the	v>EPA
GRO Forum
Environmental Protection Agency Greater Research Opportunities Undergraduate Student Fellowships
issue 1,2010
where are they now? Catching up with GRO Alumni
EricVanderboom
Eric Vanderboom remembers being interested in the environment from a young age
He recalls the fun of playing outdoors, but also "getting upset when I would find trash
in the forest or bottles and cans in the creek or rivers." By high school, he says, "I
knew I wanted to work in the environmental field, and more importantly, that I wanted
to clean up areas that were contaminated " Through his undergraduate years, that
interest remained strong, and now Eric is in training as an On-Scene Coordinator for
EPA Region 1 in Boston, MA, His decision to apply for a job in Region 1 came out of
his GRO summer internship.
Eric's internship was at EPA's Region 1 lab in North Chelmsford, MA, about an hour
northwest of Boston. For 12 weeks he worked on the National Lakes Assessment
(NLA) program under the guidance of Hilary Snook and Katrina Kipp, in conjunction
with Hilary's work on the New England Lakes and Ponds (NELP) project Eric also got
the opportunity to assist with some other projects done in the Region 1 lab, such as
environmental sampling at a Superfund site, which allowed him to learn more about
the scope of the lab's activities.
two projects collaborated closely so that their data could be used interchangeably
or combined for analysis. The opportunity to spend the summer conducting field
sampling and habitat evaluations attracted Eric to this project. He had numerous
responsibilities supporting the lake field work, including preparing equipment for the
daily boat trips; starting up the GPS units used by the researchers to pinpoint pre-
marked locations in the lakes; collecting samples for water chemistry, chlorophyll,
microcystins (a type of toxin produced by bacteria), phytoplankton, and chloride
from the deepest parts of the lakes; and taking sediment cores from lake and pond
bottoms, sometimes from depths over 160 feet. Eric also assessed littoral and
riparian habitats atten pre-set locations around each body of water.
In addition to practical skills, such as water, sediment, and benthic sampling
techniques, Eric learned about how the Lab supports Region 1 and what the
researchers do there. He also got a better understanding of the relevance of EPA's
environmental research. "1 learned just how important it is to evaluate our natural
resources and ecosystems from time to time to find out the status of their health and
The NLA is the first-ever baseline study of the condition of the Nation's lakes. It
examined lake health by studying 1,1.10 randomly-selected lakes and ponds across
the United States. The NELP project is a comprehensive assessment of the ecological
and water quality condition of lakes and ponds across the New England region The

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EricVanderboom... continued
see how they change," Eric said. "With
studies like the NLA, done periodically, we
can see how our bodies of water are doing,
and also the ecosystems they support."
Diana Adebambo
Lean manufacturing/
green hospitality studies
Atlanta, GA
Jennifer Arceo
Validation of continuous
liquid-liquid extractors
Golden, CO
Jillian Allen
Ocean and coastal protection
studies
Boston, MA
Kelsey Boyd
Detection of watershed
improvement: geo-spatial
evaluation of existing
implementation projects
Atlanta, GA
JarymarArar
Border 2012 studies
Dallas, TX
Angel Casanova
Quantification of Enterococci
and identification of fecal
pollution sources in beaches
of the Eastern region of
Puerto Rico
Athens, GA
Rhiana Cok
Microbiological treatment of
drinking water for arsenic and
ammonia removal
Cincinnati, OH
Austin Co ok-Lindsay
Green chemistry
Washington, DC
Summer 2010
GRO Internship Projects
Networking - making and maintaining good contacts - is another key benefit of
the GRO summer internship program, and Eric's story is a great example of its
importance. Following his internship, he stayed in contact with his Project Advisor,
Hilary Snook. When Eric realized how much he'd like to work for EPA, he talked
with Hilary about entry level positions in Region 1, which led to his application for,
and hiring as, an On-Scene Coordinator.
