The hustle and bustle of junior year brings on manychallenges and new opportunities. For David Dreier,opportunities have flourished into great successes.Dreier, a junior environmental health science major whois in the Honors Program, has been awarded aprestigious Greater Research Opportunities (GRO)fellowship from the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA). The fellowship provides juniors andseniors in college with up to $19,700 per year ofacademic support and $9,500 for internship support fora combined total of up to $48,900 over the life of thefellowship. "When I was selected, it was simplyoverwhelming. Above all, I am excited to work on thisresearch fellowship in conjunction with the EPA. It'ssomething not every undergraduate gets to experience,and I am grateful for such an opportunity. My thanks tothe Baylor faculty, whose support and guidance wereessential to this accomplishment," said Dreier. "Weshare David's excitement, because the EPA GROUndergraduate Fellowship represents one of thepremiere research awards for undergraduate students.Such an outstanding honor provides gold-standardevidence of fruit from Baylor's commitment to

undergraduate research training and integration ofundergraduates in active research teams," said BryanBrooks, Ph.D., professor, Dreier's honors thesis advisorand mentor. The fellowship program is part of thenational effort to help ensure that the United Statesmeets its current and projected human resource needsin the environmental science, engineering, and policyfields. The GRO Undergraduate Fellowship encouragespromising students to continue their efforts inenvironmentally-related fields."I can't say enough abouthow proud the Honors Program is of David'sachievement and the high level of scholarship inenvironmental science here at Baylor in Dr. Brooks' andDr. Cobb's department. Their faculty inspires honorsstudents from the moment they arrive at Baylor andtake a First Year Seminar to the moment they defend atopnotch thesis that grabs the attention of graduateschools. David is no exception: this is undergradinitiative and faculty mentoring at their best," saidAndy Wisely, Ph.D., director of the Honors Program.The Environmental Health Science program at Baylor isone of only 30 nationally accredited undergraduatedegrees in the field.

FALL 2014ENV NOTES

DAVID DREIER PRESENTS RESEARCH INSWITZERLAND

Department of Environmental Science

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:David Dreier presents honors thesis and EPAfellowship research in Basel, Switzerland p.1

Baylor Scientists Aim to Design Safer Chemicalsfor Humans and Enviornment with MultimillionDollar Grant p.2

ENV Student Gavin Saari awarded the EPA STARGraduate Award p.3

ENV student Hannah Baley receives the LairdOutstanding Achievement Award p.4

New Field Methods Course at Baylor p.7

Environmental Science second annual faculty-graduate student picnic p.7

ENV student Willow Howard recieves SanAntonio River Authority Internship p.8

ENV Grad students volunteer as judges forWoodway Elementary School Science Fair p.9

New ENV Bricks of the McLane Stadium p.10

Usenko's Whale Necropsy & Ear Wax Studiesp.13

Recent Publications by ENV Faculty p.14

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Congratulations to the 2014 ENV Graduates!

BU Scientists Aim to Design Safer Chemicals forHumans & Enviornment with Multimillion Dollar Grant

Bryan W. Brooks, Ph.D., professor of EnvironmentalScience and Biomedical Studies in Baylor University'sCollege of Arts & Sciences and director of theenvironmental health science program, will lead a researchcore on a four-year, $4.4 million project aimed at designingchemicals and materials that are less toxic to humans andthe environment. Brooks, his students, post-doctorialassistants and research assistant professor, SpencerWilliams, Ph.D., will collaborate with researchers fromYale University, George Washington University and theUniversity of Washington will collaborate on the four-yearproject. The National Science Foundation andEnvironmental Protection Agency funded the project withBrooks being awarded more than $997,000 for researchassociated with the project. The four-universityinterdisciplinary team or the Molecular Design ResearchNetwork (MoDRN) will develop tools that help moleculedesigners predict toxic properties of new and existingchemicals and modify their designs to reduce risks whilemaintaining their effectiveness. “One goal of this project isto leverage lessons learned from designing saferpharmaceuticals to identify attributes of industrialchemicals that could be designed to also be safer for publichealth and the environment,” Brooks said. The project,which is currently underway, is divided into three parts:research, outreach and education. The research componentwill focus on the creation of computer models and a publicdatabase that will help in the design of new chemicals toassess whether a molecule is likely to cause toxicity.Education and outreach efforts, which are coordinated atBaylor by Melissa Mullins, environmental educator in theCenter for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research

