This Year in EPA Science

By Kacey Fitzpatrick

Our EPA researchers were hard at work in 2016—so to highlight that effort, we’ve put together a list of the ten most popular blogs from this year.

1. Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Health
   We took a giant leap forward in our understanding of the relationship between air pollution and heart disease with the publication of results from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Air Pollution Study(MESA Air) in the leading medical journal The Lancet. Learn more about the study and its implications in the blog EPA’s MESA Air Study Confirms that Air Pollution Contributes to the #1 Cause of Death in the U.S.

2. Olive Oil and Fish Oil: Possible Protectors against Air Pollution
   Ever wondered what’s so healthy about taking fish oil tablets? EPA scientist Dr. Samantha J. Snow is investigating one of the potential benefits. Her research looks at how these oils in the diet might change the body’s reaction to ozone, a common outdoor air pollutant. Read more about her research in the blog Olive Oil and Fish Oil: Possible Protectors against Air Pollution.

3. Goats Help EPA Protect Pollinators
   EPA’s research facility in Narragansett, Rhode Island enlisted the help of a highly skilled landscaping team to create a more pollinator-friendly habitat on the premises: a herd of goats! Learn more about ‘goatscaping’ in the blog It’s a Lawn Mower! It’s a Weed Whacker! No…it’s a Herd of Goats!

4. Sunscreen and Sun Safety: Just One Piece of the Story
   It’s not surprising that sunscreens are detected in pool water—after all, some is bound to wash off when we take a dip—but certain sunscreens have also been widely detected in our ecosystems and in our wastewater. So how is our sunscreen ending up in our environment and what are the impacts? Find out in the blog Sunscreen and Sun Safety: Just One Piece of the Story.

5. The Northeast Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program
   As incidences of cyanobacteria bloom continue to increase, EPA strives to create and improve methods for bloom prediction, monitoring, and management. The Northeast Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program will help generate region-wide data on bloom frequencies, cyanobacteria concentrations, and spatial distribution through three coordinated projects. To learn more about the program read the blog The Northeast Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program: One Program, Three Opportunities for You To Get Involved.
6. Air Research Centers
   EPA is funding three university-based Air, Climate and Energy Research Centers through the Science to Achieve Results program. The centers will tackle pressing air quality issues for many communities across the U.S. still overburdened by air pollution. Read more about the new centers in the blog Air Quality Awareness: A New Generation of Research.
   
   
7. Underwater Science
   Did you know that EPA has a team of scientists that work underwater? The EPA scientific diving program helps Superfund sites go from contaminated to clean – and keeps them that way! Read about what it’s like to be on the EPA Dive team in the blog Over 30 years of Wyckoff Superfund Site Diving Science.
8. Compete to Improve Arsenic Sensing in Water
   The Arsenic Sensor Prize Competition is seeking innovative ways to improve arsenic sensing in water. Led by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, EPA experts helped in the prize competition’s design and development.  Read more about the Competition in the blog We’re Sensing a Change in Water Monitoring: Introducing the Arsenic Sensor Prize Competition.
9. A Trip Back in Time
   This year at EPA’s Robert S Kerr Environmental Research Center, a cornerstone box was dusted off and unsealed in honor of the lab’s 50^th anniversary. The time capsule included artifacts representing the Center’s major milestones and key accomplishments in the last 50 years. Read more about the event in the blog Another Trip Back in Time: Kerr Lab Time Capsule Reopened in Honor of 50th Anniversary.
10. Women’s History Month
    The 2016 theme for Women’s History Month was Working to Form a More Perfect Union: Honoring Women in Public Service and Government. Here at EPA, there are quite a few women scientists and engineers who truly are helping us achieve a more perfect union. We asked some of them to share a few words about what inspired them to pursue a career in science. Read what they said in the blog Women’s History Month: Honoring EPA Women in Science.

That’s all for this year. We are looking forward to all the science that 2017 will bring. Happy New Year!

