Mackenzie Morshead
My research is focused on Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs these are a common environmental pollutant resulting from the incomplete combustion of organic materials. PAHs occur in complex mixtures in the environment, making hazard assessment difficult. I am focused on finding links between structural features and the activity of these compounds to inform more precise and timely regulatory policy.
I like that I am constantly learning on the job. I enjoy having the freedom to explore new techniques to answer challenging real-world problems.
I hope that my research can help move us towards faster and more comprehensive chemical safety assessment. Ideally this would make it feasible to assess the environmental and human health risk of compounds before they are released into the environment.
It started with realizing I truly enjoyed learning about molecular biology and organic chemistry in college the world of biology is like a giant complex puzzle to me. I learned that I could keep working on that puzzle while working to solve issues I was passionate about, and that's when I decided this was the career for me.
Government, regulatory, consulting, and research all interest me, I mainly hope to continue to learn in my career.
Some of my favorite activities outside of work include hiking, backpacking, knitting, making pottery, and spending time with my dog and friends.