Senior Fellows Program
This visionary Green Science Policy Institute program supports leading environmental health scientists and policy experts in developing and implementing new ideas to reduce chemical harm.
The inaugural Senior Fellows Program will launch on Earth Day, April 22, 2025 with the objective of healthier products, people, and planet.
Sharing their scientific knowledge, years of experience changing chemical policies and practices, as well as their extensive networks, Senior Fellows will develop strategies for healthier and safer chemistry. Then they will collaborate with their colleagues in academia, government, business, NGOs, and Green Science Policy staff to implement and execute changes towards a healthier world.
The five inaugural Senior Fellows, all with impressive track records in creating positive change, and their proposed projects:
Senior Fellows
Meredith Williams, PhD
Former Director, California Department of Toxic Substance Control
Design an integrative approach to identify and reduce public health harms from fossil fuel production, climate change, plastics, and toxic chemistries.
Joel Tickner, PhD
Professor, Public Health, UMass Lowell; Founder: Change Chemistry (formerly GC3)
Build a roadmap and implementation strategy to drive safer and more sustainable chemistry.
Susan Kegley, PhD
Principal Scientist and CEO, Pesticide Research Institute
Protect bees, butterflies and humans by researching correlations between pesticide use patterns and health harm as a basis for regulatory change.
Lauren Heine, PhD
Co-founder: ChemFORWARD, Northwest Green Chemistry, and former co-director Clean Production Action
Develop strategies, including a curriculum, to educate engineers and materials scientists to include health and the environment in materials selection, rather than focusing exclusively on cost and performance.
Arlene Blum, PhD
Executive Director, Green Science Policy Institute, Research Associate in Biology, UC Berkeley
Work with government and business to protect human and ecosystem health from organohalgen chemicals (flame retardants, PFAS, and antimicrobials) in consumer products.
About the Senior Fellows Program
"This Senior Fellows program provides a unique opportunity to combine the ideas, expertise, and networks of senior environmental health scientists in order to tackle challenging problems--their collaborations should lead to safer chemistry and better health."
—Linda Birnbaum, Former Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
"Complex challenges need collaborative solutions. The Senior Fellows Program is bringing together leaders of the environmental health community to deepen collaboration, share resources and networks, and accelerate meaningful change that will be protective of human health and the natural world."
—Martin Mulvilhil, co-founder of the Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry & Safer Made Ventures
"Having the freedom to explore possibilities, develop new connections, and benefit from the combined years of experience of the fellows will help drive creative solutions to our current environmental problems."
—Susan Kegley, Principal Scientist and CEO, Pesticide Research Institute
"Wow! This initiative will provide the time and space for the most experienced and accomplished among us to address urgent environmental issues facing the world today. I can’t wait to see the results."
—Gina Cignak, CEO, Habitable
"The Green Science Policy Institute is once again leading the way towards innovative solutions aimed at minimizing the harms posed by toxic chemicals. After years of successfully translating science on toxic chemicals into action, the Institute will support thought leaders in tackling difficult challenges and implementing realistic solutions."
—Miriam Diamond, Professor, University of Toronto