Karen Tuerk

Karen Tuerk serves as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at the University of South Carolina, teaching interdisciplinary Environmental Science courses that examine human impacts on ecosystems, water/air quality, and climate change at local and global scales.

Education:

• M.S., University of Charleston
• B.S., Western Washington University

Research Focus: Her work investigates unintentional human impacts on marine environments, including detection of persistent organic pollutants (pesticides, flame retardants) in dolphin tissues through collaboration with the National Marine Mammal Stranding Network and NIST, and microbial responses to nutrient loading in developed-area estuaries.

Mentorship: She supervises undergraduate research via Chemistry and Environmental Science independent studies, Dana Scholars projects, and internships focusing on macroinvertebrates, stream health, soil analysis, and ecosystem assessment.

Collaborations: Partnerships include the National Marine Mammal Stranding Network and National Institute of Standards and Technology for marine pollutant research.