Skip to Main Content

Two College of Agriculture professors tapped for EPA’s Scientific Advisory Board

Sylvie Brouder, professor of agronomy, and Dominique van der Mensbrugghe, director of the Center for Global Trade Analysis (GTAP) and agricultural economics research professor, were recently appointed to the EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB). This is Brouder’s second appointment to the SAB.

The board is comprised of scientists, researchers and academics from across the country who evaluate EPA research and programs, assess technical information and approaches used by the EPA and advise on other issues of scientific relevance.

Brouder and van der Mensbrugghe join 46 other appointees to comprise the most diverse board since the SAB’s inception in 1978.

“It’s great to have a board with a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives,” Brouder said. “That is going to be especially important as we tackle difficult issues like climate change, an issue that will impact and does impact so many different communities.”

Both Brouder and van der Mensbrugghe think climate change will be a central topic of discussion during their time on the board.

 Sylvie Brouder and Dominique van der Mensbrugghe Sylvie Brouder and Dominique van der Mensbrugghe

“We haven’t seen the agenda yet, but I think it’s safe to say climate change will be one of the preeminent challenges the board and the EPA will face over the coming years,” van der Mensbrugghe said. “And it is a topic that should dominate. Climate change impacts nearly every area of the environment and our society either directly or indirectly.”

Van der Mensbrugghe is well positioned to discuss both the environmental and economic impacts of climate change. He has worked at the intersection of economic growth, energy emissions and the environment for several decades, and will bring his expertise from this research and his role as director of GTAP to the board.

Brouder’s research centers on agro-ecological aspects of crop production, specifically issues of nutrient losses from soil and nutrient runoff from agricultural land as a major source of water pollution. With her scientific background and decades of collaborative work with Hoosier farmers, Brouder is able to represent the agricultural as well as scientific perspective on nutrient loss.

While everyone brings diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise to the board, Brouder and van der Mensbrugghe agreed their role is to be as objective as possible and make evidence-based recommendations to the agency. Brouder and van der Mensbrugghe also say participation on the board will prove helpful in their own research.

Featured Stories

Julia Peterson in the mesas of Arizona.
Finding beauty in the mess—the perspective of a botany and art double major

A low, whirring hum fills your ears as you step into the building. As your eyes adjust to the...

Read More
Ismail Olaniyi flies a UAV up above the trees.
The crossroads between lemon trees and technology

In warmer southern and western states, citrus orchards are important for feeding and bringing...

Read More
Piglets
Combined microbiome datasets yield accurate prediction of animal ages

An analysis combining the results of 14 studies from around the globe has uncovered some common...

Read More
A hand holding two eggs
Rehabilitation through agricultural skills with Purdue Farmer-to-Farmer Trinidad and Tobago

Gardening and poultry care are sometimes seen as trendy hobbies in the U.S., but in Trinidad and...

Read More
Claire King waters her quinoa in the greenhouse.
Claire King named a Golden Opportunity Scholar

It’s easy to imagine the whole of agriculture as a giant feast sprawled out on an equally...

Read More
Logos for the American Fisheries Society, Society of American Forestry and The Wildlife Society conventions/conferences
FNR Research Was Well-Represented at Fall Organizational Conferences

Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources and the cutting-edge research being performed by its...

Read More
To Top