(CRASR), will engage high school students,undergraduates, teachers and practitioners. “One of thereasons we are excited about this project is that in thehistory of environmental science and environmental healthwe have largely responded to challenges. For example, wetypically react to understand whether contaminants foundin the environment will adversely affect human health andecosystems,” Brooks said. “This project represents aconceptually different approach because we aim to bemore proactive by identifying inherent properties ofchemicals that result in health hazards. An understandingof these properties promises to support next generationsynthesis of organic chemicals that are less toxic.” Thetoxicology research portion will be conducted mostly atBaylor and the University of Washington. The project hasnational and international implications and has thepromise to result in more sustainable practice for thecreation of new chemicals, Brooks said. “This is anexcellent opportunity for Baylor students and faculty tocollaborate within a truly interdisciplinary network ofcolleagues with complementary expertise in an area thathas the potential to advance important goals ofsustainability,” Brooks said. Brooks, who is currently aFulbright Canada Visiting Research Chair in Water and theEnvironment at the University of Lethbridge in Canada, isrecognized as an international expert on environmentalcontaminants and water quality issues in urban regions.His research team focuses efforts on water quality andwater reuse, comparative toxicology and pharmacology,sustainable molecular design, developing approaches todefine contaminant risks and the ecology and toxicology ofharmful algae blooms.

Aringo, AudreyBaley, HannahBallard, SamuelBaxter, MadisonBritven, JamesCrank, AshleyCrook, GregoryDews, CameronDibbern, AlyssaDreier, DavidGrover, Robert

Gueldner, JenniferGuerra, SarahHamlin, HaleyJohnson, RachelJohnston, Alyssa

Johnston, JoannMcGowan, ErinPelfrey, ElianaPizana, RubenPonder-Waldrub,

MatthewReid, Matthew

Rosenbaum, SarahSotelo, CatherineSuris, Sean AllenTaff, RobertTam, CandaceTaylor, LeandraThakar, EmilyWilson, Kevin

Aguilar, Lisette - Ph.D.Du, Bowen - Ph.D.

Robinson, Eleanor - Ph.D.Toney, Sky - M.E.S.

Undergraduate Program

Graduate Program

Hannah Baley was honored by theCampus Kitchen Organization ofBaylor University with the LairdAward for her efforts as gardenmanager for the Baylor CommunityGarden for the 2013-2014 schoolyear. Hannah spent endless hoursorganizing volunteers, weeding,planting and harvesting while inher senior year here at Baylor.Baylor University Campus Kitchengives students the opportunity tobuild relationships with individualsthroughout the Baylor and Wacocommunity. Baylor UniversityCampus Kitchen, an affiliate of thenational non-profit CampusKitchens Project, started out byrescuing food from local cafeteriasand restaurants and delivering it tothose experiencing hunger in Waco,but now use the produce grown in

Baylor’s Community Garden tohelp meet those needs. Hannah iscurrently working on a master’sdegree at Appalachian StateUniversity, and she had this to sayabout her program: “My program ispreparing me to work in StudentAffairs at a college or university. Iwork as a Graduate Assistant to theCareer Counseling Center, whichwill be my focus for my program.It's a lot like Campus Kitchenbecause it is concerned with makingsure people are well taken care of.The difference is that instead offocusing on people’s bodies andwhat goes into it, we are focused onpeople’s mental, emotional andsocial health. I love it here in thelittle mountains and I love myprogram."

HANNAH BALEY WINS LAIRD AWARD

At the invitation of Chancellor KenStarr, a steering committee wasidentified to develop a program toengage the leading water quality andwater management researchers fromacross the Big 12. Prof. George Cobbjoined Prof. D. Reible (TTU), Dr. JimButler (KU), and Prof. RM. Cruse (ISU)on the steering committee. TheWorkshop has been scheduled for17-18 November 2014 in Lawrence,Kansas. This Workshop will host40-50 participants to reach consensuson the most pressing issues of waterquality, quantity and managementacross the Big 12. Plans also includepublication of a series of consensusdocuments describing the mostpressing issues and the most urgentresearch needs. Baylor Universityrepresentatives at the Workshop willinclude Prof B. Brooks, Prof R. Doyle,Prof R. King, and Prof G. Cobb.

Environmental Scienceand CRASR Facultylead effort to organizeinaugural Big 12 WaterResearch Workshop.

