Dr. Kimberly Plank’s dissertation research investigated the ecological role of the root enzyme polyphenol oxidase in the invasive plant genus Bromus. She currently is a Biologist in the Technical Support Group at the United States Environmental Protection Agency, where she serves an advisory role for site and project managers to develop and implement remedies and mitigation strategies to reduce risk to environmental receptors at Superfund sites. She ensures Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and National Contingency Plan (NCP) mandates as well as selected remedies protective of the environment through involvement in all stages of the cleanup process. Risk assessments require knowledge of not just biology, ecology, organic/inorganic chemistry, statistics, but also of hazardous materials and how they affect natural systems, including fate and transport of contaminants in the environment as they manifest through water quality, aquatic and wildlife toxicology, and food chain dynamics. Identification of ecological resources combined with an understanding of related regulations is essential for protection of aquatic and terrestrial species.