Rachel F. Marek, a University of Iowa associate research scientist, has devoted much of her career to protecting humans from harmful chemicals by better understanding and mitigating exposure to toxins.
Based in the College of Engineering, Marek contributes to IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the Iowa Superfund Research Program.
She has been at Iowa for nearly 20 years, initially as a student.
A chemistry professor at Grinnell College, where Marek earned a bachelor’s degree in 2006, made an introduction to Keri Hornbuckle, an Iowa professor of civil and environmental engineering based on a mutual interest in environmental chemistry. Marek completed a PhD in environmental engineering in 2013 with Hornbuckle as advisor.
“We've been writing grants together ever since,” Marek said.
Marek's work focuses on detection and analysis of toxic substances, such as PCBs, siloxanes, and pesticides, found in sediment, school building materials, and products used by humans. State-of-the-art analytical methods enable measuring these chemicals and generating high-quality data to zero in on the most effective remediation strategies to reduce human exposure.
Marek’s responsibilities include training student researchers, maintaining lab equipment, writing grant proposals and reports, giving presentations, analyzing data, and reviewing manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals.
Collaborative research endeavors are also important to Marek’s work. She works with communities requiring expertise in collecting samples and interpreting data, helping them make informed decisions about protecting their health and allocating resources for remediation.
Numerous accolades have honored Marek’s contributions, including the Engineering Staff Excellence Award for Research, Stanley International Travel Award, and two exceptional performance awards. Beyond professional achievements, the Ames native grew up playing drums and percussion and was active in soccer and basketball through college. Today, she coaches youth sports and supports women's soccer and basketball."
A passion for solving complex environmental issues drives Marek to continue to push the boundaries of her research, making a significant impact on public health and environmental safety.
“I really enjoy working on teams and with students who bring a lot of enthusiasm for tackling problems,” Marek said. “The communities who ask for our help collecting samples and interpreting the data want to know how to protect their health and best spend their precious community dollars on remediation. We all work together to try to solve these complex issues.”