What training and skills will the ecotoxicologists of the future require

Students and academic researchers conduct a diverse range of studies that add to the growing body of ecotoxicology research. Once an academic researcher entertains an applied research topic, there is potential for that research to be used in local, state or federal regulatory decision or action. The ability of regulatory decision makers to use academic studies to inform decisions is dependent on 1) the relevance of the experiment to regulatory decisions, 2) the reliability of the laboratory and the study itself, and 3) quality reporting of data such that study relevance and reliability are evident. The purpose of this brief communication is to highlight actions that can be taken by SETAC members to enhance the usability of academic research studies in regulatory decision making by promoting training, partnerships and communication. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved