EPA appoints science advisor

Washington, DC— U.S. EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson announced the appointment of scientist George M. Gray, Ph.D., to serve as science advisor, a position that was established in May, 2002 to ensure the most relevant science is integrated into all policy decision making. Gray was sworn in on November 1, 2005 as EPA’s assistant administrator of the Office of Research and Development, and is responsible for coordinating and planning the Agency’s scientific research efforts.

As science advisor, Gray will ensure that EPA has the best science to support Agency policies, procedures. EPA’s Office of the Science Advisor is responsible for coordinating and integrating science and technology in policy decision making. The science advisor is chairperson of EPA’s Science Policy Council which addresses major science issues for the Agency and works to implement initiatives recommended by Congress, external advisory bodies, industry, environmental groups and other stakeholders.

Dr. Gray is a world-renown expert in risk assessment who has published many peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals and books. Prior to joining EPA, Gray served as executive director of the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis and as a lecturer in Risk Analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health. In 16 years at the School of Public Health, his researched focused on the scientific bases of human health risk assessment and its application to risk policy with a focus on risk and risk tradeoffs in risk management.

He also taught toxicology and risk assessment to graduate students and participants in the School’s Continuing Professional Education