Lexington, Ky. (July 5, 2022) — Jason Unrine, PhD, has been named director of the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute (KWRRI) at the University of Kentucky.
Unrine joined the UK faculty in 2008 and is a professor and university research professor in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. He has been engaged in environmental research for more than 25 years and focuses on the environmental chemistry and toxicology of trace elements, engineered nanomaterials, and disinfection byproducts in ecosystems, drinking water, and wastewater.
In recent years, he has focused on community-based participatory research methods, which have been central to his research on drinking water disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in eastern Kentucky. With funding from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Unrine is working with community partners in Martin and Letcher Counties to study patterns of exposure to DBPs, which have been linked to urinary tract cancers and birth defects.
“Our research aims to identify factors influencing formation of and exposure to DBPs and engage with stakeholders to help develop solutions to reduce DBP exposure. A key element of this research involves citizen science to help determine exposure characteristics at the level of the individual household,” Unrine said.
Unrine has served on the leadership of research centers supported by the NIEHS, National Science Foundation, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
KWRRI is one of 12 multidisciplinary centers and institutes that fall under the organizational structure of the Vice President for Research. “Dr. Unrine’s community-focused research portfolio and his leadership within the UK Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences testify that the KWRRI is in good hands. I am confident he will effectively lead teams inside our university and across our state seeking solutions for Kentucky’s most pressing water-related issues,” said Lisa Cassis, Ph.D., vice president for research.
KWRRI is part of a nationwide association of 54 federally authorized water resource institutes and centers located at land-grant universities. KWRRI serves as an important link between water-related personnel at academic institutions, government agencies and in the private sector and is designated by the EPA as a Center of Excellence for Watershed Management. KWRRI manages a wide variety of research projects, provides technical support to its stakeholders, and educates and trains the next generation of water resource experts.
The institute was established in 1964. Since 2004, Lindell Ormsbee, PhD, a professor of civil engineering, has served as director. Unrine’s appointment as KWRRI director began July 1, 2022.
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