by Priscilla Campbell

Erin Chaney began her postgraduate appointment at the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine (USACHPPM) in February 2001 and found herself in Pisa, Italy, four months later. Chaney, who holds a B.A. in Physics from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, is studying methods to evaluate optical radiation hazards.

In Pisa, she attended the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Environmental UV Radiation: Impact on Ecosystems and Human Health and Predictive Models. During this symposium, Chaney learned of trends in the ozone layer and how they translate into increased UV radiation at the Earth’s surface. She learned more about methods of measuring UV radiation and complications with measurement systems. In addition, she learned about the effects of UV overexposure on human health, including its role in skin cancer, immunosuppression and eye damage. USACHPPM will use this information in educating military and civilian personnel about health hazards of UV overexposure. 

Chaney’s research at USACHPPM will contribute to this health promotion effort. She is testing light emitting diodes to characterize the size of each optical radiation source.

“Although current safety standards for optical sources depend on the location and size of the apparent source, methods for measuring these quantities are not currently available,” says Chaney. “Determination of the size and location of an optical source are an important part of classifying a source and determining if it could be hazardous.  Sometimes it’s fairly easy to measure the source, but sometimes [as in the case of these light emitting diodes (LEDs)] it can be rather complicated. The International Electrotechnical Commission is attempting to develop better guidelines for the characterization of LEDs, and source size is one of the points they are trying to clarify.” 

USACHPPM and a number of laboratories are comparing measurements of source size and location of a variety of LEDs in order to determine a reliable method. Ultimately, a method should be developed that will result in greater accuracy in applying the safety standards. Chaney assists Wesley Marshall, a senior USACHPPM scientist, with this project. 

Another project has Chaney puzzling over how the effects of UV radiation are in the eye of the beholder. She uses meters of different shapes to simulate how the human eye is exposed to UV radiation, and what conditions might influence a person’s exposure.  Chaney’s research may affect future preventive medicine guidance about UV exposures to people who work and play outdoors.  For more information about Chaney’s research, contact her at Erin.Chaney@apg.amedd.army.mil. 

Chaney is a woman of many interests and talents. She has experience in theater and an interest in environmental research. While a student at the College of Notre Dame, she investigated gravitational lensing during an internship at the Space Science Telescope Institute in Baltimore.

When asked what it is like to be a young woman in a male-dominated scientific field, Chaney remains undaunted. “Penelope Galoff is a physical scientist in the department here at CHPPM. She is a good role model. It would be neat to mentor another female physicist some day.”

Regarding future plans, Chaney is keeping her options open. She has two more years of eligibility as an ORISE participant and is weighing a return to school for graduate study.  

Chaney appreciates the opportunity to conduct interesting research at USACHPPM with James Franks and David Sliney. As the trip to Italy attests, Chaney’s mentors are interested in introducing her to world-class scientific methods and researchers.

“We are delighted to make a training investment to help Erin reach her potential as a young scientist,” say Franks and Sliney. “Her contributions to USACHPPM, and to the soldiers and civilians for whom we provide health promotion information, could be truly significant. The ORISE program gives us an easy vehicle to bring Erin into our labs. We find this a win-win arrangement for USACHPPM and Erin.”