Integral Principal Ms. Judi Durda, Certified Senior Ecologist, Ecological Society of America (ESA), has been elected to the Board of Professional Certification for ESA, the country’s primary professional organization of ecologists. ESA members comprise more than 10,000 scientists worldwide. As a board member, Ms. Durda will oversee professional certification of ecologists both in the United States and around the world. Her 3-year term began in January 2010.
Ms. Durda is an ecologist and toxicologist with more than 20 years of experience in evaluating the ecological consequences of chemical and physical perturbations on natural systems. As a principal scientist at Integral, she conducts and directs ecological studies aimed at assessing the probability, degree, and outcomes of exposures to environmental stressors, and develops strategies to manage or mitigate those risks. Recent projects have included ecological risk assessment of pesticide use for the control of West Nile virus, development of environmental remediation plans that balance habitat protection and contaminant removal, and ecological evaluations to support regional environmental management and restoration in the Delaware Estuary.
“I am honored to be selected as a member of the Certification Board,” said Ms. Durda. “As a Board member, I will work to expand the reach of the Society into other practicing professions, including environmental management.”
Ms. Durda received her M.S. in zoology and toxicology in 1986 from North Carolina State University. In addition to her ESA membership, she is also a member of the Society for Risk Analysis, and the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), as well as President of the local Chesapeake and Potomac Chapter of SETAC.
She can be reached at jdurda@integral-corp.com.