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Gavin Saari Receives theEPA STAR Graduate AwardGavin N. Saari was awarded a prestigious USEPA Science to AchieveResults (STAR) Fellowship to evaluate multiple stressor influences onfish reproduction in inland waters. This work will build upon theresearch that he conducted as a Masters Student in EnvironmentalScience and as an undergraduate at the Environmental ProtectionAgency Mid-Continent Ecology Division in Duluth, MN. The STARFellowship identifies students that the USEPA believes to be capable ofbecoming scientific leaders within their careers. Star Fellowshipsprovide $42,000 each year to support Gavin’s education. The researchthat Gavin will undertake as part of this STAR Fellowship will employreproductive assays to identify thresholds of low dissolved oxygen(hypoxia) on endocrine function. In addition, the research will definethe interactive effects of environmentally relevant ethinylestradiol (EE2)exposure on fish endocrine function and reproduction across gradientsof dissolved oxygen. These results will be used to understand potentialimpairments to fish populations. "We are so very excited for Gavin. Towin such a highly competitive federal fellowship speaks to hisoutstanding water quality research efforts, and to the excellentopportunities for graduate students in Environmental Science atBaylor," said Prof. Bryan Brooks, Gavin's advisor.

Transformational Education

Strong Presence by Faculty and Students atACS in DallasAbhilasha Acharya, Addie Clark and DerekNewberger presented their research projects at the247th National Meeting of the American ChemicalSociety in Dallas, TX. The presentations were partof programming to celebrate the Centennial Yearof The Environmental Chemistry Division (ENVR)of ACS. Addie’s poster presentation, “PressurizedLiquid Extraction Technique for the Analysis ofPAHs, PCBs, Pesticides and PBDEs from Air FilterSamples.” Addie was awarded the ACS-SETACExchange award for her presentation from theACS-ENVR division to fund the travel costs of herattending the 35th SETAC North American Meetingin Vancouver, Canada in November. Her novelPLE technique will extract several classes ofcompounds from a single filter aliquot tomaximize the amount of organic tracer informationobtained per extraction. Baylor students metacademic cousins when Prof. Blakely Adair(Alumna from Cobb group 2002) and her studentsfrom the Citadel visited the Baylor posters. Dr.Sheesley and Dr. Brooks chaired separatesymposia at the Meeting.

SETAC Award WinnersAt the recent Society of Environmental Toxicology andChemistry (SETAC) meeting in Nashville, Baylor doctoralstudent Elias Oziolor and undergraduate student DavidDreier won first place poster presentation awards for bestPh.D. and undergraduate research presentations,respectively. Bryan Brooks, Ph.D., director of theenvironmental science graduate program and theenvironmental health science program, "couldn't beprouder" of the students' accomplishments, he said. "Weenthusiastically celebrate with Elias and David for theirwell-deserved success," Brooks said. "For an undergraduatestudent and a Ph.D. student from the same university to winthese highly competitive awards at an international meetingis exceptionally rare." Brooks said the students'accomplishments are a reflection of the department'sforward-looking strategy. "Facilitating substantiveopportunities for undergraduate and graduate research in

the health sciences represents a strategic goal of faculty in the environmental science department," he said.

Compelling Scholarship

Michelle Culver Describes Journeysto New Zealand and Australia forInternship

BU-SETAC CleansWaco CreekOn September 20th, the BaylorUniversity SETAC student chapterparticipated in the OceanConservancy's International CoastalCleanup. We cleaned Waco Creek,which runs through the Universitycampus. We were a small group, but 7students collected over 90 pounds oftrash. Our creek pollution comes fromthe surrounding campus, either fromlittering or dumpster and trash canoverflow. Styrofoam cups, packingpeanuts, and small plastics made upnearly 80% of our total collections.Our most interesting finds included asoccer ball, Easter egg, syringe,toothbrush, and lice shampoo. Weplan to continue this cleanup in yearsto come and recruit more volunteersfrom campus and the surroundingcommunity. This is an annual event,so get ready to sign up for next year!

