[Applause] so I’m Amy Rudin and I’m a professor at
so I’m Amy Rudin and I’m a professor at
so I’m Amy Rudin and I’m a professor at Virginia Tech and I’m a proud member of
Virginia Tech and I’m a proud member of
Virginia Tech and I’m a proud member of the Flint water study team
[Laughter]
[Laughter] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] so the Flint water study was born when a
so the Flint water study was born when a
so the Flint water study was born when a professor that I’ve worked very closely
professor that I’ve worked very closely
professor that I’ve worked very closely with on several research projects over
with on several research projects over
with on several research projects over the years Marc Edwards answered a phone
the years Marc Edwards answered a phone
the years Marc Edwards answered a phone call from a flint mom whose child had
call from a flint mom whose child had
call from a flint mom whose child had lead poisoning and he responded in a way
lead poisoning and he responded in a way
lead poisoning and he responded in a way that a professor with his expertise was
that a professor with his expertise was
that a professor with his expertise was in a unique position to do but up until
in a unique position to do but up until
in a unique position to do but up until that point nobody had stepped up to do
that point nobody had stepped up to do
that point nobody had stepped up to do and since that call we’ve had over 60 of
and since that call we’ve had over 60 of
and since that call we’ve had over 60 of our students volunteer eight-person
our students volunteer eight-person
our students volunteer eight-person years of effort assembling water testing
years of effort assembling water testing
years of effort assembling water testing kits driving back and forth to Flint
kits driving back and forth to Flint
kits driving back and forth to Flint testing the water reporting the results
testing the water reporting the results
testing the water reporting the results to residents it took this kind of
to residents it took this kind of
to residents it took this kind of massive volunteer effort to reveal what
massive volunteer effort to reveal what
massive volunteer effort to reveal what was an environmental crime the people in
was an environmental crime the people in
was an environmental crime the people in charge of policing the water were
charge of policing the water were
charge of policing the water were telling people it was safe when it
telling people it was safe when it
telling people it was safe when it wasn’t so stepping back way back how did
wasn’t so stepping back way back how did
wasn’t so stepping back way back how did I get involved so I grew up in Toledo
I get involved so I grew up in Toledo
I get involved so I grew up in Toledo Ohio and I was blessed and I spent most
Ohio and I was blessed and I spent most
Ohio and I was blessed and I spent most of my summers up in Michigan enjoying
of my summers up in Michigan enjoying
of my summers up in Michigan enjoying the lakes and forests and natural beauty
the lakes and forests and natural beauty
the lakes and forests and natural beauty and I loved school and as I progressed
and I loved school and as I progressed
and I loved school and as I progressed through my PhD in environmental science
through my PhD in environmental science
through my PhD in environmental science was a natural fit for me I felt like
was a natural fit for me I felt like
was a natural fit for me I felt like every kid deserved the opportunity to
every kid deserved the opportunity to
every kid deserved the opportunity to grow up as I did with plenty of fish and
grow up as I did with plenty of fish and
grow up as I did with plenty of fish and critters to chase after but as I matured
critters to chase after but as I matured
critters to chase after but as I matured and learned more about the world it was
and learned more about the world it was
and learned more about the world it was a shocking revelation to me that not
a shocking revelation to me that not
a shocking revelation to me that not only does most of the world not have the
only does most of the world not have the
only does most of the world not have the time and luxury to enjoy nature they
time and luxury to enjoy nature they
time and luxury to enjoy nature they don’t even have access to clean drinking
don’t even have access to clean drinking
don’t even have access to clean drinking water six to eight million people die
water six to eight million people die
water six to eight million people die every year because of water related
every year because of water related
every year because of water related illness and if you think about it it
illness and if you think about it it
illness and if you think about it it wasn’t all that different here in this
wasn’t all that different here in this
wasn’t all that different here in this country a hundred years ago or so which
country a hundred years ago or so which
country a hundred years ago or so which is actually what
is actually what
is actually what most of our water infrastructure was
most of our water infrastructure was
most of our water infrastructure was built and so I felt that I found my
built and so I felt that I found my
built and so I felt that I found my calling and I dedicated myself to
calling and I dedicated myself to
calling and I dedicated myself to advancing the science of fighting
advancing the science of fighting
