The Year of Science 2009

EPA is proud to be a participant in a nation-wide grassroots network called the Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS) whose goal is to engage the public and increase understanding of the nature of science and its value to society. The Year of Science 2009 will be a year-long, nationwide effort to engage the American public in activities that stimulate interest in, and appreciation of, the processes and nature of science.

EPA's public events during the Year of Science will be highlighted on this page as well as the Year of Science 2009 web site.

December COPUS Theme – Science and Health

EPA's mission is to protect the environment AND human health. We all try to avoid being sick for the holiday season, so December is a good time to take a look at the connections between science and health. Health science builds upon an integration of biology, chemistry, and physics and has resulted in major advancements in medicine, new surgical treatments, and increased longevity of humans - well worth toasting as we prepare to ring in the New Year.

EPA does a lot of research to protect human health. In a recent Science Wednesday blog, Jacqueline Moya wrote about the dangers of environmental exposures for children. EPA has a national research program dedicated to Human Health. The research in this program follows four main themes:

Biological Research

Research can save lives and reduce diseases by providing the knowledge needed to understand underlying biological processes that are triggered when individuals are exposed to environmental contaminants. This information can be used to understand potential risks to the public and advance EPA's ability to conduct risk assessments.

Cumulative Risk Research

Research is providing clues to what happens when we are exposed to the many chemical mixtures in the environment. Assessing the cumulative risks posed by exposure to mixtures of pollutants is important to improving EPA's risk assessments to protect the public.

Community-Based Risk Assessment (CBRA)
Research on Susceptible Subpopulations and Lifestages

Research can protect the health of our aging population, children, specific ethnic/cultural groups, and those with certain genetic and/or medical conditions (such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and other chronic diseases), by providing new insights into how environmental pollutants may affect susceptible lifestages and subpopulations.

Tools for Risk Management Decisions

Research is providing the measurement tools and biological indicators needed to assess the impact of regulatory decisions on public health. The research will enable EPA to better evaluate public health outcomes and determine the effectiveness of actions to reduce health risks.