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Dr Jennifer Rayner, PhD, DABT

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Dr. Jennifer Rayner attended the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham, NC during her junior and senior high school years which helped develop her love for science.  Before starting college, Jennifer conducted research in the laboratory of Dr. Goldie Byrd at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), Durham, NC.  Upon entering NCCU, she continued to conduct research during the academic year as well as during the summers at MIT and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), Chapel Hill, NC.  Jennifer graduated in 2001 from NCCU with B.S. degrees in Biology and Environmental Science.  She then started her graduate studies at UNC-Chapel Hill and graduated in 2006 with a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences and Engineering.  Jennifer conducted her dissertation research with Dr. Suzanne Fenton in the Reproductive Toxicology Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC.  During her graduate studies, she found time to conduct research at The Proctor & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH as a pre-doctoral intern.  Her research expertise and interests include developmental/reproductive outcomes from gestational exposure with emphasis on reproductive organ development and fetal basis of adult disease.  She also has interests and expertise in acute and chronic ecotoxicity, mammalian, and in vitro studies.  She is currently a toxicologist at SRC, Inc., in Arlington, VA where she works with a team to develop toxicity assessments and technical documents to protect human health and decrease environmental impacts.  On a day-to-day basis, she conducts critical analysis of scientific literature, toxicological studies, and reports and writes summaries, technical documents, and literature reviews to present findings to external audiences.  She has several published peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and abstracts. In 2010, Jennifer was certified in General Toxicology by the American Board of Toxicology and continues to maintain her certification.  Dr. Rayner has been involved with SOT since 2001 when she attended the Committee on Diversity Initiatives (CDI) Undergraduate Diversity Program.  She has continued involvement with the CDI Undergraduate Program through the years, serving as Peer Mentor, Host Mentor, CDI Committee member, and CDI Chair.  Other activities include SOT Table Host for In Vitro Toxicology Lecture and Luncheon, SOT Mentoring Breakfast facilitator, SOT Mentoring Task Force member, SOT Continuing Education Committee, Councilor for SOT Toxicologists of African Origin, SOT Continuing Education Committee Co-Chair, County Science Fair Judge, and financial stewardship communicator.  She served as a mentor in the Toxicology Mentoring and Skills Development Training Program, a year-long mentoring program for undergraduate students, in which has been able to guide the development of future scientists. She firmly believes in helping the next generation to be successful and her passion is to see more underrepresented students in toxicology.     

Member Since 2004