advancing the science of fighting waterborne disease and I set off to
waterborne disease and I set off to
waterborne disease and I set off to establish myself as a scientist with the
establish myself as a scientist with the
establish myself as a scientist with the expertise to do something about these
expertise to do something about these
expertise to do something about these problems but I found that to succeed as
problems but I found that to succeed as
problems but I found that to succeed as a scientist it’s really hard and I
a scientist it’s really hard and I
a scientist it’s really hard and I learned from other successful professors
learned from other successful professors
learned from other successful professors that it essentially boils down to two
that it essentially boils down to two
that it essentially boils down to two things you publish papers and
things you publish papers and
things you publish papers and peer-reviewed journals and you get
peer-reviewed journals and you get
peer-reviewed journals and you get grants to get the funding to do the
grants to get the funding to do the
grants to get the funding to do the science so the basic premise is that you
science so the basic premise is that you
science so the basic premise is that you have to establish credibility as a
have to establish credibility as a
have to establish credibility as a scientist and then little by little the
scientist and then little by little the
scientist and then little by little the papers will build up the knowledge base
papers will build up the knowledge base
papers will build up the knowledge base needed to inform change in the world but
needed to inform change in the world but
needed to inform change in the world but here’s where it can actually get
here’s where it can actually get
here’s where it can actually get fiercely competitive and a bit of a
fiercely competitive and a bit of a
fiercely competitive and a bit of a numbers game and it’s funny but kind of
numbers game and it’s funny but kind of
numbers game and it’s funny but kind of not funny but we academics can tend to
not funny but we academics can tend to
not funny but we academics can tend to boil each other down into a set of
boil each other down into a set of
boil each other down into a set of numbers like hey there’s the professor
numbers like hey there’s the professor
numbers like hey there’s the professor with 402 papers and that professor has
with 402 papers and that professor has
with 402 papers and that professor has 55 papers and in each index of 10 here’s
55 papers and in each index of 10 here’s
55 papers and in each index of 10 here’s another stat after slogging away for 5
another stat after slogging away for 5
another stat after slogging away for 5 to 6 years on a PhD in the sciences
to 6 years on a PhD in the sciences
to 6 years on a PhD in the sciences there can be as little as a 15% chance
there can be as little as a 15% chance
there can be as little as a 15% chance of landing a job as a tenure track
of landing a job as a tenure track
of landing a job as a tenure track professor and even less of a chance of
professor and even less of a chance of
professor and even less of a chance of keeping your job after that so I stand
keeping your job after that so I stand
keeping your job after that so I stand here is one of the fortunate as for my
here is one of the fortunate as for my
here is one of the fortunate as for my numbers I hope they’re respectable but
numbers I hope they’re respectable but
numbers I hope they’re respectable but more than that I hope that the work that
more than that I hope that the work that
more than that I hope that the work that I’ve done matters and two of the big
I’ve done matters and two of the big
I’ve done matters and two of the big problems that we’ve been trying to
problems that we’ve been trying to
problems that we’ve been trying to tackle is stopping the spread of
tackle is stopping the spread of
tackle is stopping the spread of antibiotic resistance and Legionnaires
antibiotic resistance and Legionnaires
antibiotic resistance and Legionnaires disease
I feel that being a professor is truly
I feel that being a professor is truly the greatest job in the world
the greatest job in the world
the greatest job in the world but it’s it’s hard to explain sometimes
but it’s it’s hard to explain sometimes
but it’s it’s hard to explain sometimes the kinds of pressures that you can feel
the kinds of pressures that you can feel
the kinds of pressures that you can feel from all sides obviously teaching
from all sides obviously teaching
from all sides obviously teaching classes mentoring students managing a
classes mentoring students managing a
classes mentoring students managing a lab writing papers writing grants
lab writing papers writing grants
lab writing papers writing grants traveling going to conferences giving
traveling going to conferences giving
traveling going to conferences giving presentations and yeah maybe having a
presentations and yeah maybe having a
presentations and yeah maybe having a family and they’re somewhere and I’m
family and they’re somewhere and I’m
family and they’re somewhere and I’m often asked by people how do you do it
often asked by people how do you do it
often asked by people how do you do it all and I don’t know because most of the
all and I don’t know because most of the
all and I don’t know because most of the last 15 years of my life are a blur but
last 15 years of my life are a blur but
