EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson has announced the appointment of Jonathan Samet, an expert on human health effects of air pollutants, as chair of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC).

“Dr. Samet brings tremendous expertise and insight to the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee,” said Johnson. “As a respected scientist, having studied internal medicine and the factors that affect the health and illness of populations for nearly 40 years, Jonathan will be a great asset to the agency.”

Samet is currently professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. On Nov. 1, he will transfer to the Keck School of Medicine, where he will become professor and chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine, as well as Director, Institute for Global Health.

Johnson also thanked Rogene Henderson, Senior Scientist Emeritus at Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, for her public service in the past four years as chair of CASAC.

The CASAC is an independently chartered federal advisory committee composed of independent, external scientists that provides independent advice to the EPA Administrator on the technical bases for EPA’s standards for criteria air pollutants. Every year, EPA solicits nominations for members to serve on the CASAC. The new chair will serve a two-year term.