
Stacey L. Harper
Assistant Professor
Oregon State University
Nanotoxicology; Nanomaterial-biological interactions; Nanoinformatics
harpers@science.oregonstate.edu / 541-737-2791
Michael D. Laiosa
Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee School of Public Health
Immunology; Dioxin; Mercury; Leukemia; Autoimmunity
laiosa@uwm.edu / 414-229-2279
Carys L. Mitchelmore
Assistant Professor
UMCES, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory

mitchelmore@cbl.umces.edu / 410-326-7283
Martha Susiarjo
Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Pennsylvania
Bisphenol A; Endocrine disruptor; DNA methylation; Epigenetics; Genomic imprinting
susiarjo@mail.med.upenn.edu / 215-898-9277

2007 Fellows

Sara Ahlgren
Assistant Professor
Feinberg School of Medicine, Children's Memorial Research Center

s-ahlgren@northwestern.edu / 773-755-6386
Abby D. Benninghoff, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Utah State University

abby.benninghoff@usu.edu / 435 797-8649
Michael T. Borchers
Assistant Professor
University of Cincinnati, Department of Environmental Health

michael.borchers@uc.edu / 513-558-0925
Arani Chanda, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Eisai Ic.
Green Chemistry; Drug Development; Process-Analytical Technology; Catalysis; Water treatment; Organophosphorus pesticide
arani.chanda@gmail.com / 978-738-2798
Michael D. Laiosa
Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee School of Public Health
Immunology; Dioxin; Mercury; Leukemia; Autoimmunity
laiosa@uwm.edu / 414-229-2279
Maricel V. Maffini
Research Assistant Professor
The Pew Charitable Trusts

mmaffini@pewtrusts.org / 202-540-652
Susan Nagel
Assistant Professor
University of Missouri-Columbia
Developmental origins of adult disease and fetal programming; Endometriosis; Estrogen action
nagels@health.missouri.edu / 573-884-3028
Ed Orlando
Assistant Professor
University of Maryland, Department of Animal & Avian Sciences

eorlando@umd.edu / 301-405-6386
Sheela Sathyanarayana, MD
Acting Assistant Professor
University of Washington, Department of Pediatrics

sheela.sathyanarayana@seattlechildrens.org / 206-884-1037
Richard W. Stahlhut, MD
Research Assistant Professor
University of Rochester, Department of OB/GYN
Obesity; Diabetes; Metabolic syndrome; Persistent organic pollutants; Phthalates; Bisphenol A; NHANES
stahlhut@post.harvard.edu / 585-275-9204