Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Strategic collaborations with other agencies and scientific institutions will
be critical if EPA is to access the breadth of expertise necessary to address 21st
century environmental challenges. For example, chemical and pesticide regula-
tions are informed by hazard data derived from animal toxicologic studies. But
as epidemiologic and biomonitoring studies generate more information that is
relevant to risk assessment, a broader array of expertise will be required to inter-
pret the new types of data and weigh their evidence relative to the more preva-
lent toxicologic data. EPA needs to have sufficient internal expertise and critical
mass in epidemiology, biostatistics, and population-based research. However,
rather than house large teams of epidemiologists and biostatisticians among its
experts, EPA could build collaborative networks with the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences and other agencies to undertake assessments. In
fields in which it is unrealistic to have sufficient inhouse capacity, existing sci-
entific staff at EPA will need to have adequate cross-disciplinary awareness to
ask the right questions and identify appropriate collaborators. For example, if
statistical expertise is needed from an outside source, the contractor or subcon-
tractor that is hired should have adequate expertise in statistics (such as a PhD)
to successfully meet EPA's needs.
Building New Expertise Through Education
The future of EPA's scientific enterprise depends on having a diverse
body of capable and committed scientists and engineers to work in EPA and in
research positions in other government agencies, academe, the nonprofit sector,
and the private sector. Future scientists and engineers should understand the
complex nature of environmental challenges and the transdisciplinary needs and
opportunities for solutions. Furthermore, to achieve its mission of protecting
human health and the environment, the agency will need to play a role in help-
ing to educate and engage the public. Public understanding and engagement are
especially critical in EPA's efforts to achieve its aims by using nonregulatory
approaches and in building ongoing support for the environmental science and
engineering and protection efforts of the agency. Among other needs, the agency
will need to educate stakeholders and the public about new scientific concepts
and approaches that it develops or adopts, and to provide training for potential
users of new tools and technologies. EPA has numerous valuable programs that
are designed to increase the pipeline of future environmental engineers and sci-
entists and to expand and improve environmental education more broadly. Early
environmental education is important in creating champions for environmental
protection and innovation in new science and technology who can work in the
agency in the future.
The National Environmental Education Act of 1990 simultaneously estab-
lished the Office of Environmental Education (OEE) in EPA and the National
Environmental Education Foundation, a nonprofit corporation meant to leverage
private support. The act authorized environmental-education grants, internship
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