What We Do

The overarching objective of the RETCC is to train the next generation of scientists to promote public health and to solve real-world problems facing the Superfund program. These scientists need interdisciplinary training in the environmental health sciences, competencies in data management and analysis, experience working in multidisciplinary teams and leadership and professional skills. They need to understand cultural competencies, to engage with diverse communities, and to communicate research outcomes to stakeholders, regulators and the general public.

Purpose of the Core

The RETCC recruits diverse cohorts of trainees, preparing them to be a competent workforce to solve today and tomorrow’s environmental challenges. The RETCC is training future scientists who can solve real-world environmental problems and communicate successfully with stakeholders, regulators and the general public. The Core supports the research goals of the SRP by engaging pre-and post-doctoral trainees in conducting SRP research. Trainees work on research in all SRP Projects and Cores to gain experiential training.

Services We Offer - Training Activities and Opportunities

The primary purpose of the Core is to support our trainees.

  • All SRP trainees will need to request or create the following and send the information to the RETCC director(s) once created:
    • Request an eRA Commons account through Oregon State University. The NIH eRA Commons (eCommons) is an online interface where institutional signing officials, principal investigators, research trainees and post-docs can access and share administrative information relating to specific research grants. It is also used for new research project proposal submissions.
    • Create an ORCID iD (https://orcid.org/register). ORCID provides a persistent digital identifier (an ORCID iD) that you own and control, and that distinguishes you from every other researcher.
  • Trainee NIH Reporting and Citing the Center guidelines PDF. This PDF provides links to the required reporting forms as well as has suggestions for their use. It also includes a section on citing the center when you're writing publications, presentations and posters.
  • Trainee Individual Development Plan (IDP). IDPs provide the framework for a planning process that helps the trainees to articulate their personal short- and long-term educational and career goals.
  • Trainee graduation survey. All SRP trainees are requested to complete this survey upon graduation.
  • Trainee Initiated Collaboration Grant Request. The intent of TrIC grants is to support innovative collaborations between SRP trainees and other research groups (on- or off-campus).
  • Externship Application. The SRP Training Core is pleased to support externship opportunities for SRP trainees that will provide enhanced experiential learning activities that benefit the trainee’s career goals.
  • The Research in Environmental Health Sciences Seminar Series is a weekly, interdisciplinary seminar series spanning a wide range of EHS topics and featuring both faculty and trainee research presentations.
  • SRP Training Information from NIEHS. This website provides important background information concerning the Training activities of the Superfund Research Program and summary of useful training resources for ALL SRP pre- and post-doctoral trainees. New trainees in particular should visit this site to learn about expectations for trainees at the national level and learn about the resources and awards available for RETCC trainees.
  • TEAM-Tox is comprised of students and post-docs affiliated with the Environmental and Molecular Toxicology department who combine their efforts to facilitate K-12 educators, introduce students to science and encourage all to pursue higher education.

Accomplishments

  1. KC Donnelley Externship OSU Awardees
    • Victoria Colvin, 2021 Award to travel to MIT
    • Dr. Subham Dasgupta, 2021 Award to travel to Dartmouth University
    • Yvonne Rericha, 2020 Award to travel to Brown University
  2. TEAM-Tox

TEAM Tox is comprised of students and post-docs affiliated with the Environmental and Molecular Toxicology department who combine their efforts to facilitate K-12 educators, introduce students to science and encourage all to pursue higher education.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, TEAM Tox worked to develop remote outreach events and developed videos and interactive data collection tools for students.

Other Training Opportunities and Resources

  • T32 NIEHS Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Institutional Research Training Grant: The OSU T32 Training  Program supports  6 pre-doctoral trainees and 3 post-doctoral trainees each year under the auspices of an NIEHS Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Institutional  Research Training Grant (T32). Our training program has a long track record of over  50ys success training doctoral students and post-doctoral scientists in the Environmental Health Sciences
  • Team Tox: aims to further enhance and diversify the educational experience of all EMT graduate and post graduate trainees in several ways:
    • Provide opportunities for professional development above and beyond the formal EMT curriculum
    • Enhance sense of community and relations between EMT trainees and faculty
    • Provide a mechanism for representation of trainees’ issues and concerns to the EMT faculty and administration