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Elena Irwin Appointed to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Scientific Advisory Board

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August 20, 2021

In 1978, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created its first Science Advisory Board (SAB), meant to provide guidance and suggestions to EPA policymakers, reviewing their work from a more outside perspective. Elena Irwin, faculty director of Sustainability Institute and Distinguished Professor of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences in Economics & Sustainability, has been appointed by the EPA administrator to both the SAB and the board’s Agricultural Sciences Committee. 

This appointment indicates a national respect for Irwin’s intelligence and work, and her skills will be thoroughly utilized during her time on the board. She will be working alongside 46 other highly regarded academic professionals from across the country, ranging from the University of Southern California to Cornell University. The selection process identified her among 352 nominated individuals as qualified, capable and experiences. The board is diverse in both ethnicity and background, putting it in a position to provide a credible, holistic perspective to guide future decisions.  

“I am honored to be selected to serve on this independent board of experts. EPA Administrator Regan has fully reconstituted the board. The Biden administration is once again putting science first, so it's a meaningful opportunity to be able to review the information that will be used to propose environmental regulations, including drinking water and air pollution,” said Irwin.

Read the original announcement from EPA headquarters.