Aelion to Chair EPA Science Advisory Board Awards Committee

Professor of environmental health sciences Marjorie Aelion has been selected to chair the Science and Technology Achievement Awards Committee for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Science Advisory Board.

Image

Aelion, who served as dean of the UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences from 2009-2019 and currently serves as Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement, is among the 47 experts with a cross-section of scientific disciplines and experience who were selected to the EPA’s Science Advisory Board in August.

The EPA's Science and Technological Achievement Awards (STAA) program promotes and recognizes scientific and technological achievement by EPA employees. STAA is among the most prestigious of EPA's scientific awards programs. Each year since 1980, EPA scientists and engineers have submitted their publications to be evaluated by a panel convened by EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB). The SAB convenes an experienced group of scientists and engineers who review and evaluate the nominations. The SAB review panel then produces a set of recommendations used to select the actual awards.

“It is a tremendous honor for me to serve as Chair, and support EPA in its mission to recognize scientific and technological excellence,” says Aelion. “I have served as a member of the committee for the past 5 years, and I know I have big shoes to fill. Professor Jay Turner from Washington University in St. Louis did a great job as the previous STAA Chair.”

Aelion will oversee the selection of the Science and Technological Achievement Awards for a three-year term.