Bio Page

Charlotte Coffman

Senior Extension Associate
204 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall
FSAD
 
Phone: (607) 255-2009
Fax: (607) 255-1093
Email: cwc4@cornell.edu
View Cornell Contact Info
Biographical Statement:

My educational background is in microbiology, medical technology, and food chemistry. My research focuses on using personal protective equipment to reduce human exposure to pesticides. I lead two extension efforts: 1) Personal Pesticide Protection and 2) Fiber Science and Apparel Design Programs for Youth (K-12).  Personal interests include ethnographic textiles, textile arts, tennis, and youth education.

Current Professional Activities:

USDA Regional Research NC-170 Project; 4-H/Youth Development Science and Technology Program Work Team; K-12 Science, Math, Engineering, and Technology Outreach Coordinators; National Extension Association of 4-H Agents; National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences; Gamma Sigma Delta; Epsilon Sigma Phi.

Related Websites:

Education:
  • M.S. 1976 - University of the Philippines, Los Baņos, Laguna, Philippines.  Food Sci. & Tech.
  • B.S. 1966 - University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.   Microbiology.

Current Research Activities:

Identify ways of using personal protective equipment to reduce human exposure to pesticides and study pesticide applicator attitudes and practices in regard to protective clothing. 

Selected Publications:
Eames-Sheavly, M, and Coffman CW.  2008.  Fashioning Flora to Fibre, Green Teacher, 84: 9-11.

Eames-Sheavly, M, and Coffman CW.  2007.  Plants and Textiles: A Legacy of Technology ? Introducing a New On-Line Project for Youth.  Journal of Extension, 45 (6), Article No. 6TOT3.  Online at <http://www.joe.org/joe/2007december/tt3.shtml>

Eames-Sheavly, M, Gans, J and Coffman, CW.  2007.  What Makes a Great Science Experience? A Program Planning Checklist for Educators, Journal of Extension, 45 (4), Article 4T0T2.  Online at <http://www.joe.org/joe/2007august/tt2.shtml>

Coffman, CW, Stone, JF, Slocum, A, Landers, AJ, Schwab, CV, Olsen, LG, and Lee, S.  2006.  Poster Abstract, Influence of Engineering Controls on Personal Protective Equipment Use, Proceedings of International Fiber Conference, Fiber Society, pp 543-544. Seoul, Korea.

Stone, JF, Coffman, CW, Imerman, PM, Song, K and Shelley, M. 2005. Cotton Liners to Mediate Glove Comfort for Greenhouse Applicators, Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 48: 1-9.

Coffman, C. 2004. Simple Gifts: A Community-based Program for Persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Their Families, Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences. 

Greenstein D, Buettner L, and Coffman C. 2000. Simple Gifts. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. 

Brown D, Coffman C, Stanton T. 1999. In-Touch Science: Fibers and Animals. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. 

Derksen RC, Coffman CW, Jiang C, and Gulyas SW. 1999. Influence of Hooded and Air-assist Vineyard Applications on Plant and Worker Protection. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers 42(1): 31-36.

Coffman CW, Obendorf SK, and Derksen RC. 1999. Pesticide Deposition on Coveralls during Vineyard Applications. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 37, 273-279. 

Coffman C and Morton L. 1999. A Style of Your Own series, including Discovering Choice, Managing Choice, and Clothing Decisions Group Activity Helper's Guide. 4-H Cooperative Curriculum System, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN.

Administrative Responsibilities:
  • Department Extension Leader
  • Editor of department newsletter, Topstitch.

Current Extension Activities:
The Fiber Science and Apparel Design Programs for Youth strive to engage young people (K-12) in science, technology, math, and design through informal textile-based education with an emphasis on youth development. This includes maintenance of existing materials as well as development of new projects. Continuing projects include In-Touch Science, an NSF-supported experiential science program; Simple Gifts, an intergenerational program to benefit persons with Alzheimers; Fabric/Flight Connection, a fiber science and aviation curriculum; Plants & Textiles - A Legacy of Technology, a joint project with Horticulture; Go Figure!, a distance-learning project; and 4-H Clothing & Textiles. All programs support youth educators and volunteers through workshops, publications, websites, the FSAD lending library, and the Topstitch newsletter.

The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Program provides information about material properties; pesticide label statements; PPE regulations and research; and procedures for using, maintaining, and discarding PPE.  The program is delivered to pesticide applicators, their families, and agriculture and safety educators through certification training, exhibits, publications, websites, and telephone responses.

The information on this bio page is taken from the CHE Annual Report.