News Since the Meeting

A&T and EPA to Partner

The Environmental Protection Agency and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University have formally agreed to work together to increase the number of environmental engineers and scientists, to improve the region’s environment, and to develop new solutions to environmental issues

Those are among the objectives of an agreement signed Jan. 19 by Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. and Gwendolyn Keyes Fleming, the EPA’s regional administrator. The broad ranging memorandum of understanding includes these goals:

• An increase in the number of minorities with careers in environmental science and environmental engineering;
• The improvement of the environment in the Piedmont Triad Region;
• Greater understanding of local pollution causes and effects;
• Greater awareness of environmental stewardship ethics among students and local residents;
• Research and development of novel techniques for radiation cleanup using, e.g., discoveries in nanoengineering and nanoscience;
• Research for discovery and innovations relevant to understanding and mitigating environmental health issues in the community; and
• Offering opportunities for research experiences for both undergraduate and graduate students in the area of molecular environmental toxicology and environmental research.

The agreement also includes some more specific goals. It sees N.C. A&T taking the lead in research programs on brownfields. The EPA and the university will provide mutual technical assistance in such areas as environmental health research, computational toxicology, climate change research, and workforce development.

The creation of the Center for Environmental Health and Community Risk Information Management at A&T also is envisioned in the document, as well as a climate change research and modeling program.

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