A state water regulator with more than 30 years of experience in handling environmental issues has been named director of West Virginia Universitys National Environmental Services Center (NESC).
Gerald R. Iwan comes to NESC from Connecticut, where he was chief of the Water Supplies Section of the Department of Health. He has also worked in environmental protection in New York and has served in a leadership capacity in several national organizations dealing with water and the environment.
In his new role at WVU , Iwan will lead NESC , which helps small and rural communities solve water-related problems.
Small communities face special challenges with their drinking water and wastewater infrastructure that NESC helps them to address,said Richard Bajura, director of the National Research Center for Coal and Energy (NRCCE), where NESC is housed.Jerry has experience on the front lines in small communities, as well as in our nations capital, in undertaking efforts to provide safe, affordable drinking water and wastewater treatment in this post-9/11 era.
Iwan, who has a doctorate in biology from Fordham University, said he looks forward to working with the leadership and staff at the NRCCE and NESC to continue enhancing NESC s long and highly regarded tradition of education and service to the water, waste and wastewater sectors.
The next few years are going to be exciting, considering population growth, public health, climate, economy, security and social restructuring,Iwan said.The need for reliable infrastructure, safe, sustainable drinking water resources and sound waste and wastewater management systems and practices will become even more apparent as we wrestle with these and other emerging issues.
Given economies of scale,Iwan said,small communities will incur a disproportionate set of problems in addressing new regulatory and technological requirements. Fortunately, NESC will be there to assist. I am looking forward to working with staff and our partners and our small communities in what I anticipate to be some very challenging and rewarding projects.
Iwans first day at WVU will be April 28.
Located at WVU , NESC helps small and rural communities with their water, wastewater, management, infrastructure security and solid waste challenges. To learn more, call 800-624-8301 or visithttp://www.nesc.wvu.edu/.