North Carolina State University engineering professor Chris Frey has been appointed to a senior leadership position in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development. His intended role is Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science Policy in the Office of Research and Development.  He is a senior political appointee in the Office of Research and Development and will be reporting to the Administrator’s office.

The Office of Research and Development is the scientific research arm of EPA. Its research informs EPA decisions and supports the emerging needs of EPA stakeholders, including state, tribal, and community partners.

Frey is the Glenn E. and Phyllis J. Futrell Distinguished University Professor in NC State’s Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering (CCEE). His research includes measurement and modeling of human exposure to air pollution, measurement and modeling of vehicle emissions, probabilistic and sensitivity analysis methods, and probabilistic assessment of power generation environmental technologies. Frey will be taking a leave of absence from NC State during his tenure at EPA.

“Chris is a great choice to serve in EPA’s Office of Research and Development. He has a demonstrated track record of leadership in developing science-based recommendations for environmental policy as part of EPA’s Science Advisory Board. It is an honor to have one of our faculty selected for such an important public service position.”  Dr. Morton Barlaz,  CCEE Department Head

Frey’s track record at EPA includes serving as member of the agency’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) from 2008-2012; as chair of CASAC from 2012-2015; and as a member of the EPA Science Advisory Board from 2012-2018.

In 2018 and 2019, Frey played a role in convening an independent panel of experts to review science related to EPA’s assessment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for particulate matter.