DENTON (UNT), Texas -- Sam Atkinson, professor and interim chair of the University of North Texas Biology Department has been named a member of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers designs, engineers, builds and maintains infrastructure throughout the United States. The Environmental Advisory Board serves to give the U.S. Army Chief of Engineers, always a three star general, outside, expert and independent advice on environmental issues facing the Corps of Engineers.
“This is a great opportunity,” Atkinson, whose research areas include environmental science and environmental impact assessments, said. “I anticipate that the board will be discussing the impacts of climate change, as well as water issues. Water is going to be a big topic moving forward.”
Atkinson will serve a three year term with the possibility of serving a subsequent second term.
“An interesting bit of information about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is that it’s older than the U.S.,” Atkinson said. “When George Washington saw the war coming with the British, he knew the U.S. needed engineers to build infrastructure for the army and navy. Washington got the Corps of Engineers together, and they’ve been around ever since.”
The Corps of Engineers is responsible for overseeing work on projects across the U.S. including flood control, dredging, flood protection systems, dams, water transport locks, military facilities, ecosystem restoration and environmental regulation.