Meet Cherri Adair

Cherri Adair is an Environmental Scientist at the EPA Laboratory in Ada, OK. She studies how to clean up soil that has been contaminated by gasoline, for example, if there is a leak from a gas station tank. Gasoline that gets into the soil is dangerous because it can eventually get into the water that we drink and use everyday. It also isn't very good for plants to grow in.

The EPA Lab in Ada also studies many kinds of soil and water contamination. Research done at the EPA Lab helps keep people, plants, and animals all over the country safe.

Cherri and the other scientists use chemistry and microbiology every day in the lab. Cherri spends most of her time doing experiments or working on the computer, but she also travels all over the country to study soil contamination sites.

Cherri became interested in the EPA lab when she worked there as a college biology major. She liked what she was doing, so she stuck with it. Cherri likes her work because she does a variety of different tasks. She says her biggest challenge is keeping up with technology that's always changing- because of new techniques, she's learning all the time.

Career Check

Cherri would recommend this career to anyone who likes science. She says it's rewarding to know good things come from her work, and the research she does will benefit future generations. Cherri also likes working at the EPA Lab because it's challenging and interesting- there are always new problems to solve!

Cherri advises anyone interested in this career to get a good background in math and science, especially chemistry.