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George Mason University is proud to announce the appointment of Dean Melissa J. Perry to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology (BEST). As a BEST appointee, Dean Perry will collaborate with fellow experts to provide government agencies with independent guidance on the impact of environmental exposures on human health and ecosystems. An internationally recognized researcher, respected mentor, and public health leader, Dean Perry’s expertise on environmental epidemiology will guide the national dialogue on environmental health.
The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine are committed to providing independent, objective analysis, and advice to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. BEST provides expertise on matters related to the impacts of human activities and environmental exposures on environmental quality, human health, and ecosystems. The Board convenes experts in 12 areas including toxicology, occupational health, epidemiology, and environmental sciences and management.
Dr. Perry joined George Mason University in August 2022 as the Inaugural Dean of the College of Public Health. The college is the first and only College of Public Health in Virginia. The interdisciplinary College encompasses the Departments of Global and Community Health, Health Administration and Policy, Nutrition and Food Studies, Social Work, as well as the School of Nursing.
Previously, Dean Perry served as a Professor and Chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and as Interim Associate Dean for Research at the Milken School of Public Health at George Washington University. She has conducted a wide range of epidemiologic and preventive intervention studies over 30 years, investigating occupational injury and disease and how chemicals and other physical agents affect reproductive health and has authored over 150 peer-reviewed papers.
Dr. Perry was featured in prominent international and national news outlets regarding workplace and worker safety during COVID-19. She is a past president of the American College of Epidemiology, has chaired several federal scientific advisory committees, and was elected a fellow of the renowned international scientific academy Collegium Ramazzini for her contributions to advancing occupational and environmental health.