EM Magazine of the Air & Waste Management Association published a highlight of developments in science at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during Chris Frey’s time as a member of the Agency senior leadership team. On May 25, 2022, Frey became
the first Senate-confirmed head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) in a decade, assuming dual roles as Assistant Administrator and Agency Science Advisor after serving as deputy assistant for science policy since early 2021. In doing so, he took on a prominent leadership role as the Agency embraced the Biden Administration’s ambitious environmental goals that included tackling the climate crisis, advancing environmental justice, addressing legacy and emerging environmental contaminants, and—a key priority for Chris— reinvigorating the role of science in government. EM Magazine invited Chris to share his perspective on ORD’s achievements during his time at EPA. He shared the following in September 2024, shortly before leaving EPA and returning to North Carolina State University as associate dean for research and infrastructure in the College of Engineering.