Dr. Whelton is nationally recognized environmental engineer. Dr. Whelton has applied his unique skill set for 20 years to uncover and address problems at the interface of infrastructure materials, the environment, and public health. Topics pertaining to disaster response and recovery as well as construction site safety are just two of many topics his research has impacted. Dr. Whelton team's discoveries have positively changed how government agencies (EPA, CDC, NRC, NIOSH, NIST, ARMY), water utilities, nonprofit organizations, health departments, state legislatures, and building owners approach their responsibilities. Before joining Purdue University, he served on the faculty at the University of South Alabama, and worked for the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) Building Fire Research Laboratory, Virginia Tech, U.S. Army, and private engineering consulting firms. A hallmark of his work is direct engagement with communities at risk. His teams have established technical support centers and websites (www.PlumbingSafety.org; www.CIPPSafety.org) to make discoveries accessible to the public and communities of interest. He earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering, M.S. in Environmental Engineering, and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech.

California's wildfires are poisoning drinking water supplies

Pipes absorb a litany of chemicals from fires and firefighting, which leach into the water