last 15 years of my life are a blur but essentially I developed a system you
essentially I developed a system you
essentially I developed a system you limit social interaction short emails
limit social interaction short emails
limit social interaction short emails and do not answer the phone pretty much
and do not answer the phone pretty much
and do not answer the phone pretty much any given minute I’m calculating in the
any given minute I’m calculating in the
any given minute I’m calculating in the back of my mind whether I’m working or
back of my mind whether I’m working or
back of my mind whether I’m working or taking care of my kids basic needs and I
taking care of my kids basic needs and I
taking care of my kids basic needs and I had tricks I could breastfeed a baby
had tricks I could breastfeed a baby
had tricks I could breastfeed a baby with one hand and type of manuscript
with one hand and type of manuscript
with one hand and type of manuscript with the other
with the other
with the other [Applause]
another trick was going to bed at 3:00
another trick was going to bed at 3:00 a.m. getting up at 6:00 a.m. or fully
a.m. getting up at 6:00 a.m. or fully
a.m. getting up at 6:00 a.m. or fully overdosed on caffeine just not bothering
overdosed on caffeine just not bothering
overdosed on caffeine just not bothering to sleep at all but sooner or later
to sleep at all but sooner or later
to sleep at all but sooner or later these things can catch up to you and I
these things can catch up to you and I
these things can catch up to you and I had my wake-up call I was driving down
had my wake-up call I was driving down
had my wake-up call I was driving down the turnpike in Ohio cruise control set
the turnpike in Ohio cruise control set
the turnpike in Ohio cruise control set at 70 miles per hour and my two little
at 70 miles per hour and my two little
at 70 miles per hour and my two little angels my eight-year-old son and my
angels my eight-year-old son and my
angels my eight-year-old son and my five-year-old daughter were fast asleep
five-year-old daughter were fast asleep
five-year-old daughter were fast asleep in the back of the van and I was fast
in the back of the van and I was fast
in the back of the van and I was fast asleep at the wheel
asleep at the wheel
asleep at the wheel and I think God every day for those good
and I think God every day for those good
and I think God every day for those good citizens complete strangers who honked
citizens complete strangers who honked
citizens complete strangers who honked their horn rolled down their window and
their horn rolled down their window and
their horn rolled down their window and yelled at me to get off the road because
yelled at me to get off the road because
yelled at me to get off the road because they saved my life and my kids lives and
they saved my life and my kids lives and
they saved my life and my kids lives and no doubt others that happen to be
no doubt others that happen to be
no doubt others that happen to be driving down the road that evening and
driving down the road that evening and
driving down the road that evening and why did I fall asleep at the wheel and
why did I fall asleep at the wheel and
why did I fall asleep at the wheel and simply put I wasn’t sleeping enough I
simply put I wasn’t sleeping enough I
simply put I wasn’t sleeping enough I was so caught up in trying to do all
was so caught up in trying to do all
was so caught up in trying to do all that I thought I needed to do to be a
that I thought I needed to do to be a
that I thought I needed to do to be a successful professor that I lost touch
successful professor that I lost touch
successful professor that I lost touch with my humanity and so much has gone
with my humanity and so much has gone
with my humanity and so much has gone through my mind since that day it’s like
through my mind since that day it’s like
through my mind since that day it’s like my life the world around me are going by
my life the world around me are going by
my life the world around me are going by in slow motion so this was July 29th
in slow motion so this was July 29th
in slow motion so this was July 29th 2015 and it was over the next two weeks
2015 and it was over the next two weeks
2015 and it was over the next two weeks that our students assembled 300 water
that our students assembled 300 water
that our students assembled 300 water testing kits and sent them off to Flint
testing kits and sent them off to Flint
testing kits and sent them off to Flint Michigan and within the next month the
Michigan and within the next month the
Michigan and within the next month the first van load of students arrived then
first van load of students arrived then
first van load of students arrived then there was a contentious town hall
there was a contentious town hall
there was a contentious town hall meeting where the results were presented
meeting where the results were presented
meeting where the results were presented and a fight ensued to keep the cover-up
and a fight ensued to keep the cover-up
and a fight ensued to keep the cover-up going and then dr. mona released the
going and then dr. mona released the
going and then dr. mona released the results of her blood blood testing a
results of her blood blood testing a
results of her blood blood testing a Legionnaires disease outbreak was
Legionnaires disease outbreak was
Legionnaires disease outbreak was announced the governor Apollo
