CTEH is excited to add another award-winning researcher to our team. In January, we welcomed Dr. Dana Szymkowicz to our Arkansas office as a toxicologist within the Health Sciences division. Dr. Szymkowicz recently received her Ph.D. in environmental toxicology from Clemson University in South Carolina. Find out more about her below:
What will your duties as toxicologist include?
As a toxicologist, I work directly with our partners to share critical information about potential human health hazards and associated risks from chemical exposures. I also serve on our Toxicology Emergency Response Program (TERP®) team, where I help develop sampling and analysis plans; assess exposure levels; and determine what actions are needed to protect public health.
You received several awards during graduate school. Tell us more.
While at Clemson, I received multiple travel awards to attend industry conferences such as the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and Society of Toxicology (SOT) Annual Meetings. In 2017, I presented a portion of my dissertation on the effects of arsenic exposure during embryogenesis at the Carolinas SETAC meeting and received a second place award. That same year, I was nominated for the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award in the Department of Biological Sciences.
Why did you decide to join CTEH?
I first learned about CTEH at the 2018 SOT Annual Meeting. I was immediately attracted to its mission to help protect the public, which is one of my passions. CTEH’s diverse team of experts supports each other and our partners more than any company I know. Our leadership understands the value of mentorship and continuing education. And they invest in these opportunities to help us grow as a company. These attributes, along with our company’s commitment to helping the public prepare, respond and recover after crises, are just a few of the reasons why I decided to join the team.
What are you most looking forward to in your new role?
I’m looking forward to merging my background in human and environmental toxicology with my passion for helping others and keeping communities safe. I’m also excited to challenge myself as a toxicologist by gaining real-world knowledge on a large range of chemical exposures and honing my public communications skills around potential health and environmental risks.
Are you a member of any community or professional organizations?
I’m a long-time SOT and SETAC member. While in South Carolina, I was also head coach of the Clemson Women’s Club Volleyball team and a mentor for What’s in Our Waters, Jr., a program through the Environmental Toxicology Graduate Student Association that teaches elementary school children about water pollution and conservation.
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