Conference Session Abstract

Appendix A: Conference Session Abstract

Transdisciplinary Collaborations to Enhance Interactions with Communities at Contaminated Sites

Ben Gerhardstein , Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Amanda Pease, U.S. EPA – Region 9
Rose Eitemiller, Community Coalition of Dewey-Humboldt
Sarah Wilkinson, University of Arizona - Superfund Research Program
Monica Ramirez-Andreotta, University of Arizona

From health risks, to clean-up options, to research ideas, communities located near hazardous waste sites often have diverse and multifaceted needs, questions, and concerns that one organization alone cannot address. When government agencies, academic institutions, community leaders and others work together as a transdisciplinary team at a site, they are better able to address community concerns and meet community involvement, education, and capacity building needs than each could acting alone. A transdisciplinary team includes members from diverse institutional (e.g. government, academic, community) and disciplinary (e.g. environmental scientist, public health professional, local expert) backgrounds. Effective collaboration involves a creative problem solving process where all parties contribute to identifying, defining, and resolving problems together.

This session will draw upon lessons learned from an ongoing transdisciplinary collaboration at the Iron King Mine and Humboldt Smelter Superfund site in Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona. There, a transdisciplinary team including federal (EPA and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry), state (the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality), academic (University of Arizona Superfund Research Program) and community (Community Coalition of Dewey-Humboldt) organizations collaborate to coordinate activities, develop public messages, and share information about community needs, concerns, feedback, and engagement opportunities. This interactive session will (1) summarize the benefits of transdisciplinary collaboration at environmental contamination sites, (2) highlight lessons learned from the Iron King Mine Site, and (3) facilitate a series of small group conversations (in a World Café format) to help attendees explore collaboration opportunities in their work.