Michelle Culver, Junior inEnvironmental Science

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I am currently a junior at the Environmental Sciencedepartment of Baylor, and conservation management is my passion.In the Spring 2014 semester, I was hoping to get some experienceduring the summer that would give me some insight into what acareer in this area would look like. One of my professors told meabout a program called the School for Field Studies (SFS), and theyjust so happened to have a field study focused on conservationmanagement in Australia and New Zealand. When I was abroad,we studied the flora, fauna, and cultural aspects of the developedconservation management plans of each country. Not only did wevisit National Parks, museums, recovery programs, and researchcenters, but we also were immersed into the indigenous culture ofeach country at treaty grounds and indigenous ranger programs.However, one of the most rewarding aspects of the program wasworking with Cultivating Understanding & Enlightenment (CUE)Haven in New Zealand and TREAT in the Wet Tropics of Australia.CUE Haven is an organization that is re-vegetating an old dairyfarm that will later be donated to the city as a park. The area willstand as a representation of the type of rainforest that used to existin the area, and we had the opportunity to plant trees and contributeto their recovery plan of the area. I even had the opportunity to planta memorial tree to honor my late father. Similarly, TREAT (Trees forthe Evelyn and Atherton Tablelands) in Australia is a communityprogram that is focused on the recovery of the Atherton Tablelands,especially by connecting fragments with corridors. With TREAT, weweeded plants in their nursery and observed tree-kangaroos thathave returned to the area due to the current stable state of the area.The purpose of both of these organizations is to re-vegetate a certainarea to a point where wildlife naturally returns, and the ecosystemhas nearly returned to its original state. To me, this embodiesconservation management because this practice returns ecosystemsto their native areas and ensures that these ecosystems will survivefor future generations to see. Studying with the School for FieldStudies has only helped my passion for conservation managementgrow and has further opened my eyes to the wide variety of workthat can be done in this field. The diverse range of experience I havegained through the various organizations connected with SFS ispriceless. In my opinion, I couldn’t have done anything better thispast summer to enhance my degree and my study of environmentalscience.

InformedEngagement

Lindsey Aldaco-Manner, SeniorEnvironmental Health Science

The Diedra and Ward FloraEndowed Scholarship

Craig Calvert, JuniorEnvironmental Health Science

The Galen E. Green EndowedScholarship

Willow Howard, JuniorEnvironmental Science

The Tony and Donna RobertEndowed Scholarship

Alec Sabatini, JuniorEnvironmental Science

The Clara Yates WielandEnvironmental StudiesScholarship

Susan Stradley, SophomoreEnvironmental Studies

The Frederick R. GehlbachEndowed Scholarship

The Glasscock RestrictedScholarship

The Doris Kayser StarkGraduate Scholarship:

Elias Oziolor, Ph.D. in BMS

Colleen Peters, M.S. inEnvironmental Science

Gavin Saari, M.S. inEnvironmental Science

Subin Yoon, M.S. inEnvironmental Science

Fan Zhang, Ph.D. in TIE3S

The Glasscock EnergyScholarship:

Tate Barrett, Ph.D.. in TIE3S

Subin Yoon, M.S. inEnvironmental Science

Departmental Scholarship Recipients2014-2015

Homecoming Reception!Please join the ENV department in a celebratory homecomingreception! Open to all staff, students, faculty, alumni, family andfriends! Sic Em! BSB A. 401Time: TBA - based on announced game time.

Informed Engagement

New Field MethodsCourse at BaylorThe Department of Environmental Science is now in its thirdsemester with its newest course, Field Methods inEnvironmental Science. This course bridges the gap betweenclassroom coursework and applied environmental science,providing environmental science undergraduates with real-world experience in environmental sampling methods.Class topics cover sample collection, sample processing,data collection, and data analysis, and various biologicalindices. The course will prepare students to utilize thestandard methods employed by the Texas Commission onEnvironmental Quality (TCEQ) for environmental samplingof air, water, sediment, aquatic invertebrates, and fish. Theuniversity has continued to support the growth of the

department, outfitting the course with state-of-the-artinstruments, such as with a YSI multi-parameter data sonde(pictured below). This instrument alone is capable ofmeasuring and recording 15 unique water characteristicssimultaneously (pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, etc) forup to 6 months straight. With the support of the ENVfaculty, staff, and Baylor University, this course provides BUENV students with the practical training and skills inenvironmental field sampling methods, equipment, andtechnology needed to be marketable post-graduation.

