Citizen science and studying contaminants in school gardens

As an educator, it is really exciting to see a light in a student that you could never imagine dimming. Iliana is driven, discerning, inquisitive and creative.

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- Dr. Mónica Ramírez-Andreotta, nominator and faculty adviser

Tell us a little about yourself.

I'm from Phoenix, Arizona and received my undergraduate degree in physiology from the University of Arizona. I met my faculty adviser in this department, Dr. Mónica Ramírez-Andreotta who co-advised with Dr. Eric Betterton from the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences during my University of Arizona/NASA Space Grant Undergraduate Internship in 2016.

I completed two projects for that internship. For the first project, I designed and implemented a K-12 informal science education "Science Day" and "Science Night" events for students living in a rural mining community. It was an amazing opportunity to be able to spark interest in environmental science and inspire young students to pursue a higher education in STEM. For the second project, I evaluated whether plant leaves can be used as low-cost air monitors in rural communities that federal and state monitors may overlook.

It was during this internship and working with my mentors that I became interested in environmental health. Ultimately, the broader impacts of my research inspired me to pursue my Master's degree in environmental science.

What do you research and what are the broader impacts?

My research is part of Gardenroots, a citizen science garden project, in a northern California county that when compared to the rest of California has one of the highest rates of breast cancer.

I investigated whether young children were being exposed to contaminants, like arsenic, cadmium and lead, in their preschool gardens. Since this community is historically impacted by legacy gold mining, we considered a few possible exposure routes. Those included accidental ingestion of soil and water from the garden and playground, inhalation of dust, or eating vegetables grown in preschool gardens.

My research project wasn't traditional and there were several parts to it:

• It was a comprehensive exposure and risk assessment composed of a few different components to make it as site-specific as possible. I integrated environmental monitoring with a novel dietary assessment to cater to this specific community. Not only did I work in the lab to analyze for contaminants in water, soil and plants, but I also worked with my lab alongside the community throughout the process to best address their concerns about environmental quality in their area.
• I used a community-based participatory approach to research and collaborate with a local community organization and Community Advisory Board (CAB) that consisted of breast cancer survivors and advocates in the community. We trained teachers and parents to properly collect environmental samples and got feedback throughout the project from the CAB. 
• I prepared bilingual (English and Spanish) informational materials such as a sample collection instruction manual, a dietary assessment and the data sharing materials. Recently, we returned to the community to deliver the results to the school administrators, and our lab will continue to work with the community to improve their environmental quality.

For the results, we found elevated levels of lead in the a couple of gardens and playgrounds and we are working with the county to remediate the soil. We also determined that preschool garden-grown vegetables were major contributors to the children's overall arsenic and cadmium exposures.

Since completing my research, we have provided the schools with Gardenroots "best practices" to help the parents and teachers make informed decisions about reducing their children's exposure to contaminants. These practices include not gardening on a windy and dusty day, mixing up their child's source of vegetables and properly washing vegetables before eating them.

My work provided the necessary framework to improve future exposure and risk assessments. This kind of research is essential to protect vulnerable populations, including children, living near active and legacy mining sites.

Listen to Iliana on KXCI Thesis Thursday 

EN ESPAÑOL- Iliana on KXCI Thesis Thursday 

What did you enjoy most about graduate school and your research?

Coming from a health science background, I was excited to have the opportunity to dive deeper into environmental topics that I was most interested in throughout my research. Specifically, I enjoyed learning about all the ways our environment impacts our health.

This graduate program has shaped the way I view our environment and society, providing me with a unique perspective moving forward with my career path.

Read Published Research

Future plans?

I will be a starting medical school in summer 2019 at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson. I want to continue working with underserved communities, especially Hispanic populations, and integrate my environmental health background into my work as a future physician.

Words of advice?

Don't be discouraged by the unknown and take advantage of every opportunity to grow as a student. Recognize your limitations and never be afraid to ask for help!