UNCW professor awarded fellowship to advance PFAS science

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - University of North Carolina Wilmington professor of chemistry and biochemistry Dr. Ralph Mead was awarded the first ever NC Department of Environmental Quality Applied Research Fellowship for PFAS research. The fellowship was also awarded to three other researchers in the state.

“I look forward to strengthening and growing these ties to further advance our knowledge of the challenges per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances pose to the environment and citizens of North Carolina,” said Dr. Mead.

The DEQ and North Carolina Collaboratory established the program to fill in important gaps in PFAS research.

“This fellowship program is unique and a win-win; the faculty members will be able to better understand how scientific data are used in the policy and regulatory space, while DEQ regulators can better understand how the academic investigations are designed and executed as well as how the extensive datasets are generated and analyzed,” said Dr. Jeffrey Warren, the Collaboratory’s executive director.

The other fellowship recipients are Dr. Jamie DeWitt from East Carolina University, Dr. Lee Ferguson from Duke University and Dr. Detlef Knappe from North Carolina State University.