NewBearCubs

Evie Barrett, daughter of graduate student TateBarrett. Born 3/25/14. 9 pounds, 5 ounces

Josey Caroline Williams daughter of Dr. SpencerWilliams. Born 7/19/14. 7 pounds, 3 ounces

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Willow Howard Speaks About GonzalesMemorial Internship

The second type of sampling with which Iassisted is called biological sampling. Duringthese sampling events, three members of the fieldcrew will go to a site and spend most of the daysampling there. The sampling begins withelectroshocking, using a backpack shocker.During this time, field members must wearinsulated chest waders and rubber gloves toavoid getting shocked themselves. A backpackshocker consists of a large backpack unit thatweighs about 20 pounds and contains a massiverechargeable battery, a grounding wire that trailsoff the back of the unit, and a long wand that isused to deliver a shock to the water. There is acontrol pad on the back of the unit from whichthe frequency and voltage of the electrical currentcan be modified, and where the total shockingtime can be checked. The process ofelectroshocking involves delivering an electricshock into the water in short bursts to stun anyfish in the area, so that they can be easily nettedand transported to a live well. After a total of 900seconds of electroshocking, the netted fish arecounted and identified. Once the electroshockinghas concluded, the crew begins collecting fish byseining. The total seining distance must be atleast sixty meters. The fish collected by seining

This past summer, I was the recipient of the Michael Gonzales Memorial Internship at the San Antonio RiverAuthority (SARA), an opportunity which provided thirteen weeks of paid full-time employment. I was veryfortunate to have the opportunity to work with the field crew at SARA, a dedicated team of biologists, researchscientists and chemists. During my time there, I learned many valuable skills and gained indispensableexperiences in the area of aquatic science.

SARA is a government organization that is responsible for monitoring and maintaining the water quality in theSan Antonio River and its tributaries. It was originally established in 1937 to control flooding in San Antonio, butit now has authority over Bexar, Wilson, Karnes and Goliad counties.

My main duties involved assisting the field crew with routine sampling, which entails driving to sites in the areaand collecting data on water parameters and samples. SARA uses a probe called a sonde to assess the water’stemperature, conductivity, pH, and dissolved oxygen levels while at the site. It is a cylindrical instrument,approximately three inches in diameter and a 1.5 feet long. Additionally, a secchi tube is used to measure theturbidity, and visual observations of the site and the surrounding area are recorded. Though not all sites requirethat samples be taken, the data for these parameters are always collected. The second set of data that would becollected on-site are flow measurements. The flow is measured using a FlowTracker, which is a device thatdetermines the flow of a river or stream by measuring the depth and water velocity at intervals across a stream.Lastly, the water samples themselves are collected. These include a gallon container, a sulfuric acid-preservedquart, an opaque container to preserve chlorophyll levels, and bacteria samples, which are collected in Whirl-Pakbags. All of these samples are preserved in ice-filled coolers until they are delivered to the laboratory for analysis.

are counted and identified in the same way that those collected byelectroshocking are. All the collected fish that are non-invasivespecies are released. By law, anyone who catches an invasive fishspecies cannot release the fish; it must either be taken to anaquarium or killed. After the fish sampling is concluded, theparameters for routine sampling are collected. A benthicinvertebrate sample is also collected, using a kick-net. Theseorganisms are preserved in ethanol and taken back to the lab foridentification. The final component of biological sampling is thecollection of six habitat transects, at forty-meter intervals. Thisinvolves taking depth readings across the river and measuringbank angles, foliage cover, vegetation type, substrate type, andflow status.Near the end of the internship, I had the opportunity to shadowthe lab workers. I learned what parameters they analyze in thesamples the field crew brings back and how they obtain theirresults. SARA’s lab analyzes water samples for bacteria, nitrates,suspended solids, chlorophyll, anions, and metals. In addition toanalyzing samples that the field crew brings in, for a small fee thelab will analyze samples that concerned citizens or companiesbring in. For instance, we did a series of bacteria samplings andtests for the San Antonio Zoo during the summer. I was also ableto shadow the people who work with quality control, and see howthe data that the lab and field crew collect gets checked, enteredinto SARA’s electronic database, and reported to the TexasCommission on Environmental Quality. My entire experience at SARA was immensely enriching andvaluable. I am incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to do meaningful work in anenvironmental field. Over the course of the summer, not only did I learn a considerable amountabout aquatic ecosystems through hands-on experience, but I also found out what it is like to work ina professional environment. I have no doubt that my experiences at SARA will be invaluable as Icontinue my education and afterwards, as I embark on my own career.

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Faculty Spotlight:

- Dr. Bryan Brooks Receives Presidential Citation forExemplary Service from the SETAC World Council

- Dr. George Cobb Selected as ET&C ExceptionalReviewer 2014

ENV Bricks atMcClane Stadium

Dr. Bryan Brooks Erskine FellowshipThe scope of environmental issues includeregional, national and global challenges andopportunities. Fortunately, Pro Futuris,Baylor's bold strategic vision, identifies theneed to develop innovative teaching andscholarship of relevance to "a diverse andinterconnected global society." For 6 weeks inFall 2014, Prof. Bryan Brooks served as aVisiting Erskine Fellow with theEnvironmental Science Program and theDepartment of Chemistry at the University ofCanterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand.During the visit, he lectured in severalundergraduate and graduate courses, initiatedcollaborative research with students andfaculty at multiple universities, and gaveinvited seminars at the University ofCanterbury, the University of Otago, theUniversity of Waikato, the University ofAuckland, and the Cawthron Institute. Due tooutstanding digital communication classroomcapacity in the Baylor Science Building, hecontinued to teach classes to Baylor studentsfrom New Zealand! In September, Prof.

Brooks served on the international organizingcommittee of the Society of EnvironmentalToxicology and Chemistry Asia-Pacificmeeting in Adelaide, Australia, where he gavea research presentation, chaired a scientificsession, and gave the closing synthesisaddress to all meeting attendees. He alsopresented Baylor's research findings at the16th International Congress on Harmful Algaein Wellington, New Zealand. Prof. Brooks'host for the Erskine Fellowship at theUniversity of Canterbury, Dr. Sally Gaw, isreciprocally visiting Baylor for a 2.5 monthsabbatical beginning in November 2014. Inaddition to pursuing collaborative scholarshipand exploring opportunities for studentexchange, Dr. Gaw will be giving lectures atBaylor during her visit. So please stayed tunedfor more news as this exciting collaborationcontinues to develop!

Grad Students Participate in Forever GreenProgram with Local Girl Scouts

The BU-SETAC group also took on a GirlScout STEM (Science, Technology,Engineering, Math) outreach event,developing an activity to teach regional girlscouts about the science done here in theENV department at Baylor. Entitled“Forever Green”, the activity aimed toeducate the girls on the forms ofenvironmental pollution, where it migrates,and how they could be better stewards ofthe environment. These communityengagements are important aspects ofBaylor University's education and outreachmission.

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Special Thanks toENV Grad Students

Three graduate students will be nominated bythe Graduate School for our OutstandingGraduate Student Teacher Award. They areStacey Gray, Elias Oziolor, and Subin Yoon.

Bears on Tour! From Houston, Texasto the Great Wall of China

Dr. Sascha Usenko and grad students duringthe Houston field campaign

Rebecca Sheesley at the Great Wall ofChinawith the ExecutiveDean of Collegeof Resources and Environment of theUniversity of Chinese Academy ofSciences (UCAS), Professor YuanXunZhang; Professor of Civil andEnvironmental Engineering at theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison, JamesSchauer; Assistant Professor ofChemistry at the University of Iowa; Dr.Martin Shafer, Associate Scientist,College of Engineering at the Universityof Wisconsin-Madison; and graduatestudents from UCAS.

Summer field course in Atmospheric Chemistryvisits Houston, Texas

"Prof. Bryan W. Brooks, Director of theEnvironmental Health Science Program,recently received the Certificate of Merit fromthe National Environmental Health Association"for outstanding contributions to the professionof environmental health." His award waspresented at the Annual Education Conferenceof the Texas Environmental Health Associationin Austin, where undergraduate majors inEnvironmental Health Science participated inthe fourth annual student-mentor event withpotential employers and internship supervisorsfrom around the State of Texas."

Brooks awarded the NEHACertificate of Merit

Leandra Taylor is an ENV Grad currentlyinterning at the FWS regional office located inAlbuquerque, New Mexico through the SCA.Her position title is Wildlife DataManagement Assistant which requiresknowledge of GIS programming andanalysis. She's been interning a little over amonth and so far has been responsible fororganizing about 60 years worth of historicalwhooping crane data for archiving. Soon shewill be sorting through some camera-trapdata and identifying the wildlife captured oncamera. This past Friday she was able torelease a Northern Flicker, She was dubbed"the Flicker Whisperer" because they band anew flicker every time she comes out!

