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Environmental Protection Agency Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Undergraduate Student Fellowships Newsletter Issue 3, 2005
GRO-ECO Interview
Brent Chavous, a 1999-2000 Environ-
mental Protection Agency (EPA) Fellow,
was encouraged to apply to the EPA
Greater Research Opportunities (GRO)
Undergraduate Student Fellowship Pro-
gram by a professor at Hampton Uni-
versity. This fellowship afforded Brent
an opportunity to conduct independent
research, work for EPA, and receive
money for school. Brent realized that this
opportunity to be an EPA GRO Fellow
was invaluable!
During the summer of 2000, Brent
interned with EPA in Edison, NJ. As a
member of the helicopter water-moni-
toring project for the New York Bight
Water Quality Assessment Program,
Brent learned about various EPA tech-
niques and procedures. He monitored
the water quality of public beaches by
measuring their microbial density and
the concentrations of dissolved oxygen
along the coasts of New Jersey and
Long Island, NY. Results collected by
EPA were reported to state government
agencies that monitor the health of the
community.
While interning with EPA, Brent was
pursuing his Bachelor of Science in
Biological Science. During this time, he
developed a deeper understanding of
environmental issues such as pollution
control, global warming, and waste man-
agement.
Brent earned his Bachelor of Science in
Biological Science from Hampton Uni-
versity in May 2001. During the summer
of 2001, he was a participant in the
Minorities At Sea Together (M.A.S.T) and
the Minority Undergraduate Scholarship
& Training (M.U.S.T) Programs. Brent
took a few months to explore his employ-
ment options, and was hired as a high
school science teacher in January 2002.
Brent's inquisitive mind and the skills he
gained as an EPA Fellow led him to the
classroom. Although he is a high school
Biology I and Physical Science teacher,
Brent does not consider himself a science
teacher—he is a "teacher of life" who
shares essential life skills with his students.
For example, he helps them to develop
a greater environmental awareness and to
Brent Chavous
make contributions to help everyone live a
better life.
Brent feels teaching is an important way to
have a direct and positive impact on chil-
dren's lives. Brent constantly motivates
and shapes tomorrow's leaders to show
compassion and respect towards each
other and the environment. His fascina-
tion with science has fueled his desire to
pursue a Masters degree from the Uni-
versity of South Carolina. 9
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
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2004-2005 GRO Fellowship Class Summer Activities
Erin Englert
Louisiana State University
Major: Environmental Engineering
Erin gained laboratory experience and
learned how to use a High Pressure
Liquid Chromatography device and a
Gas Chromatograph machine during
her internship with Louisiana State
University's, EPA-funded, Hazardous
Substance Research Center.
"The project that I worked on
assessed the risks associated with
the release of chemicals into the air
and water as sediment solids be-
come disturbed and resuspended
during dredging activities. With the
help of my project advisor, I com-
piled data that could possibly be
used in the risk assessment frame-
works of the US Army Corps of
Engineers and the US EPA. My lab-
oratory experience from this sum-
mer will help me in my future career
goals of designing and implement-
ing environmental protection and
remediation projects and practicing
environmental law."
Joseph Guido
University of North Dakota
Major: Chemical Engineering
Joseph helped his project advisor set up
inspection reports for various sites,
while writing inspection reports of his
own and working on databases with
EPA's Region 9 Water Division.
"I have learned to budget my time
effectively, which will definitely help
me both in academics and my
career. I have learned higher pro-
ficiency with database programs
and various Microsoft applications,
which will come in handy with my
academics. My knowledge in issues
pertaining to the environment will
help me if I decide to pursue a
career involving the environment. I
feel ECO lets college students get a
good opportunity to have a head
start in life. I have learned so much,
and I recommend (this) to anyone
who gets the chance."
Krystal Hamlett
Lincoln University
Major: Cell and Molecular Biology
Krystal interned with EPA's Region 3
Office of Watersheds this summer
where she became a productive part of
a new program that will affect much of
the transportation of America.
"During my internship I networked
and learned a great deal about wet-
lands and the general framework
of program development. I also
learned about the influence of poli-
tics on the litigation system, and the
importance of compromise, deci-
sion making, and networking."