announced the governor Apollo
announced the governor Apollo president obama gave an emotional public
president obama gave an emotional public
president obama gave an emotional public statement there were two congressional
statement there were two congressional
statement there were two congressional hearings and slowly the tides were
hearings and slowly the tides were
hearings and slowly the tides were turned and the water was changed back to
turned and the water was changed back to
turned and the water was changed back to the safer in lake huron source that
the safer in lake huron source that
the safer in lake huron source that moment on the turnpike was an awakening
moment on the turnpike was an awakening
moment on the turnpike was an awakening for me on so many levels
for me on so many levels
for me on so many levels first the literal awakening to the risk
first the literal awakening to the risk
first the literal awakening to the risk that I was putting on myself and my
that I was putting on myself and my
that I was putting on myself and my family by trying to succeed in the
family by trying to succeed in the
family by trying to succeed in the academic game and secondly to the
academic game and secondly to the
academic game and secondly to the futility of the academic game itself I
futility of the academic game itself I
futility of the academic game itself I had to look myself hard in the mirror
had to look myself hard in the mirror
had to look myself hard in the mirror and accept the fact that if leanne
and accept the fact that if leanne
and accept the fact that if leanne walters a mom like me worried about her
walters a mom like me worried about her
walters a mom like me worried about her children had called me instead of mark I
children had called me instead of mark I
children had called me instead of mark I would have never answered the phone most
would have never answered the phone most
would have never answered the phone most professors probably wouldn’t I was so
professors probably wouldn’t I was so
professors probably wouldn’t I was so caught up trying to be a successful
caught up trying to be a successful
caught up trying to be a successful professor that I forgot why I became a
professor that I forgot why I became a
professor that I forgot why I became a professor in the first place because I
professor in the first place because I
professor in the first place because I wanted to help people and I’m ashamed to
wanted to help people and I’m ashamed to
wanted to help people and I’m ashamed to confess this today but I do it because I
confess this today but I do it because I
confess this today but I do it because I hope that somebody is listening you
hope that somebody is listening you
hope that somebody is listening you might be a professor like me or anybody
might be a professor like me or anybody
might be a professor like me or anybody who’s worked hard because you want to do
who’s worked hard because you want to do
who’s worked hard because you want to do something good for this world making a
something good for this world making a
something good for this world making a difference takes something more than
difference takes something more than
difference takes something more than hard work it takes opening your eyes to
hard work it takes opening your eyes to
hard work it takes opening your eyes to the realities of the world around us and
the realities of the world around us and
the realities of the world around us and that what we do matters we can make a
that what we do matters we can make a
that what we do matters we can make a difference
difference
difference there are Flint’s all around us and as
there are Flint’s all around us and as
there are Flint’s all around us and as much as we care for our own children if
much as we care for our own children if
much as we care for our own children if it’s within our power to protect
it’s within our power to protect
it’s within our power to protect somebody else’s child from harm then it
somebody else’s child from harm then it
somebody else’s child from harm then it is our moral imperative to do something
is our moral imperative to do something
is our moral imperative to do something so how do we make a difference
so how do we make a difference
so how do we make a difference [Applause]
how do we make a difference we first
how do we make a difference we first have to examine ourselves our core
have to examine ourselves our core
have to examine ourselves our core values no matter what the system seems
values no matter what the system seems
values no matter what the system seems to dictate we cannot allow our
to dictate we cannot allow our
to dictate we cannot allow our incentives to be all about chasing
incentives to be all about chasing
incentives to be all about chasing numbers my core values are kids and
numbers my core values are kids and
numbers my core values are kids and water and good science what are your
water and good science what are your
water and good science what are your core values after that wake up open your
core values after that wake up open your
core values after that wake up open your eyes
eyes
eyes be in the moment slow down and when that
be in the moment slow down and when that
be in the moment slow down and when that phone rings be ready to answer and take
phone rings be ready to answer and take
phone rings be ready to answer and take action
action
action [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment