Ian N. Balcom, PhD

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Associate Professor of Chemistry and Environmental Toxicology, Lyndon State College of Vermont

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Education

 

 

Ph.D.               Environmental Toxicology, University of California at Riverside, 2007.

 

B.S.                 Botany, University of Vermont, 2001.

 

Professional Positions

 

Current                Associate Professor. Department of Natural Sciences, Chemistry and Environmental Toxicology. Undergraduate education & research. Teaching experience: general and organic chemistry, environmental chemistry, environmental toxicology, and environmental science, ecological design, and soil science. Research program: applied ecological design for management of persistent and emerging pollutants, microbial ecology of pollutant-impacted ecosystems, and ecological design for environmental restoration.Northern Vermont University, Lyndonville Campus, Lyndonville, Vermont.

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2010-2017          Assistant Professor.  Department of Natural Sciences, Chemistry and Environmental Toxicology. Undergraduate education & research. Courses taught: chemistry, environmental chemistry, environmental toxicology, and environmental science, ecology, and soil science. Research program: applied ecological design for management of persistent and emerging pollutants, microbial ecology of pollutant-impacted ecosystems, and ecological design for environmental restoration. Lyndon State College, Lyndonville, VT.

 

2009-2010       Associate Toxicologist. Ecotoxicological technical guidance, supervision, and risk assessment for environmental cleanup sites throughout the sate of California. Cal/EPA Department of Toxic Substances Control, Sacramento, CA.

 

2008-2009       Natural Resource Specialist. Managed soil and water contamination cleanup projects, ecotoxicological risk assessment, conduct site characterization (soil, surface, and groundwater field sampling), operated and maintained a direct-push geotechnical drill truck, provide GIS renderings, drafted green and sustainable cleanup guidance, and maintained public records database. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Eugene, OR

 

2007-2008       Agricultural Specialist. Managed statewide agricultural soil impact mitigation program. Vermont Association of Conservation Districts. Contracted by Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Montpelier, VT

 

2006-2007       Adjunct Professor. Landscape Development and Ornamental Horticulture, Vermont Technical College, Randolph, VT

 

2002-2007       Graduate Student Researcher. Researched plant-soil-microbe interactions in organic pollutant phytoremediation systems. Utilized culture-independent molecular techniques to characterize microbial ecology of recalcitrant pollutant biodegradation. Dr. Crowley Lab, University of California at Riverside, Riverside, CA

 

2006                Soil Microbial Ecologist.  Provided microbiological technical research support for fate and transport of bovine waste contaminants in agricultural soil. George E Brown Jr. Salinity Lab, USDA, Riverside, CA

 

2005-2006       Instructor. The Copernicus Project. Applied Environmental Microbiology: Fingerprinting Microbial Communities in Petroleum Contaminated Soils. Southern California Community College Consortium Workshop Series. University of California at Riverside, Riverside, CA

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Recent Funded Research

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• 2013-2017  Metagenomic analysis of an ecological wastewater treatment plant’s microbial communities and their potential to metabolize pharmaceuticals. Vermont Genetics Network (NIH).

• 2012-2013   Fate and transport of pharmaceuticals an ecological wastewater treatment plant. Vermont Genetics Network.

• 2014-2015  Coupling mycoremediation and phytoremediation for carbon sequestration and cold-climate soil bioremediation. Vermont Dept. of Environmental Conservation

 

Publications

 

 

2016                Balcom I. N., Driscoll H, Vincent J and Leduc M. Metagenomic analysis of an ecological wastewater treatment plant’s microbial communities and their potential to metabolize pharmaceuticals. F1000Research. 2016, 5:1881 (doi: 10.12688/f1000research.9157.1)

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2010                Balcom, I. N. and D. E. Crowley. Isolation and Characterization of Pyrene Metabolizing Microbial Consortia from the Plant Rhizoplane. International Journal of Phytoremediation. Volume 12 Issue 6, August 2010.

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2009                Balcom, I. N. and D. E. Crowley. Pyrene Effects on Rhizoplane Bacterial Diversity. International Journal of Phytoremediation. 11:609–622, 2009

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2007                Balcom, I. N. Phylogenetic Analysis of the Microbial Communities of Soils in the La Brea Asphalt Seeps and PAH Contaminated Rhizoplane. Doctoral Dissertation. Environmental Toxicology. University of California at Riverside, Riverside, California. 2007

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Honors, Grants, and Fellowships

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2016-2017       Vermont Genetics Network, Vermont Genetics Network Pilot Grant, $25,000 http://vgn.uvm.edu/

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2015-2016       Vermont Genetics Network, Vermont Genetics Network Pilot Grant, $25,000 http://vgn.uvm.edu/

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2014-16           Vermont Dept. of Environmental Conservation Petroleum Cleanup Fund. Pilot Grant. $5,000

 

2014- 15          Vermont Genetics Network Pilot Grant, $10,000 http://vgn.uvm.edu/

 

2014                Award recipient for integrating research into undergraduate courses: Vermont Genetics Network Annual Conference. $750

 

2013-14           Vermont Genetics Network Pilot Grant $10,000 http://vgn.uvm.edu/

 

2004-06           Fellowship, University of California Toxic Substances Research and Teaching Program $50,000

 

2004                Scholarship, SETAC Summer School, Life Cycle Assessment and Green Chemistry. Prague, Czech Republic

 

2002-03           Dean’s Dissertation Fellowship, UCR Environmental Toxicology Interdisciplinary Graduate Program.

 

2002                Travel and Attendance Scholarship, NATO ASI on Phytoremediation. Trest, Czech Republic.

 

Professional Activities

 

Current           Member of the Interagency Committee on Chemical Management, Citizen Advisory Panel. VT Act 154, State of Vermont. 

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Current            (2005-) Member of the International Phytotechnology Society http://phytosociety.org

 

Current            (2010-) Journal review panel. International Journal of Phytoremediation. http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/bijp20/current#.VK1RVicvCcM

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2016-2017         Agency of Natural Resources Toxic Chemical Use Working Group. Vermont General Assembly H.595 (Act 154) mandated advisory group on emerging contaminants.

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2004-2016         Member, American Society of Microbiology

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2011-2014           Northeast Regional Development Council Brownfield advisory board.

 

2015-2016         Workgroup committee member for bioavailability of organic pollutants in soil technical guidance document. Interstate Technical and Regulatory Committee (ITRC). http://www.itrcweb.org

 

2004-2017        Member of Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC). http://www.setac.org/

 

2015                Battelle Bioremediation Conference, Miami, FL

 

2014-2015       Board of Directors of the International Phytotechnology Society. http://phytosociety.org/

 

2013-2014       Interim Chair of the Department of Natural Sciences. Lyndon State College, Lyndonville, VT. http://lyndonstate.edu/degree-programs/natural-sciences/

 

2013                Vermont Science Initiative lead instructor. Summer intensive science workshop for Vermont K-8 science teachers. Applying ecosystem services for the management of water resources. Lyndon State College, Lyndonville, VT. http://vtscience.org/

 

2009                Sixth International Phytotechnologies Conference – Presenter St Louis MO

 

2009                Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) Green and Sustainable Remediation guidance team member. 

                        http://www.itrcweb.org/teampublic_GSR.asp

 

2009                Soak It Up: Phytotechnology Solutions for Water Challenges. Presentation Title: Plant Physiology of Phytotechnology. Sustainable Plant Research and Outreach Center, Silverton, Oregon.

 

2008                24hr HAZWOPER Certification. Portland, OR

 

2005-2006       Founder – SustainableUCR student organization. Chancellor’s Committee on Sustainability. Invited member of City of Riverside Mayor’s “Clean and Green” Round Table. University of California at Riverside, Riverside, CA

 

2005                Bioneers Annual Conference. San Rafael, CA. Volunteer Conference Assistant.

 

2004                Society of Environmental Toxicology And Chemistry (SETAC) Summer School- Lifecycle Cost Assessment - Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague, Czech Republic

 

2002                NATO Advanced Studies Institute on Phytoremediation- Trest, Czech Republic

 

Teaching Experience

 

 

2010 –               Lyndon State College, Department of Natural Sciences.

                                    Courses taught: Intro to Environmental Science, Sustainable Living, Microbiology, Environmental Toxicology, Ecology, General Chemistry I & II, Organic Chemistry I & II, General Chemistry Lab, Organic Chemistry Lab, Outline of Chemistry (General, Organic and Biochemistry), and Environmental Site Assessment.

 

2007-2008        Vermont Technical College, Department of Horticulture and Ornamental Landscape Development. Courses taught: Greenhouse Management and Plant Pathology.

 

2005-2006       University of California, Riverside. Department of Environmental Sciences. Courses taught: En