Fry leads community talk on metals exposure and health
Dr. Rebecca Fry
Rebecca Fry, PhD, presented the first Tarheel Tox Talk, a new public outreach program from the UNC Curriculum in Toxicology. The informal, community presentation at a Chapel Hill restaurant Oct. 4 focused on metal contamination, especially that caused by inorganic arsenic, in drinking water. Dr. Fry, who directs the UNC Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center, discussed sources, potential health effects of exposure, and the need to protect vulnerable populations.
“This type of outreach gives the local community an opportunity to learn about scientific research from world renowned experts,” said NIEHS Chief of Staff Mark Miller, Ph.D., who attended the talk. “But perhaps even more important is the opportunity for those experts to hear the concerns of the communities they serve.”
The event drew participants from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, and NIEHS, as well as students from UNC, Duke University, and North Carolina State University. Fry encouraged discussion among the diverse audience.