Dean Melissa Perry appointed to prestigious National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Committee

Perry appointed to NASEM Committee on Clinical Follow-Up and Care for Those Impacted by the JP-5 Releases at Red Hill.

FAIRFAX, VA, UNITED STATES, March 25, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As a widely respected researcher and public health leader, Perry has spent her career examining the impact of environmental exposures on health and developing strategies for disease prevention. A highly cited scholar, she has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed studies and contributed to national policy discussions on occupational and environmental health.

As the inaugural dean of Virginia’s first College of Public Health, Perry has been a driving force in advancing integrative health, immersive technologies in education, and interdisciplinary collaboration, establishing the College as a national leader in public health research and training. Under her leadership, the College is on track to become the first in Virginia accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) and is home to the nation’s only Society for Simulation in Healthcare-accredited immersive learning lab within a school or college of public health.

In addition to her scholarly contributions, Perry is a past president of the American College of Epidemiology, has chaired multiple federal scientific advisory committees, and was elected a fellow of the prestigious Collegium Ramazzini for her pioneering work in occupational and environmental health. Her expertise has been featured in national and international media on topics ranging from pesticides and fertility to toxins in school lunches and virtual reality in public health education.

Her appointment to this prestigious National Academies committee is an opportunity to contribute to national efforts addressing complex environmental health challenges and reflects her ongoing commitment to improving public health through research, policy, and education.

Perry holds a Doctor of Science and Master of Health Sciences from Johns Hopkins University School.

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. The committee will recommend guidance on clinical actions that can be taken to monitor the health of community members exposed during the November 2021 release of Jet Propellant 5 (JP-5) aviation fuel from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility into the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam water distribution system.

About College of Public Health at George Mason University

The College of Public Health at George Mason University is the first College of Public Health in Virginia and a national leader in inclusive, interprofessional, public health research, education, and practice. The College is comprised of public health disciplines, health administration and policy, informatics, nursing, nutrition, and social work. The College offers a distinct array of degrees to support research and training of professionals dedicated to ensuring health and well-being for all. The College’s transdisciplinary research seeks to understand the many factors that influence the public’s health and well-being throughout the lifespan. Areas of focus include prevention and treatment of infectious and chronic diseases, inequalities and marginalized communities, environmental health and climate change, nutrition, violence, mental and behavioral health, informatics, and health technologies. With more than 500 partners, the College serves the community through research, practice, and clinical care with a focus on the social determinants of health and health equity.

The College enrolls more than 1,900 undergraduate and 1,300 graduate students in our nationally-recognized programs, including 5 undergraduate degrees, 7 master’s degrees, and 4 doctoral degrees, and 10 certificate programs. Our graduates are uniquely prepared to thrive in an increasingly multicultural, multidisciplinary, community-focused public health landscape.

Michelle Thompson
@MasonPublicHealth
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