Kyle Doudrick, associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences at the University of Notre Dame, has been selected to serve on the Science Advisory Board of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The board, which consists of 37 members from a broad range of scientific disciplines, provides scientific advice to EPA leadership.
“I’m honored to have been selected to serve on the EPA Science Advisory Board,” Doudrick said. “The board plays an important role in providing independent, research-based guidance on complex environmental issues, helping ensure that decisions are informed by the best available evidence and remain practical for communities.”
Doudrick, a faculty affiliate of Notre Dame Energy and Notre Dame’s Environmental Change Initiative, is the only academic researcher among the selected board members who are from Indiana.
An environmental engineer, Doudrick specializes in emerging contaminants of concern in drinking water, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — also called “forever chemicals” — and micro- and nanoplastics. His work focuses on identifying viable, cost-effective solutions to treat emerging contaminants and improve conventional water treatment processes.
“We aim to target and eliminate these contaminants in ways that are both effective and fiscally responsible, which is increasingly important as utilities and regulators navigate these challenges,” Doudrick said. His lab is currently working on multiple PFAS-related projects, including a study of PFAS leaching from contaminated pavements into the surrounding environment.
“Kyle Doudrick’s appointment to the EPA’s Science Advisory Board is outstanding news for public health and the environment,” said Patricia J. Culligan, the Matthew H. McCloskey Dean of the College of Engineering. “His expertise on the critical environmental problems of microplastics and PFAS will be critical to protecting vital resources upon which we all depend.”
Doudrick earned undergraduate and master’s degrees in civil engineering at the University of Memphis. He completed his doctoral studies in environmental engineering at Arizona State University. He joined the Notre Dame faculty in 2014.
To learn more about Notre Dame’s engagement in the nation’s capital, visit the Washington Office website. To learn more about Doudrick’s research, read the story “The Forever Problem: A Real Mess,” produced by the Office of Public Affairs and Communications.
Contact: Brandi Wampler, associate director of media relations, 574-631-2632, brandiwampler@nd.edu
Originally published by Erin Fennessy at research.nd.edu on April 30.