Clancy Kadrmas
University of North Dakota
Major: Chemical Engineering
At EPA's Region 9 Superfund Division,
Clancy learned a lot about renewable
energy and created a presentation and
paper for project managers to promote
renewables on their cleanup sites.
Clancy also learned how to scan the
Internet for useable and credible infor-
mation.
"This skill is useful because it
allows me to find valuable informa-
tion without wasting time."
Megan Killian
Towson University
Major: Environmental Science
The Diagnostics team at EPA's Region
1 Atlantic Ecology Division (AED)
hosted Megan's internship this summer.
As part of the Diagnostics team in the
AED laboratory in Narragansett, Rhode
Island, she assisted in both laboratory
and field work to further the scientific
development of toxicity identification
and evaluation of sediments from local
watersheds. Megan analyzed sediment
samples for grain size, toxicity, and total
organic carbon. She also analyzed water
samples for total suspended solids and
chlorophyll A content.
"I had never been exposed to this
type of research prior to my intern-
ship; everything I did each day this
summer was new to me. Now that I
have some experience in this
research, I feel that I have a better
sense of what I may want to focus
on in the future."
(continued on page 3)
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2004-2005 GRO Fellowship Class Summer Activities (cont.)
Wendy Lucero
University of California, Santa Cruz
Major: Environmental Chemistry
Wendy spent this summer interning in
EPA's Region 2 Microbiology Labora-
tory where she gained new skills,
including learning how to conduct
membrane filtration on beach water
samples and test water samples and
treated sludge.
"The knowledge gained this sum-
mer has not only given me more
confidence as a scientist but also
armed me with valuable experience
that will help me attain a science
career in the future."
Megan Mauter
Rice University
Major: Civil and Environmental
Engineering
As part of Megan's internship with the
National Center for Environmental
Economics in EPA's Office of Policy
Economics and Innovation, she col-
laborated with Rice University, other
parts of EPA, the Woodrow Wilson
Institute Center, and the National Sci-
ence Foundation. Her project gauged
understanding of public trust in EPA
and public acceptance of nanotechnol-
ogy, resulting in the creation of a theo-
retical model and a preliminary paper
for her office at EPA.
"This summer I had the opportuni-
ty to conduct self-directed, inde-
pendent research. The freedom to
undertake such an endeavor facili-
tated the development of research
method skills, as well as the ability
to effectively interview people. I also
enhanced my knowledge of system
dynamics modeling."
Mia Robbins
Xavier University
Major: Biology
During Mia's internship with EPA's
Region 4 Air Pesticides and Toxics
Management Division, she revised
Children's Health placards so that they
could be translated into Spanish, partic-
ipated in the Pediatric Environmental
Health Specialty Unit Annual Meeting
in Washington, DC, reviewed grant
proposals dealing with asthma re-
duction and waste reduction, and
researched the H2E programs for the
Region 4 Web site, among other activi-
ties.
"I will be able to use this knowledge
about developing posters and bro-
chures as a future pediatrician. I
would recommend that others go
through the EPA Fellowship Pro-
gram because it gives one a sense of
the real world. I learned things that
will lead me in the right direction in
the future."
Shaka Rucker
Phoenix College
Major: Economics
Shaka felt that his summer with the
Office of Science and Technology in
Washington, DC, was a valuable op-
portunity. He learned how to do cost
analysis and Web site maintenance, and
gained...
"a better understanding of how
EPA and the federal government
work. Any student can prosper from
this experience."
Kathryn Semmens
Ursinus College
Major: Environmental Studies
Through Kathryn's internship with the
NEPA team at EPA's Region 3 En-
vironmental Assessment and Inno-
vation Division, she gained hands-on
experience with the ArcView Program
and learned more about NEPA.
"These skills will be, without a
doubt, very valuable in my future
as an environmentalist. I gained a
great overview of the whole process
of environmental assessment, not
just by reading the law and exam-
ples of past documents and com-
ments, but also through seeing the
process in action. I cannot stress
enough how great it was to see
all the different projects and activi-
ties that EPA has taken on, and I
felt spoiled to be able to pick
from among them to best suit my
interests. I think ECO is setting
up interns to have the best experi-
ence possible, as only the interns
know what their best fit would be
in a project. Basically, I loved it
and would do it again in a heart-
beat."
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