I am interested in the Visiting Research Scientist opportunity sponsored by the SéNECA Foundation to collaborate with Dr. Antonio Juan García Fernández and his group in the Area of Toxicology, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, España.

This funding from the SéNECA foundation will give me the opportunity to work with a well-recognized group in ecotoxicology, led by Dr. García Fernández at the University of Murcia.

Dr. García Fernández and his group are well-known for their research on global environmental pollution issues, using birds and other wildlife as indicator species.

By spending some time at the University of Murcia, I will be able to work with scientists on research topics similar to my research interests, which include:

• chemical management issues;
• assessing the effects of chemicals on natural systems and target organisms;
• long-term monitoring of pollutants and their impacts on wildlife.

My research program focuses on understanding the effects of environmental contaminants on ecosystems with emphasis on wildlife.

I have more than 30 years of research experience in avian ecotoxicology and have worked with many species, including endangered species and migratory birds.

My studies involve laboratory and field techniques for understanding the impacts of contaminants on wildlife. By spending at least three months at the University of Murcia I will be able to work closely with some colleagues and graduate students at the University to assemble information and produce a document on the global distribution of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and their documented and potential effects on birds all over the world.

This assessment will allow us to track the areas of most concern for management policies and conservation of species of concern at local, regional, and global levels. This project will advance the state of knowledge of the global distribution and accumulation of pollutants on birds.

The results of this research will benefit both the University of Murcia and Texas A&M University by promoting interactions among scientists at both universities and by encouraging further collaborations that can increase the potential for writing collaborative grants and obtain future funding