Faculty Biography
Summary | Education | Appointments | Committees | Publications | Presentations | Courses | Advising
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Conrad (Dan) Volz, DrPH, MPHAssistant Professor Bridgeside Point, 100 Technology Drive Administrative Assistant: Sara Gillooly |
Dr. Volz during Kiska expedition |
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Biography (Summary)
Dr. Volz is an Assistant Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH) at the Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH), Director for the GSPH Environmental Health Risk Assessment Certificate Program and Director for the Center for Healthy Environments and Communities (CHEC) at GSPH, University of Pittsburgh. He also has a secondary appointment as an Assistant Professor in the School of Law and is a technical consultant to the University of Pittsburgh Environmental Law Clinic. Dr Volz’s research interests are primarily focused on how industrial and municipal contaminants, including toxic heavy metals and elements (Hg, As, Se etc), and endocrine disrupting chemicals-particularly those that are estrogenic, move through the air, water, soil and groundwater to reach people and how to block this movement. He is a specialist in the fields of human and ecological receptor exposure assessment and fate and transport of contaminants through environmental media and teaches these classes at the GSPH.
Dr. Volz was the Principal Investigator for the 2005 Three Rivers Fish Consumption Project, which has found significantly elevated MCF-7 human breast cancer cell proliferation from application of extracts of southwestern PA area channel catfish. The MCF-7 cell proliferation assay is exquisitely sensitive to estrogenic chemicals including pharmaceutical estrogens and xenoestrogens. In this study MCF-7 proliferation indexes of channel catfish extract were highest in river reaches having the highest density per mile of combined and sanitary sewer overflows. This project has also discovered significantly elevated levels of heavy metals and elements, including selenium and mercury, in fish in the Allegheny River and even Store-Bought Fish.
He was Director of the 2004 Amchitka Expedition to determine radionuclide concentrations in marine biota from underground nuclear test shots fired in the Aleutian Islands. Dr. Volz is the PI for the Allegheny River Stewardship Project (ARSP) of 2008, a Heinz Endowment, and Alle-Kiski Health Foundation funded, community based participatory environmental research and outreach program that is testing several hypotheses concerning identification of sources of pollution by sampling of fish, sediment and water in different locations of the Allegheny River.
Dr. Volz has over 30 years experience in occupational-environmental health; he received his initial training in Public and Occupational Health in the Department of Occupational Health at GSPH on a fellowship from the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Dr. Volz holds an MPH and Doctor of Public Health degree from GSPH. After holding progressively responsible posts in private industry (National Steel Corporation), government (California OSHA Consultation Service) and non-governmental agencies (Western Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, Berkeley California), Dr. Volz started an environmental health consulting company in 1984. He has worked in 24 different countries on 5 continents performing radionuclide transport studies, occupational / environmental contaminant/toxin exposure pathway analysis, exposure assessments, environmental risk assessments and engineer and policymaker training. He joined the faculty of EOH-GSPH in May of 2004. Dr. Volz was elected to the Omicron Chapter, Delta Omega Honor Society, National Public Health Honor Society in 2006. He recently received the endowed, Dr. James L. Craig Award for Teaching Excellence at GSPH for year 2008-2009.
