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Professor Jerold Last School of Medicine Recipient 2002-2003 Professor Last has a distinguished public service career in the field of environmental health issues. As Director of the Toxic Substances Research and Teaching Program for over 15 years, he has participated in numerous studies addressing public health and environmental issues. Most recently, he has worked with the California legislature and the Environmental Protection Agency addressing the health and environmental impacts of MTBE as a gasoline additive and conducting a risk assessment to set a health-based standard for Chromium-6 in drinking water. The theme of Professor Last’s service has been to provide scientific expertise for addressing complex and challenging environmental health issues. The basis for most of his efforts has been his leadership of the University of California Toxic Substances Research and Teaching Program, a statewide program involving all of the University’s campuses. In addition to coordinating the program, he has provided support and expertise to numerous governmental committees and agencies, providing solid scientific input on issues relating to toxic substances in the environment. In this capacity, Dr. Last had addressed various U.S. Congressional subcommittees, California Senate and Assembly subcommittees, and numerous California administrative agencies. Because of his leadership as Director of the Toxic Substances Research and Teaching Program, Dr. Last was selected to participate or lead several projects to address environmental health issues in the State. The first of these involved his participation in efforts to address environmental health problems during the closure of Mare Island Naval Shipyard which was a source of serious environmental contamination. The result of this project was a plan that allowed for technology transfer from UC Davis researchers to Mare Island staff and a comprehensive plan for implementing new technologies necessary for environmental cleanup. Another major project was the University of California Blue Ribbon Panel on MTBE which Dr. Last chaired. This panel was charged with advising Governor Wilson and Governor Davis on the environmental and health issues related to MTBE in gasoline. The issues pertaining to MTBE contamination in state water supplies were particularly sensitive ones, and Dr. Last’s leadership has been acknowledged as meeting the highest scientific standards for formulating public health policy. And, as a result of Dr. Last’s leadership, there will be no MTBE in California gasoline by the end of this year, an accomplishment sure to benefit the health of all Californians. Most recently, in 2000, Dr. Last was asked by the California Environmental Protection Agency to take on an even more challenging issue, namely to set public health standards for Chromium-6 in drinking water. Because of the enormous public interest in this specific issue after the movie Erin Brokovich, it was critical to ensure that state policy was based on solid science. Dr. Last put together a panel of experts to provide a scientific study providing direction to the State in handling this sensitive issue. As a result of this work, Dr. Last is now serving as an invited member of the National Toxicology Programs Advisory Committee on Chromium-6. These projects are but a few highlights of Dr. Last’s extensive public service. Dr. Last has been a wise and capable leader in showing how science can serve the public good by addressing the complex issues arising in environmental contamination affecting the public health. |
