Guest | Cheryl Murphy, Ph.D.
In this episode of sh(e)=mc2 we meet Dr. Cheryl Murphy, an ecotoxicologist who has traveled the world studying the effects of chemicals on wildlife. Cheryl’s career journey has opened many new doors as she pursues her passion for science. She shares the interesting path of her scientific career and offers her unique perspectives, including reducing barriers for diversity in science.
Cheryl is a scientific researcher, professor, and director. Cheryl is the Director for the Center for PFAS Research and a professor in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University.
The MSU Center for PFAS Research works to quantify and communicate PFAS risks and mitigate the impacts on human health, agriculture, and natural resources. The MSU center is a new initiative to explore the health and environmental consequences of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are fluorinated organic chemicals known as “forever chemicals” because they are persistent and bioaccumulate. Persistent means they do not break down in the environment and bioaccumulate refers to the process of building up over time in the blood and organs. According to the center, scientists and health professionals are concerned about PFAS because the chemicals are widespread in the environment, persist for long periods, and have been linked with human and natural resource health problems.
Cheryl has a Ph.D. in Oceanography and Coastal Sciences from Louisiana State University, an M.S. in Cell Biology and Physiology from the University of Alberta, and B.S. in Marine Biology from Dalhousie University (Halifax, Nova Scotia).