EPA's On-Scene Coordinators (OSC) are responsible for monitoring or directing
responses to oil spills and hazardous substance releases reported to the Federal
government. As an OSC, Eric will coordinate Federal efforts with, support, and
provide information to, local, state and regional response communities. OSCs'
duties fall into the areas of assessment, monitoring, response assistance,
and evaluation. He has a lot of excitement in his future! OSCs in
Region 1 provide "boots-on-the-ground" response to a wide
range of emergencies, including train derailments, tanker
truck roll-overs, and abandoned containers. They also
contribute to time-critical cleanups of industrial and
commercial sites, ranging from factories and
foundries to dry cleaners.
Sometimes getting to the sampling sites
was an adventure, such as one late-
summer overnight trip to Jackman, ME.
By this point, the team had been sampling
lakes for a couple of months, and the
members had become skilled and efficient
at their specific tasks. So sampling one
particular pond shouldn't be a problem,
right? Armed with GPS and detailed
topographical maps, they set out one
morning for a particular pond . . . and ended
up on a real chase. As Eric put it, "We ended
up spending the first day driving around
looking for a pond that we couldn't find." At
one point, they realized thatthey had ended
up on a new logging road built a day or two before. As you'd expect, neither the GPS
nor the maps could keep up with roads built that summer by the logging companies!
The team also ventured down snowmobile tracks and twice found themselves right in
the middle of a grassy field. Eventually, they resorted to the time-honored approach
of stopping and asking for help. That didn't work either! They quickly learned
that the pond's "official" name on the map might not be the same
name that the local folks used. Did they ever find the
interesting, find out who's doing it and go talk to them to learn more. Everybody
I encountered at the lab was very helpful and knowledgeable and would take the
time to explain things if I had questions."
pond? Yes. They finally learned that there
was only one direction to getto the pond ...
and they'd been coming in from the wrong
side!
While his internshiptaught Eric a lot about
Kereen Griffith
Habitat alteration
mitigation for a New
England lake
North Chelmsford, MA
Elizabeth Medlock
Integrated toxicological
approaches for assessing
the ecological risks of
pharmaceuticals in the
environment
Duluth, MN
Laura Senefeld
Cyanobacteria and
stormwater monitoring in
urban rivers
North Chelmsford, MA
Amanda Hayes
Lean manufacturing/green
hospitality studie
Atlanta, GA
Nathan Nesbitt
Energy efficiency in the food
processing industry
Boston, MA
Annette Sparks
Green buiIding/sustainability/
performance tracking/green
business/environmental
management systems
Denver, CO
Sannon Klotsko
Satellite products applied to
development of water quality
standards
Gulf Breeze, FL
Nikita Peperni
Helicopter monitoring
program
Edison, NJ
Casey Stephenson
Fish-habitat relationships
in a Great Lakes coastal
system
Duluth, MN
Khilia Logan
Detection of watershed
improvement: geo-spatial
evaluation of existing
implementation projects
Atlanta, GA
Ellen Perkins
Responses of marine
crustacean populations to
human stressors in laboratory
and field environments
Narragansett, Rl
Matthew Tancos
Microbiological treatment of
drinking water for arsenic and
ammonia removal
Cincinnati, OH
John Maravich
Green building/
susta inability/performance
tracking/green business/
environmental management
systems
Denver, CO
Jessica Pulliam
Technical support to
Environmental Justice
Showcase community pilot
Boston, MA
Kristin Waller
Clean Air Markets Division
studies
Washington, DC
Kate McPherson
Genetic adaptation of wild
killifish populations to PCBs
Narragansett, Rl
Alexander Ramsower
Ecological effects of herbicides
Corvallis, OR
Bernadette Wiggin
Susta inability and alternative
energy as part of contaminated
site restoration and beneficial
reuse in the Pacific Northwest
and Alaska
Seattle, WA

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Eric is currently "shadowing" more senior OSCs to prepare him for going on
response duty; when he's trained, he could be Called to an emergency at anytime.
Even though he's new to the OSC position Eric already likes the adventure and
opportunity to work outdoors in the field, and sees other satisfying parts in his
job's future. "One aspect of the OSC's job is removal actions, or 'quick cleanup,"'
he explains. "Nothing makes you feel better than going out and cleaning up a site
that is contaminated. The removal program has been a big success, and knowing
that is real job satisfaction."
Eric earned a B.S. in geosciences (geology) in 2008 from the University of Tulsa
(TU) Tulsa, OK. TU was founded in 1894: it is a private institution with a current
enrollment of about 4,200 students. In terms of environmental research. TU
has access to a key resource. TU students and faculty in chemistry, chemical
engineering, geosciences and biological sciences can use the 37,000-acre
Tallgrass Prairie Preserve as a living laboratory. The Preserve managed by the
Nature Conservancy, is an important refuge for American bison and preserves a
prairie habitat that once covered much of the Midwest.
Eric's still considering the possibility of graduate school some day, to study for a
Master's degree in geology, chemistry, or physics. He has a particular interest in
arsenic in groundwater, a huge global-scale problem, especially in Bangladesh,
where the level of arsenic in groundwater can be incredibly high. "I wrote two
papers On this while at school and find the subject very interesting," Eric relates.
"Being a geologist, subsurface activities are always intriguing. What's interesting
about arsenic in the groundwater is that it is a naturally-occurring problem in most
cases, not like a spill or release in which a company or individual is to blame."
Making the most of a GRO internship
Build your background
knowledgewithsupplemental	I
research. Depending On	|
your project, read standard	I
operating procedures (SOPs),	|
knowledgeable individuals
at your university or in the
workplace, and refer to books
Work with ydur hosts to
determine the most relevant
Be knowledgeable about your
project it will allow you to
make helpful suggestions and
ivative concepts and try to implement th
background knowledge to the internship
;tthat makes an impact.
/our project an original one
¦ ntribute to its design to make it "yours," a
situation by being prepared, positive
I astvp.ar's RRO Fellows learned a Int. duringtheir internships not only the specifics
kills and attitudes that will help them in future
They also offered practical and wide-ranging
:eliows.
One Fellow summed things up
very well: "To get the most from
your internship, expect the
most" both of yourself and the
experience. Others reminded
new interns, "Don't waste this
unique opportunity!' and "The
bottom line is: the success
Last year's Fellows also suggested taking the time to prepare and develop knowledge
for your project.
ects, and your own project - was another theme of their advice:
reat opportunity to meet more people in
Terent environmental issues,
are working on to get a full picture of
ilable to you, such as other labs and
•	Offer suggestions and comments to show your hosts that you're
interested in being a contributor to their efforts.
•	Don't take the easy way and settle with only the tasks that you're
assigned. Take the initiative - seek more to do and learn beyond what
you're asked to do.
I

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vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Research
and Development (8723F)
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
EPA/60Q/N-04/198
April 2010
www.epa.gov/ord
Last year's Fellows also saw their internships as good opportunities to take some
chances and experience new things.
Having a great attitude and positive outlook contribute to great internship experiences.
The Fellows observed that communication was another key to a great experience.
•	Meet as many people as possible.
•	Foster relationships with people throughout your internship.
•	Be open with your Mentor and Project Advisor. They want you to have the best
possible experience Share accomplishments and concerns with them to get
their input and advice.
•	Reach out to the CSS Project Manager with any questions or concerns.
And, of course, the Fellows remind new interns to enjoy themselves outside of
work!
•	Be sure to get out and experience the area, especially if it's new to you.
•	Make new friends and try new things.
•	Keep a camera handy. You never know what you'll see - you'll appreciate
the memories in the future
•	Step out of your comfort zone and try something new and challenging.
•	Experience as much as possible by keeping an open mind to anything presented
to you.
•	Be flexible!
•	Show initiative by doing research and creative thinking on your own
time, being a positive force in the workplace, and always maintaining
useful communication.
•	Be positive and outgoing! Your co-workers appreciate your fresh
opinions and enthusiasm
•	Work hard, enjoyyourself, and meet new people!
•	Show enthusiasm in everything you do, learn everything you can, and
don't back away from challenges.
•	If its a busy day and your co-workers could use an extra pair of hands,
don't hesitate to see if there's any way you can help.

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