![Science Matters Header](june2012/images/header2.jpg)
Volume 3 | Number 3 | August / September 2012
About this Issue
![Photo of a waterfall over a cliff in the forest.](sept2012/images/about-sm.jpg)
About this Issue
A note from Dr. Suzanne van Drunick, the National Program Director for EPA's Safe and Sustainable Water Resources research program.
GEMS: Great Environmental Moments in Science
![Father and son walking on beach at sunset](sept2012/images/safebeach-sm.jpg)
Keeping Beaches Safe… with Statistics!
EPA researchers and partners are creating tools to help beach managers protect public health.
![Underwater image of dying aquatic life](sept2012/images/deadzone-sm.jpg)
Into the Dead Zone
EPA researchers are creating a state-of-the-art three-dimensional model of the Gulf of Mexico's dead zone.
![Image of a rain garden](sept2012/images/whygreen-sm.jpg)
Why Study Green Infrastructure?
EPA scientists and engineers are exploring how to tap green, effective, and low-cost methods to improve stormwater management.
![Screenshot of Stormwater calculator interface](sept2012/images/stormwater-calc-sm.jpg)
Stormwater Calculator to Manage Rainfall Runoff
A new tool developed by EPA allows planners and property owners to assess how green infrastructure can be used to reduce rainwater runoff from development sites.
![Two researchers examining a soil core](sept2012/images/soil-core-sm.jpg)
Helping Cities Benefit from Green Infrastructure
EPA provides research and guidance on the incorporation of green infrastructure into Omaha’s combined sewer overflow control plan.
![Health and Safety personnel descends into underground tunnel.](sept2012/images/buried-stream-sm.jpg)
Showing Buried Streams the Daylight
Researchers compare the effectiveness of buried streams versus open-air streams for removing harmful nitrogen from water systems.
![Young girl drinking from a water fountain](sept2012/images/cleanwaterdb-sm.jpg)
Public Database Helps Users Provide Clean Drinking Water
EPA’s Drinking Water Treatability Database provides a one-stop shop for information on contaminants and treatment options.
![Cargo ship traveling in open water.](sept2012/images/ballast-sm.jpg)
New Ballast Water Protocols Designed to Stop Invasive Species
EPA Partners with Coast Guard to Develop Ship Treatment System Protocols.
![Illustration of electric lightbulb combined with a globe](sept2012/images/smallbus-sm.jpg)
Small Businesses Keeping Our Water Clean and Protected
EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research Program supports innovative environmental technologies.
![Photo of the Salinas River in California](sept2012/images/castream-sm.jpg)
Strengthening Streams in California
The State of California employs EPA's causal assessment CADDIS tool to identify and treat problems in waterways.
![Two EPA researchers collecting wetlands samples.](sept2012/images/wetlands-sm.jpg)
Keeping an Eye on Wetlands
EPA researchers develop ways to study, assess, and report on the state of the nation's wetlands.
![Photo of a water valve](sept2012/images/protect-sm.jpg)
Protecting Drinking Water from Re-contamination
EPA scientists advance understanding of how biofilms in a drinking water system can harbor harmful bacteria following decontamination.
![Photo of river surrounded by trees](sept2012/images/plan-sm.jpg)
Planning Better for a Changing Climate
EPA researchers and partners develop assessment tools to help communities make better informed environmental decisions.
![Test tubes on blue background with plants inside.](sept2012/images/watercont-sm.jpg)
Tools to Assess Potential Water Contaminants
EPA researchers are developing high tech tools called "Dashboards" to help assess potential water contaminants.
Journal Watch
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EPA's most recently published Scientific Journals
Learn about some of the recent research EPA researchers and their partners have published in scientific journals.
It All Starts with Science: Highlights from Our Blog
![Waste Water Treatment Facility at Fort Riley](sept2012/images/wet-sm.jpg)
Getting My Feet Wet
Energy and water waste is growing problem across the country - but not if the EPA and U.S. Army have anything to say about it. Working hard to achieve 'Net Zero' status, researchers develop new tools and plans assist communities across the nation. Dena Vallano, a Science and Technology Policy Fellow from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), talks about her experience with the program.
![Dr. Ila Coat giving a presentation](sept2012/images/sharing-sm.jpg)
Sharing EPA Knowledge 7,000 Miles Away
Three prominent EPA scientists traveled to Saudi Arabia to represent the United States at the Saudi International Environmental Technology Conference 2012. While there, they presented fascinating lectures and provided valuable risk assessment training. Abdel Kadry and Ila Cote recount their time at the conference.
![Kids jumping into water off a dock.](sept2012/images/decisions-sm.jpg)
Decisions, Decisions - and a new tool to help us make them
Whether you're going swimming for fun or sampling for a project, the quality of your surrounding water can make or break a day. But what good is the information if it isn't up-to-date? Tarlie Townsend outlines a new tool being developed by EPA scientist Dr. Blake Schaeffer that use satellite technology to solve this every day water quality problems.
![EPA scientific diver underwater](sept2012/images/cleanup-sm.jpg)
Is the Cleanup Working? SPMDs Help You Find Out
Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere. EPA wants to know if underwater clean-up measures are working and they know just the way to test it - Solid Phase Microextraction Devices—or SPMDs. Sean Sheldrake and Alan Humphrey explain the science behind - and useful outcomes of - this innovative method.
![Dr. Mehdi Hazari accepting his award with Dr. Glenn Paulson and Dr. John Holdren.](sept2012/images/presidential-sm.jpg)
EPA Scientists and Engineers Win Presidential Award
The prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) was awarded to two EPA scientists by President Barack Obama this summer. Christina Motilall details the research of Dr. Mehdi Hazari and Adam Eisele and what it was like for them to meet the president!
EPA Research in the News
![Scenic view of lake and mountains.](sept2012/images/tribal-sm.jpg)
EPA Climate Change Research Aids Tribal Discussions
EPA studies have indicated disproportionate adverse effects on tribal nations in the United States from climate change. Tribal leaders came together to discuss these effects and their plan for preserving their tribal nations.
![Two people shake hands.](sept2012/images/shake-sm.jpg)
EPA and P&G Collaborate for Sustainability
EPA and Proctor & Gamble are collaborating to develop a sustainability tool to improve manufacturing operations.
![Algal blooms take over a lake](sept2012/images/greatlake-sm.jpg)
Cleaning Up the Great Lakes
EPA awards $750,000 to fund Great Lakes research at Michigan State University.
![Leaves and water pour into a stormwater drain.](sept2012/images/stormwater-sm.jpg)
EPA Launches Stormwater Management Contest
The EPA invites student teams across the country to participate in it's design challenge, Campus Rainworks Challenge.
![Kenneth Olden, Ph.D. is the head of EPA's NCEA](sept2012/images/olden-sm.jpg)
Researcher with Storied Career to Head EPA's National Center for Environmental Assessment
EPA names Kenneth Olden, Ph.D., as the new head of it's National Center for Environmental Assessment.
![Scene of a lake shore](sept2012/images/waterq-sm.jpg)
Forecasting your Water Quality
EPA is developing a mobile app to deliver local water quality forecasts with the touch of a button.
EPA Research Grants
![Photo of dandelion with blue sky background.](june2012/images/grantsdandelion-sm.jpg)
Grants and Funding Opportunities
For information about EPA grants and funding opportunities, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/ncer.