Paul Becker

Paul is Program Leader and Site Manager for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) operations at the Hollings Marine Laboratory (HML) on the Fort Johnson Campus, Charleston, South Carolina. The HML (a NOAA facility) applies multidisciplinary research strategies to investigate links between environmental conditions and the health of marine organisms and humans. Paul joined the NIST Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory in 1995 specifically to establish NIST laboratories at the HML and to expand NIST activities in analytical methods development, quality assurance and specimen banking in support of marine environmental research. Paul also serves as Environmental Specimen Bank and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Team Leader within the Analytical Chemistry Division.

Paul has over 30 years of experience in developing and managing interdisciplinary research programs and teams. Previous affiliations include Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources, and NOAA’s Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program for oil and gas exploration and development in Alaska.

Awards:

• Sustained Superior Performance Award, US Army Corps of Engineers (1974)
• Unit Citation, US Department of Commerce, NOAA (1979)
• Letter of Commendation, US Department of Commerce, NOAA (1981)
• Sustained Superior Performance Award, US Department of Commerce, NOAA (1989)
• Letter of Commendation, USEPA and US Coast Guard (1991)
• Department of the Army Commendation (1995)
• Department of Commerce Bronze Medal Award (2006)

Membership and Professional Activities:

• US Department of Commerce Representative, Alaska Regional Response Team for oil and hazardous materials spills (1979-1981; 1986-1992)
• Arctic Monitoring Assessment Programme’s Assessment of Persistent Organic Pollutants, US Designated Expert (1995 - 2002)
• Dolphin Advisory Committee and Research Grants Review Board, Protect Wild Dolphins Program of the State of Florida (2002 – 2006)
• Arctic Institute of North America
• Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry