Our New Science Director

ASBPA is pleased to announce that Dr. Nicole Elko is starting as our new Science Director in 2018.

ASBPA’s new science director, Dr. Nicole Elko

Nicole Elko has been leading ASBPA’s Science & Technology work – as chair of the S&T Committee and as VP for Science & Technology – for the past few years and has been a driving force in ASBPA expanding our science advocacy and coordination with federal agencies and the academic community.

As Science Director, Nicole will be responsible for “staffing” the S&T committee, working with the committee and the board of directors to develop and implement yearly plans. She will also coordinate ASBPA’s science work (our Conference, Shore & Beach, etc.), put on workshops, and represent ASBPA with scientific organizations and at conferences. Finally, since the guaranteed contract is minimal, she will be responsible for securing additional funding to advance ASBPA’s scientific goals and objectives.

Hiring Nicole was not a given, as we had a number of well-qualified candidates apply and interview. But ultimately Dr. Elko’s mix of qualifications as a PhD geologist, her broad experience and her prospects for bringing in funding made her the right choice.

Nicole will step down as co-chair of the S&T committee, leaving Dr. Tiffany Roberts Briggs as sole chair, and step down as co-chair of our Technical Advisory Committee, leaving Dr. Julie Rosati as chair, but she will maintain her role on the ASBPA Board of Directors. (Our bylaws allow Board members to be contracted by ASBPA up to $25,000 annually, so our hope is that she will help bring in enough revenue to fund her contract that she will eventually need to step down as board member.)

Nicole can be reached at Nicole.Elko@asbpa.org or 834-371-7082.

This hire would not have been possible without the generous contributions from many of our members and some of our most distinguished scientists. Thank you to everyone who contributed to our Science Director fund!