Dr Olwenn Martin

Qualifications

2009 PhD in Environmental Science - Imperial College London
Title: Estrogenic Compounds in Sewage Effluent: Risks and Management Options
Collaboration with the Environment Agency and WRc
Consultancy project for Severn Trent Water

2004 MSc in Environmental Technology – Imperial College London

2000 Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Decision Making – Open University

1997 BSc (Honours) in Chemistry – Kingston University

Academic positions

2010 to date Research Fellow – Centre for Toxicology, University of London School of Pharmacy, then Institute for the Environment, Brunel University
Research project on mixture risk assessment funded by the Oak foundation, organisation of a Stakeholder Dissemination workshop
Collaboration on a research contract funded by the European Commission DG Environment on the ‘State-of-the-Art Assessment of Endocrine Disrupters’

2008-2009 Natural Sciences Options Support Manager – Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London

Research projects for Yorkshire Water

Peer review of articles and grant proposals

Coordination of teaching activities for 3 options on the MSc in Environmental Technology

Preparing and delivering lectures, coursework projects, setting and marking exams, supervision of MSc research projects

Building on a background in both natural and social sciences, my research research interest lies with developing solutions to the practical challenges of translating science into policy. It is focused on emerging issues for the risk assessment of contaminants, such as mixtures and endocrine disrupters, in the context of the suitability of existing legal instruments, more particularly the REACH Directive and Plant Protection Products Regulation. As part of my doctoral research, I developed decision-making tools to help evaluate the sustainability of policy and risk management options related to the occurrence of endocrine-disrupting compounds, more specifically oestrogenic compounds, in sewage effluent. I am currently involved in writing the State of the Art Assessment for Endocrine Disrupters, a project also commissioned by the European Commission and a project funded by the Oak Foundation on ‘Combined Exposures: Bridging the gap between science, chemical risk assessment and regulation’.

In my previous role, I coordinated the teaching activities of three specialist options on an Environmental Technology MSc course. I was also the module leader for the Environmental Decision Making module, and lectured on fundamental toxicology, environmental epidemiology, cost-benefit and cost effectiveness analyses, placing particular emphasis on equipping students with the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to critically analyse and making efficient use of scientific evidence. I have also supervised MSc projects and enjoyed facilitating discussions during small group seminars and accompanying students on site visits and study tours.

Co-chair of the session on ‘Environmental management tools, uncertainty and decision-making’ of the SETAC Europe 20th Annual Meeting in Seville, Spain, 23-27 May 2010

Organised science booster practical workshop for year 6 pupils at a local school.

Prepared reports on water issues in several provinces of Madagascar for a public database for the W Charitable Foundation

Professional memberships

Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Affiliate member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment

Member of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

Peer-reviewed articles

Ziolko, D. Martin, O. V. Scrimshaw, M. D. Lester, J. N. (2011) An Evaluation of Metal Removal during Conventional Wastewater Treatment: the Potential to Achieve more Stringent Final Effluent Standards Crit. Rev. Environ. Sci. Technol. 41(8): 733-769

Kadar, E. Simmance, F. Martin, O. Voulvoulis, N. Widdicombe, S. Mitovc, S. Lead, J.R. and Readman, J.W. (2010) The influence of engineered Fe(2)O(3) nanoparticles and soluble (FeCl(3)) iron on the developmental toxicity caused by CO(2)-induced seawater acidification., Environ Pollut 158: 3490-3497

Martin, O. V. Voulvoulis, N. (2009) Sustainable risk management of emerging contaminants in municipal wastewaters Phil. Trans. A. 1904: 3895-3922

Martin, O. V. Shialis, T. Lester, J. N. Scrimshaw, M. D. Boobis, A. R. and Voulvoulis, N. (2008) Testicular Dysgenesis Syndrome and the Estrogen Hypothesis: A Quantitative Meta-Analysis. Environ. Health Persp. 116(2): 149-157.

Martin, O. V. Lester, J. N. and Voulvoulis, N. Boobis, A. R. (2007) Human Health and Endocrine Disruption: A Simple Multi-criteria Framework for the Qualitative Assessment of Endpoint-specific Risks in a Context of Scientific Uncertainty Tox. Sci. 98(2):332-347

Martin, O. V. Lai, K. M. Scrimshaw, M. D. and Lester, J. N. (2005). Receiver Operating Characteristics for Environmental Diagnosis. A Potential Application to Endocrine Disruptor Screening: in vitro Estrogenicity Bioassays. Env. Sci. Technol. 39:5349-5355.

Conferences

Martin, O.V. (2011) Debunking urban myths about default uncertainty factors in chemical risk assessment. European Environmental Bureau 2nd 2011 Chemicals Working Group Meeting, Copenhagen, Denmark (11th-12th October 2011)

Martin, O.V. Boobis, A.R. Voulvoulis (2009) Evaluating the ecological benefits of removing mixtures of dangerous substances from sewage effluent using Species Sensitivity Distributions: proof-of-concept study with estrogenic substances. Platform presentation at SETAC Europe 19th Annual Meeting, Gothenburg, Sweden (30th May- 4th June 2009)

Martin, O.V. Boobis, A.R. Voulvoulis (2008) Xenoestrogens in sewage effluent: a systematic review of the compounds detected in European sewage effluents in the last 10 years. Platform presentation at SETAC UK Students and Young Researchers’ Meeting, Reading (July 2008)

Martin, O. V. (2008) Human health and endocrine disruption: qualitative and quantitative assessment of the evidence. Poster Corner discussion at SETAC Europe 18th Annual Meeting, Poland, Warsaw (May 2008)

Martin, O. V. (2005) Receiver Operating Characteristics: A Potential Application to Endocrine Disruptor Screening. Poster presented at SETAC Europe 15th Annual Meeting, France, Lille (May 2005)

Book chapters

Martin, O.V. and Plant, J. A. (2011) The scientific appraisal of hazardous substances in the environment In: Plant, J. A. Ragnasdottir, V. and Voulvoulis, N. (eds) Pollutants, human health and the environment: Introduction for environmental scientists and health professionals, John Wiley &Sons, England (in press).

Martin, O.V. and Evans, R.M. (2011) Naturally occurring Estrogens. In: Plant, J. A. Ragnasdottir, V. and Voulvoulis, N. (eds) Pollutants, human health and the environment: Introduction for environmental scientists and health professionals, John Wiley &Sons, England (in press).

Reports

Evans, R. Kortenkamp, A. Martin, O. McKinlay, R. Orton, F. and Rosivatz, E. (2011) Interim Report: Summary of the State-of-the-Science on Endocrine Disrupters. European Commission, Directorate-General for the Environment, Brussels, Belgium

Hunt, C.F. Omu, K. Martin, O.V. and Voulvoulis, N. (2009) Identification of the sources of heavy metals in urban wastewaters. Yorkshire Water Plc, Bradford, England

Hunt, C.F., Martin, O.V. and Voulvoulis, N. (2009) Species Sensitivity Distribution Scoping Study: Assessment of Cost Effectiveness of Tertiary Treatment. Yorkshire Water Plc, Bradford, England

Martin, O. V. Koh, Y. K. K. Scrimshaw, M. D. and Lester, J. N. (2004) Evaluation of Toxic Element Removal During Conventional Wastewater Treatment. Severn Trent Plc, Birmingham, England

Martin, O. V. (1996) Characterisation of zeolite Y by ion exchange. Grace Davidson GmbH, Worms, Germany

Martin, O. V. (1994) Routine Wastewater Analysis. (in German) Gruppenklärwerk Paderborn, Paderborn, Germany