Alums in the Field

Baylor University researchers have developed a novel technique for reconstructing contaminant and hormoneprofiles in whale earplugs. This technique, which was developed by Sascha Usenko, Ph.D., assistant professor ofenvironmental science, and Stephen Trumble, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology is providing new insight intohow pollutants and other made-man stressorsimpact marine mammals. Trumble and Usenkohave now demonstrated that both man-made andendogenous chemicals are recorded and archivedin whale earplugs. The goal of the research is toprovide the first-ever lifetime profiles of whalesand how they interact and are impacted by theirenvironment. Dr. Sascha Usenko's, assistantprofessor of environmental science, currentresearch on whale earwax builds on his Ph.D.research, where he gained expertise reconstructingorganic contaminant profiles in sediment cores,during his a doctoral studies in analytical chemistryfrom Oregon State University. Using a wide rangeof analytical techniques such as pressurized liquidextraction and GC/MS, he reconstructed more than280 contaminant profiles for 14 national parksthroughout the western United States. Now usingsimilar analytical techniques, his laboratory hasdeveloped the ability to reconstruct organic contaminant and mercury profiles for an individual whale using itslaminated earwax plug. This research is being funded by a Marine Mammal Commission grant, which he was

Usenko Conducts Whale Necropsy,Furthering Research on

Groundbreaking Ear Wax Studies

"The whale had sevenbroken ribs and mostlikely died to bluntforce trauma. Mostlikely a ship strike."

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the co-principal investigator with Dr. Stephen Trumble. As an analytical and environmental chemist,Usenko was fascinated to learn that many whale species accumulate layers of wax in their ear canalforming an earplug over their entire lifespan, which is sealed from the external environment."I was elated to then learn that scientists in the past have used this waxy matrix as an aging tool, similarlyto counting tree rings," Usenko said. "Then the question arose, could earwax plugs chronologicallyarchive fat-soluble chemicals, such as man-made pollutants?"Over the past two years, Usenko's laboratory has been working on developing the analytical methodscapable of answering that very question."The answer is an emphatic yes! I am happy to report we now have the analytical methods capable ofmeasuring organic contaminants, mercury, and now hormones in whale earwax," Usenko said. "Utilizingthese methods, we can now reconstruct lifetime chemical profiles (i.e. from birth to death) for anindividual whale for the first time."

Recent PublicationsRudd MA, Ankley GT, Boxall ABA, Brooks BW. 2014. International scientists’ research priorities forpharmaceuticals and personal care products in the environment. Integrated Environmental Assessment andManagement 10(4), 576-587.

Du B*, Haddad SP*, Luek A, Scott WC*, Saari GN*, Kristofco LA*, Connors KA*, Rash C*, Rasmussen JB,Chambliss CK, Brooks BW. 2014. Bioaccumulation and trophic dilution of human pharmaceuticals acrosstrophic levels of an effluent-dependent wadeable stream. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B:Biological Sciences 369, 1656

Calvillo S, Williams ES, Brooks BW. 2015. Street dust: Implications for stormwater and air quality, andmanagement through street sweeping. Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 233

Connors KA*, Voutchkova-Kostal AM, Kostal J, Anastas P, Zimmerman JB, Brooks BW. 2014. Reducingaquatic toxicity: Probabilistic hazard evaluation of sustainable molecular design guidelines. EnvironmentalToxicology and Chemistry 33(8), 1894-1902. DOI: 10.1002/etc.2614

Caldwell DJ, Mastrocco F, Margiotta-Casaluci L, Brooks BW. 2014. An integrated approach for prioritizingpharmaceuticals found in the environment for risk assessment, monitoring and advanced research.Chemosphere 115, 4-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.01.021

Aguilar L*, Williams ES, Brooks BW, Usenko S. 2014. Development and application of a novel method forhigh-throughput determination of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in sediments. Environmental Toxicology andChemistry 33(7), 1529-1536. DOI: 10.1002/etc.2579

Watkins CD, Winemiller KO, Mora MA, Du B, Chambliss CK, Brooks BW, Phalen D. 2014. Assessment ofmosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, health indicators in relation to domestic wastewater discharges insuburbs of Houston, USA. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 93:13-18.

Goldstein BD, Brooks BW, Cohen SD, Gates A, Honeycutt ME, Morris JB, Orme-Zavaleta J, Penning TM,Snawder JE. 2014. The role of toxicological science in meeting the challenges and opportunities ofhydraulic fracturing. Toxicological Sciences 139: 271–283.