More Information: Print Bio (PDF) | Print Biosketch (PDF)
Education
| 1975 | University of Pittsburgh B.S. Biochemistry & Biophysics Pittsburgh, PA College of Arts & Sciences |
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| 1976 | University of Pittsburgh Life Science Studies, Neurosciences Pittsburgh, PA Graduate Research Faculty of Arts & Assistant Sciences |
| 1977 | University of Pittsburgh M.S. Hyg. Industrial Hygiene Pittsburgh, PA Graduate School of Public Health National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health Fellowship |
| 1997 | University of Pittsburgh MPH, Master of Public Health Pittsburgh, PA Graduate School of Public Health |
| 2002 | University of Pittsburgh DrPH, Doctor of Public Health Pittsburgh, PA Graduate School of Public Health |
Appointments & Positions
| 1975-1976 | Life Sciences Program, Neurosciences Faculty of Arts & Sciences University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA |
Teaching Assistant, Graduate Student Researcher | |
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| 1976-1978 | Industrial Health Foundation Pittsburgh, PA |
Industrial Hygiene Researcher | |
| 1977-1978 | National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health Graduate School of Public Health Occupational Health Sciences Department University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA |
Fellow | |
| 1978-1979 | National Steel Corporation Pittsburgh, PA |
Corporate Industrial Hygienist | |
| 1979-1980 | California Occupational Safety & Health Administration San Francisco, CA |
Consultant | |
| 1980-1982 | Western Institute for Occupational/ Environmental Health Berkeley, CA - Carcinogen/Mutagen/Teratogen Demonstration Project Grantee, National Cancer Institute (NCI); EPA; United States Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (New Directions Grantee) - |
Technical Consultant | |
| W.I.O.E.S. Occupational/Environmental Cancer Resource Center - Served as technical expert on industrial hygiene, & carcinogen & toxic substance control procedures for project serving industry, unions, citizens and government. Supported by the DHHS, NIH, NCI. Work involved all facets of toxic substance control. Work also included consultations regarding atomic veterans march to ground zero in the 1950’s. |
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| Shipyard Health Education Programs (SHEP) - Responsible for giving technical assistance to shipyard unions & management on occupational/ environmental health evaluation & control for general shipbuilding, including nuclear operations. Developed a slide show on occupational health engineering control techqniques for shipyards. Work sites included all in-country U.S. Navy shipbuilding and maintenance sites with significant time spent at Pearl Harbor, Authored “Radiation and Health, A Guide for Radiation Workers”. |
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| 1982-1992 | Volz Environmental Services, Inc. (Volz) (Volz), Occupational & Environmental Health Consulting and Risk Management Corporation located at the University of Pittsburgh Applied Research Center (UPARC), Pittsburgh, PA. Volz Environmental provided Environmental Health, Occupational Health & Safety, Asbestos, Indoor Air Quality, Hazardous Waste Management, & Environmental Assessment/Impact & Risk consulting services to State, County, & Municipal governments: worldwide. |
Founder, President, & CEO | |
| Environmental Health & Safety Bruin Lagoon Superfund Clean-up Site Provided all occupational safety & health & environmental health services on clean-up of the EPA’s 3rd most hazardous superfund site. - Work included general environmental monitoring for benzene, toluene, xylene, chlorinated hydrocarbons & particulate sampling as well as specialty occupational & environmental real time sampling using portable OVM and gas chromatographs. Work also included interface with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard & EPA & state & county officials regarding emergency procedures for gas, vapor &/or particulate releases & explosives & fire protection. Interface with county officials included emergency drills & actual evacuation due to vapor release. |
Consultant | ||
| The Worldwide Asbestos Survey of the Department of Defense Dependent Schools & Selected Base. - Responsibilities included development & delivery of professional training courses for foreign architects & engineers (Frankfurt, Germany & Seoul, South Korea) & a general informational program for administrators and maintenance workers, surveying all DOD bases for asbestos, laboratory analysis of all bulk & air samples, preparation of omnibus abatement specifications & oversight & air monitoring of all asbestos abatement. Services were delivered simultaneously on four continents & included 24 countries; work supervised by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Middle East, Africa Operations Group. |
Principal | ||
| 1992-1997 | Volz Environmental Services, Inc. | Board of Directors, Consultant | |
| 1997-2004 | International Public Health & Environmental Health | Consultant | |
| Structural, Implementation & Intermediate & Ultimate Outcome Evaluation of the American Cancer Society’s, Teen Fresh Start Tobacco Cessation Program. - Work included development of research questions & questionnaire pilot testing, sampling design, data analysis, report preparation & recommendations regarding program nationalization. |
Principal Investigator | ||
