Phoenix, AZ – Dr. Laurie LaPat-Polasko, Vice President and National Director of Remediation and Bridget Hoagland, Project Engineer, Matrix New World Engineering (Matrix), as well as Alexandra LaPat-Polasko of Stanford Medical School were recent guests on Phoenix Business RadioX with Host Karen Nowicki.

During their conversation, Dr. Laurie LaPat-Polasko shared her pivotal life experiences that led to her prominence in this field. “I really didn't have an appreciation of environmental issues until I met Jacques Cousteau, the famed oceanographer. He enlightened me to environmental concerns around the world…Then while I was at Stanford, I isolated a bacteria that degraded harmful compounds which really piqued my interest in how we can clean up pollution on our planet.”

Dr. Laurie LaPat-Polasko further shared her insights on microbes and their effects. “My whole life has been focused on finding the good microbes. They can biodegrade the contaminants and pollutants in our groundwater, in our soil, in our air…” Dr. Alexandra Polasko continued, “I think Matrix is very unique because they combined university research to inform their larger field projects, which is kind of like scaling up from a test kitchen to a full-scale restaurant.”

When speaking on Matrix and their partnership with the University of Stanford, Bridget Hoagland stated, “We’ve worked with the university on other projects, as well. Researching the toxicology of some of these compounds, especially the emerging compounds has been very beneficial because they are on the leading edge. Matrix is doing this research and finding out some of the harmful effects of these new contaminants and how we can clean them up.”

According to Jayne Warne, PE, Matrix President, “We are very fortunate to have Dr. Laurie LaPat-Polasko and Bridget Hoagland and their team investigating microbes and their long-term impact on our planet. We are thankful for Dr. Alexandra Polasko for her tremendous knowledge as we continue to partner with universities.”

To listen to the interview, please click here: https://bit.ly/3Ystgmt

About Dr. Laurie LaPat-Polasko:

Known worldwide for her work developing innovative solutions to address water and soil contamination issues, Dr. LaPat-Polasko has a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Maryland, a M.S. and Engineers Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University, and a B.S. in Biology from Chatham University.

She has studied microbial pathogens around the globe, combining her knowledge of biology, environmental engineering, and microbiology to develop and design innovative “bioremediation” approaches to clean up contaminated sites, creating a green, cost-effective method to degrade diverse contaminants, such as chlorinated solvents, explosives, fuel compounds, and emerging contaminants.

Dr. LaPat-Polasko used qPCR to determine the source of a Naegleria fowleri impact in a drinking water source in the Phoenix, AZ area. Her many years of experience as a technical consultant, project manager, and chief science officer for efforts involving groundwater and soil remediation and wastewater treatment combined with her knowledge of microbiology and civil engineering, result in cost-effective remediation solutions for surface water, groundwater, soil, and sediments impacted by organic and inorganic compounds.

Dr. LaPat-Polasko has been the recipient of several prominent honors. In 2018, she received the GOLD International Stevie Award for Women in Business, Woman of the Year – Technology, and was selected as Outstanding Business Woman of the Year – 2018 by the Phoenix Business Journal for her community leadership, professional accomplishments, and personal achievements and in 2020 she received the Prism Award from the Society of Women, Engineers for Outstanding Leadership in STEM. In 2024, Dr. LaPat-Polasko was selected as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders in Arizona by Women We Admire.

ABOUT BRIDGET HOAGLAND: 

Bridget Hoagland Stamatovski, PE is a Professional Engineer (Mechanical) in the State of Arizona and an Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Grade 1 Certified Operator (Water Distribution Systems). She has over 10 years of professional experience primarily focused on groundwater and soil remediation. Ms. Hoagland Stamatovski’s expertise includes a high-profile and intensely studied federal Superfund site in AZ. Additionally, she has experience as an engineer working at a coal mine locating and identifying culverts, drop structures, and silt fences; evaluating their integrity; inspecting them for overgrowth, erosion, and/or damage; creating and implementing a tracking system; and coordinating their repair with contractors.

At Matrix, Ms. Hoagland performs a variety of tasks including oversight of drilling, installation, testing, and repair of wells; groundwater sampling; assistance with design, operation, maintenance, and optimization of remediation systems; data compilation and analysis; reparation of project reports which recently included examination and review of the assumptions used in establishing certain Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL’s) , the goal of which was to help ADEQ determine the appropriateness of adopting the MCLs as Arizona Aquifer Water Quality Standards (AWQS). Ms. Hoagland is currently working on several in situ bioremediation projects for chlorinated solvents in groundwater at sites from Arizona to Pennsylvania.

ABOUT ALEXANDRA POLASKO:

Dr. Polasko graduated with her bachelor’s in environmental science from UC Berkeley and then attended UCLA for her master’s and PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering where she engineered microbial cultures to break down groundwater pollutants, such as trichloroethene (TCE) and 1,4-dioxane (think Erin Brockovich and A Civil Action). She developed a microbial consortium that includes both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria to remediate commingle groundwater contaminant plumes. The anaerobic microbes (e.g., Dehalococcoides) biodegrade the chlorinated compounds, e.g., TCE under anaerobic conditions, whereas the aerobic microbe Pseudonocardia dioxanivorans CB1190 biodegrades the 1,4-dioxane under aerobic conditions.

She also developed an anti-biofouling coating for medical devices, such as catheters.This unique coating inhibits pathogen growth. Dr. Polasko is an inventor on a patent for the application of this coating that is now part of a UCLA startup called SILQ. Dr. Polasko also did a postdoc at UCLA’s School of Dentistry in oral microbiology, which focused on virulence factors associated with the oral bacteria and producer of bad breath, Fusobacteria nucleatum. These microbes have been shown to contribute to colorectal cancer. Dr. Polasko is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford Medical School in the department of Urology where her research focuses on benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer.

About Business RadioX

BRX provides business shows featuring community leaders and experts on various topics.

About Matrix New World Engineering

Matrix New World Engineering is a company of engineering and science experts who focus on some of the nation’s most pressing long-term challenges, including climate change, resiliency, ecological restoration, contamination studies, water supply, disaster response, and urban revitalization. Matrix believes solving environmental challenges through careful planning and engineering is an indispensable measure of success.

Matrix has offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Arizona, Louisiana, and Chicago, coupled with project experience throughout the United States and the Caribbean.

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