PROTECT Center Holds Annual Retreat in Atlanta, GA

On March 2nd and 3rd, 2018, 42 PROTECT researchers, trainees, administrators, advisers, colleagues, and guests from across mainland U.S. and Puerto Rico gathered in Atlanta, Georgia for the Center’s Annual Retreat.

This year’s retreat was slightly out of the ordinary due to its location; normally held in Puerto Rico, the event needed to be rebooked to take place in Georgia to allow for continued Hurricane Irma and Maria recovery efforts. The hurricane’s impact and PROTECT’s next steps for working to provide support to the community in Puerto Rico was an ever-present theme of meeting discussions.

The event was held at the Atlanta Hilton Hotel and featured presentations sharing team progress from the leaders of each project and core. Following each presentation, Scientific Advisory Committee members in attendance (see full list below) provided valuable guidance, advice, and assessment for the projects, cores, and center. Thank you to all that participated in this event!

Scientific Advisory Committee Members in attendance: Alan Fleischman (Albert Einstein College of Medicine), Howard Chang (Emory University), Tissa Illangasekare (Colorado School of Mines), Malcolm Field (EPA), Susan Weintraub (University of Texas Health Sc. Center), Thomas McElrath (Harvard Medical School; B&W Hospital)