| 2003-2004 | Community Collaboration in Public Health, A Workshop to Improve Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Sakhalin-Sakhalin Island, The Russian Federation - Sponsored by the U.S. Cultural Affairs, Office of Citizen Exchanges & Magee Department of State, Bureau of Educational & Womancare International. Work included development of environmental health priority setting models, community environmental health assessments & the development of curriculum focused on implementing environmental health programs with measurable outcomes. |
Principal | |
| 2004 | Consortium for Risk Assessment with Stakeholder Participation (CRESP) Amchitka Science Plan - Initial responsibilities included all logistical preparations, including general & radiation safety & health issues for a project to determine if there is radionuclide leakage from Amchitka Island in the Aleutian Chain into the marine environment. Amchitka is the site of 3 underground nuclear tests. - On-island work included biota sampling, water & sediment sampling, oceanography, salinity gradient measurement, island movement studies & magnetotellurics. On-going work includes development of laboratory OA/OC procedures for Actinide & Gamma Emitter Analysis, statistical analysis & final report. Work done via a grant from the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA), Stakeholders include DOE, NNSA, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, the Aleut/Pribiloff Island Association (APIA) & the Alaska Department of Environmental Protection. |
Project Manager | |
| 2004-2007 | Department of Environmental & Occupational Health University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health Pittsburgh, PA |
Visiting Assistant Professor of Public Health Practice | |
| 2005-2007 | Center for Healthy Environments & Communities University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health Pittsburgh, PA |
Scientific Director | |
| 2005-2008 | University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Center for Environmental Oncology Pittsburgh, PA |
Co-Director, Environmental Assessment & Control | |
| 2007-Present | Department of Environmental & Occupational Health University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health Pittsburgh, PA |
Assistant Professor of Public Health Practice | |
| 2008-Present | Center for Healthy Environments & Communities University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health Pittsburgh, PA |
Director | |
| 2008-Present | Environmental Health Risk Assessment Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Graduate School of Public Health Pittsburgh, PA |
Director | |
| 2008-Present | University of Pittsburgh School of Law |
Assistant Professor of Law (Secondary Appointment) |
Committees / Memberships
Advisory Boards
- Advisory Board/ Healthy Homes Resource, Pittsburgh, PA –Environmental Asthma Mitigation Agency.
- University of Pittsburgh, School of Law, Journal of Environmental and Public Health Law and Policy, Faculty Advisor.
- Heinz School- Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, Capstone Project/Faculty Advisor – Measurement of Environmental Justice Issues in Allegheny County.
- Scientific Advisory Chair, The Collaborative on Health and the Environment Pennsylvania, CHE – Penn.
- Institute of Politics, University of Pittsburgh, Environmental/Water Quality Committee, Committee Member.
- Flood Symposium Planning Committee, Primary Prevention Specialist –“Development and Effect Water Quality and Flood Risk” Center for Public Health Preparedness”, Center for Public Health Practice, Graduate School of Public Health.
Committees
| Dates | Organization |
| 2008 | Environmental Juror, The Heinz Awards |
| 2008 | Committee Member, Allegheny-Kiski Health Foundation, Act 48 Seminar Planning |
| 2004- 2006 |
Conference Contributor, Community Campus Partnerships for Health, Member |
| 2004- 2005 |
June-September, GSPH Representative, American Schools of Public Health, Environmental Section |
| 2005 | GSPH Representative, Pennsylvania Consortium for Interdisciplinary Environmental Policy (PCIEP) |
| 2005 | Deans Day Committee, Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH), University of Pittsburgh, Committee Member |
| 2005 | Disaster Network of Networks, GSPH, University of Pittsburgh, WHO Collaboration Center, Supercourse, Committee Member |
| 2005 | Practice, GSPH, University of Pittsburgh – Planning Committee Member for the Ivan Flood Symposium |
| 2005 | Advisory Board Water Quality Management, Allegheny County Health Department, Environmental Capacity Building Workshop / CDC |
| 2005 | Conference Organizer and Participant, European Union and North American Conference on Indoor Air Quality, GSPH & Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh |
| 2004 | Conference Planning Committee / Organizer, Pennsylvania Asthma Summit / CDC / PADOH View Action Plan (PDF)» |
Memberships in Professional and Scientific Societies
- 1978 - 1982: American Public Health Association
- 1978 - 1982: American Industrial Hygiene Association
- 1988 - 1992: National Asbestos Council Marketing Board Member
- 1988 - 1992: Pennsylvania Chapter, National Asbestos Council State Board Member
- 2004 - present: Community Campus Partnerships for Health
- 2007 - present: American Public Health Association
Honors
- 2006: Omicron Chapter, Delta Omega Honor Society, National Public Health Honor Society
- 2009: Dr. James L. Craig Award for Teaching Excellence, Awarded 59th Graduate School of Public Health Convocation
