TerraGraphics International Foundation

TIFO prevents pollution from poisoning people. We do this by building lasting partnerships to bring positive change to people harmed by extractive industries. Real Lives We all rely on extractive industries. Every time we use a phone or computer, drive a car or charge a device, we are using resources extracted from the earth. But we are not all directly affected by the dangers of those industries. The extraction of resources from the earth affects the most vulnerable people in the world’s most vulnerable communities—at home and abroad. Every day, people in these communities face unsafe food and water, insecure housing, and a choice between health and earning a day's wage. That’s unjust.   Real Solutions By combining rigorous science with local knowledge, TIFO equips people with the education, training, and workforce development necessary to improve environmental health without sacrificing their livelihoods. When you partner with TIFO you provide solutions by - Advancing technical capacity through collaboration and knowledge exchange - Supporting health interventions for the most vulnerable populations - Providing responsible management of dangerous waste materials Join us in building a world where all communities have the knowledge and skills to protect future generations and maintain livelihoods: https://lnkd.in/g3t7A3NG

Calling all environmental toxicology and chemistry nerds! Abstract submissions are now being accepted for the 2025 PNW SETAC Annual Meeting in Boise, ID, April 14-16, 2025. Abstracts will be accepted until January 17, 2025. (Students may also apply for a travel award within the abstract submission application.) Spread the word! Website: https://buff.ly/3ZHnFt0 Abstract Submission: https://buff.ly/3VLm4Rw

'Tis the season for holiday shopping with impact! Finish up your holiday shopping through ShopRaise and you can win a $100 gift card PLUS $100 will be donated to TIFO (through Dec. 27). The more you shop, the more chances we have to win. How you might ask? Create an account using our ShopRaise page here: https://buff.ly/4iB1LQL. Thank you for supporting TIFO. Raise On!

TIFO Research Intern @marina-steiner continues working with the Ministry of Health Karakalpakstan (MOHK) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to better understand MOHK’s historical water monitoring data. She has combined the historical monitoring data and the 2023 TIFO sample data to perform a Human Health Risk Assessment. Under the guidance of Casey, Margrit, and Ian, she has been able to relate sample concentrations directly to human health risks. We have begun to identify contaminants and rayons of the most significant concern. These findings will inform future health intervention strategies. Marina shared her preliminary analysis at a virtual meeting with MOHK and then at the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) North America Annual Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, in October. The audience loved hearing about TIFO's role in working on the Aral Sea Crisis, and she made some great connections with other researchers in the region.

Mark your calendar! We have an exciting opportunity on the horizon. Dr. Ed Galindo (Yaqui) will visit Moscow, ID, for a book signing event on May 10, 2025, at BookPeople. He is a member of the TIFO board of directors and has worked extensively in education and research with Native American students. He was twice elected as the National Indian Teacher of the Year, awarded by the National Indian School Board Association. Dr. Galindo's two books, "Children of the Stars" and "Dance of the Salmon," tell incredible stories from his time teaching at the Ft. Hall Indian Reservation that weave together environmentalism, indigenous culture, and personal transformation. Dr. Galindo is associate director for education and diversity at the NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium, former faculty member at the University of Idaho, and affiliate faculty at Idaho State University (Biology Department) and Utah State University (Physics/Engineer Department). He received his PhD as a NASA fellow from Utah State University. Dr. Galindo led the first American Indian science team on NASA’s KC-135 (astronaut trainer) and was the lead in designing and constructing the first American Indian science experiment to launch into space aboard Space Shuttle Discovery (1998).

Congratulations Phindele! Phindele Ugwu, former TIFO GEMs participant, recently completed her Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences at North-West University in South Africa. Her dissertation is on the risk of residual mercury from historical mining in South Africa. We are so thrilled for Phindile and this wonderful accomplishment! What is the GEMs program, you ask? Learn more here: https://buff.ly/4iw7B63

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about TIFO! The Q4 newsletter is out and chock-full of recent TIFO activities. Didn't get your newsletter or want to read it right now online? Visit https://buff.ly/3ZC4Ica to check your subscription and get the latest word!

To all our friends and organizations working in low- to middle-income countries, this post is for you! Swipe to explore a roundup of funding opportunities for early-career researchers and postgraduate students, compliments of the team at Seeding Labs. Make sure to share with your colleagues!

“GivingTuesday exists to build the world we all imagine to be possible. A world where everyone has what they need; a world built on a sense of community and abundance.” - https://buff.ly/2v2sIXw GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day encouraging people to do good. Since then, it has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. Join us in supporting healthy communities around the world: https://buff.ly/40MzL6m

Happy #GivingTuesday! Let's transform the world through radical generosity. Join the GivingTuesday movement and reimagine a world built upon shared humanity and generosity: https://buff.ly/40MzL6m The first 15 donations made TODAY will get a TIFO tree ornament! (Shipping within the U.S. only.)