About the Author: Kacey Fitzpatrick is a writer on the science communication team in EPA’s Office of Research and Development.

from The EPA Blog http://ift.tt/2hA1KQA

By Kacey Fitzpatrick

Our EPA researchers were hard at work in 2016—so to highlight that effort, we’ve put together a list of the ten most popular blogs from this year.

1. Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Health
   We took a giant leap forward in our understanding of the relationship between air pollution and heart disease with the publication of results from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Air Pollution Study(MESA Air) in the leading medical journal The Lancet. Learn more about the study and its implications in the blog EPA’s MESA Air Study Confirms that Air Pollution Contributes to the #1 Cause of Death in the U.S.

2. Olive Oil and Fish Oil: Possible Protectors against Air Pollution
   Ever wondered what’s so healthy about taking fish oil tablets? EPA scientist Dr. Samantha J. Snow is investigating one of the potential benefits. Her research looks at how these oils in the diet might change the body’s reaction to ozone, a common outdoor air pollutant. Read more about her research in the blog Olive Oil and Fish Oil: Possible Protectors against Air Pollution.

3. Goats Help EPA Protect Pollinators
   EPA’s research facility in Narragansett, Rhode Island enlisted the help of a highly skilled landscaping team to create a more pollinator-friendly habitat on the premises: a herd of goats! Learn more about ‘goatscaping’ in the blog It’s a Lawn Mower! It’s a Weed Whacker! No…it’s a Herd of Goats!

4. Sunscreen and Sun Safety: Just One Piece of the Story
   It’s not surprising that sunscreens are detected in pool water—after all, some is bound to wash off when we take a dip—but certain sunscreens have also been widely detected in our ecosystems and in our wastewater. So how is our sunscreen ending up in our environment and what are the impacts? Find out in the blog Sunscreen and Sun Safety: Just One Piece of the Story.

5. The Northeast Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program
   As incidences of cyanobacteria bloom continue to increase, EPA strives to create and improve methods for bloom prediction, monitoring, and management. The Northeast Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program will help generate region-wide data on bloom frequencies, cyanobacteria concentrations, and spatial distribution through three coordinated projects. To learn more about the program read the blog The Northeast Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program: One Program, Three Opportunities for You To Get Involved.
6. Air Research Centers
   EPA is funding three university-based Air, Climate and Energy Research Centers through the Science to Achieve Results program. The centers will tackle pressing air quality issues for many communities across the U.S. still overburdened by air pollution. Read more about the new centers in the blog Air Quality Awareness: A New Generation of Research.
   
   
7. Underwater Science
   Did you know that EPA has a team of scientists that work underwater? The EPA scientific diving program helps Superfund sites go from contaminated to clean – and keeps them that way! Read about what it’s like to be on the EPA Dive team in the blog Over 30 years of Wyckoff Superfund Site Diving Science.
8. Compete to Improve Arsenic Sensing in Water
   The Arsenic Sensor Prize Competition is seeking innovative ways to improve arsenic sensing in water. Led by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, EPA experts helped in the prize competition’s design and development.  Read more about the Competition in the blog We’re Sensing a Change in Water Monitoring: Introducing the Arsenic Sensor Prize Competition.
9. A Trip Back in Time
   This year at EPA’s Robert S Kerr Environmental Research Center, a cornerstone box was dusted off and unsealed in honor of the lab’s 50^th anniversary. The time capsule included artifacts representing the Center’s major milestones and key accomplishments in the last 50 years. Read more about the event in the blog Another Trip Back in Time: Kerr Lab Time Capsule Reopened in Honor of 50th Anniversary.
10. Women’s History Month
    The 2016 theme for Women’s History Month was Working to Form a More Perfect Union: Honoring Women in Public Service and Government. Here at EPA, there are quite a few women scientists and engineers who truly are helping us achieve a more perfect union. We asked some of them to share a few words about what inspired them to pursue a career in science. Read what they said in the blog Women’s History Month: Honoring EPA Women in Science.

That’s all for this year. We are looking forward to all the science that 2017 will bring. Happy New Year!

About the Author: Kacey Fitzpatrick is a writer on the science communication team in EPA’s Office of Research and Development.

from The EPA Blog http://ift.tt/2hA1KQA