Franzellitti S, Burattia S, Capolupoa M, Du B*, Haddad SP*, Chambliss CK, Brooks BW, Fabbria E. 2014. Anexploratory investigation of various modes of action and potential adverse outcomes of fluoxetine in marinemussels. Aquatic Toxicology 151: 14-26.

Hazelton PD*, Du B*, Haddad SP*, Fritts AK, Chambliss CK, Brooks BW, Bringolf RB. 2014. Chronicfluoxetine exposure alters movement and burrowing in adult freshwater mussels. Aquatic Toxicology151:27-35.

Connors KA*, Valenti TW*, Lawless K*, Sackerman J*, Onaivi ES, Brooks BW, Gould GG. 2014. Similareffects of anxiolytics targeting putative serotonin 5-HT1A to those targeting cannabinoid CB1 receptors onzebrafish (Danio rerio) behavior in novel environments. Aquatic Toxicology 151: 105-113.

Subedi B*, Aguilar L*, Williams ES, Brooks BW, Usenko S. 2014. Selective pressurized liquid extractiontechnique capable of analyzing dioxins, furans, and PCBs in clams and crab tissue. Bulletin of EnvironmentalContamination and Toxicology 92: 460–465

Du B*, Price AE*, Scott WC*, Kristofco LA*, Ramirez AJ, Chambliss CK, Yelderman JC, Brooks BW. 2014.Comparison of contaminants of emerging concern removal, discharge and water quality hazards amongcentralized and on-site wastewater treatment systems receiving common wastewater influent. Science of theTotal Environment 466-467: 976-984.

Brooks, B.W. 2014. Fish on Prozac (and Zoloft): Ten years later. Aquatic Toxicology 151, 61-67

J. Wang, M. Wages, S. Yu, J. D. Maul, G. Mayer, L. Hope-Weeks and G. P. Cobb 2014. Bioaccumulation ofFullerene (C-60) and Corresponding Catalase Elevation in Lumbriculus Variegatus. Environmental Toxicologyand Chemistry 33(5) 1135-1141.

Williamson, T., Hathaway, R., Exner, J., Ford, A., Cobb, G. 2014. The ACS division of environmentalchemistry celebrates its 100th anniversary Environmental Science and Technology 48(1), pp. 1-2

Faust, D.R., Hooper, M.J., Cobb, G.P., (...), Ertolacci, S., Smith, P.N. 2014 Inorganic elements in green seaturtles (Chelonia mydas): Relationships among external and internal tissues. Environmental Toxicology andChemistry 33 (9), pp. 2020-2027

B. P. Colman, B. Espinasse, C. J. Richardson, C. W. Matson, G. V. Lowry, D. E. Hunt, M. R. Wiesner and E. S.Bernhardt 2014. Emerging Contaminant or an Old Toxin in Disguise? Silver Nanoparticle Impacts onEcosystems. Environmental Science & Technology 48(9) 5229-5236

E. M. Oziolor, E. Bigorgne, L. Aguilar, S. Usenko and C. W. Matson 2014. Evolved resistance to PCB- andPAH-induced cardiac teratogenesis, and reduced CYP1A activity in Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis)populations from the Houston Ship Channel, Texas. Aquatic Toxicology 150, 210-219

B. Subedi, L. Aguilar, E. S. Williams, B. W. Brooks and S. Usenko 2014. Selective Pressurized LiquidExtraction Technique Capable of Analyzing Dioxins, Furans, and PCBs in Clams and Crab Tissue. Bulletin ofEnvironmental Contamination and Toxicology 92(4) 460-465

S. L. Napelenok, H. Simon, P. V. Bhave, H. O. T. Pye, G. A. Pouliot, R. J. Sheesley and J. J. Schauer 2014Diagnostic Air Quality Model Evaluation of Source-Specific Primary and Secondary Fine Particulate Carbon.Environmental Science & Technology 48 1 464-473.

Recent Publications, Cont.

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Pro FuturisPro Futuris serves as a compass forour future, providing directionwithout dictating specific action — aguiding document that points ustoward our destination while invitingcreativity in determining the paths bywhich we will arrive. It follows on theheels of Baylor 2012, which boldlyasserted our intention to enter the toptier of American research universitieswhile deepening our Christiancommitment. We are inspired as wecontinue to grow and be known as anational Research University withVery High Research Activity thatresolutely embraces its Christianidentity.

Welcome to the NewBU-SETAC Officers!

Elias Oziolor, PresidentBekah Burket, Vice-PresidentSubin Yoon, Treasurer