Meet EPA Researcher Jennifer Tully, MS
Jennifer Tully currently works on different lead pipe scale projects for drinking water systems and evaluates lead pipe scale data. Part of ORD’s bipartisan infrastructure program includes lead service line identification technologies for small and disadvantaged drinking water systems. Jennifer has been helping prepare to collect and sample galvanized iron drinking water pipes as these are potential legacy sources of lead (when upstream lead service lines (or other lead sources) have been removed).
Tell us about your background.
I received my degree in geology and high school science education. My original goal was to be an educator but after I took a geology course and ended up getting a geology major in addition to the education degree, I decided to pursue graduate work in geology. I also have a background in toxic metals and find it amusing that I get to work with lead (Pb) every day. I spent about a year and a half of my undergraduate career working on Pb and Cd (cadmium) leaching from children’s jewelry items and novelty glassware (think cartoon printed glassware). Then my graduate degree was devoted to anthropogenic pollution in river sediment where I was able to find a whole host of metals, including lead chromate – an additive in yellow road paint. My time with EPA started as an ORISE participant on the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule team in EPA’s office of water. After three years I moved to an ORISE position in EPA’s research office focusing on lead pipe scale analysis, then to an on-site contractor position working on the same scales, ro then becoming a federal employee in 2019.
How does your science matter?
My team’s research helps to advance our understanding of lead in drinking water. We’ve helped multiple communities understand and make corrective actions to reduce lead leaching into their drinking water and to provide immediate interim measures to protect human health when necessary.
When did you first know you wanted to be a researcher?
After my ORISE experience in EPA’s research office . Prior to graduate school being a “researcher” wasn’t even on my radar as a career.
What impact do you see your research having?
I see my research helping reduce the number of children (and adults) exposed unknowingly to lead in their drinking water.
If you weren’t a scientist, what would you be doing?
I would probably be a naturalist working in a park system somewhere, or an educator in a natural history museum.
Any advice for students considering a career in science?
Try different things and pursue those that interest you, the sum of those decisions may lead you to a niche where you can expand your science.
What do you think the coolest scientific discovery was and why?
Newton’s discovery of the visible spectrum, because it established a fundamental understanding of color/light and became the basis for more experiments.
What do you think will be our biggest scientific challenge in the next 20/50/100 years?
In the drinking water world, I think our biggest challenge will be how to continue to deliver safe drinking water with all the source water changes, treatment changes, etc., that will be needed to deal with climate change and emerging contaminants. Distribution systems don’t like change and fixing one problem may create a whole cascade of other problems.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the researcher alone. EPA does not endorse the opinions or positions expressed.