Biography of Carlos Stern, Ph. D.

Carlos Stern holds a Ph.D. from Cornell University, with emphasis on economics, civil engineering, and public policy, and an undergraduate degree in chemistry from the University of Cape Town. Prior to joining the federal government in 1976, he was a tenured professor of Environmental Economics at the University of Connecticut, where he was principal investigator for several research contracts funded by U.S. EPA, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Academy of Sciences, the National Science Foundation, and the State of Connecticut.

From 1977 through 1981, Dr. Stern served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force. In that capacity, he managed the Air Force's far-reaching environmental, occupational health and safety, and energy conservation programs dealing with toxic and hazardous materials, health effects of Agent Orange (dioxin), groundwater contamination, microwave risks, noise, environmental impact assessments, and energy conservation. He later served as Director of Environmental Programs for the Chemical Manufacturers Association, Vice President of Risk Science International, a division of a leading brokerage company, and as an independent consultant.

Dr. Stern provides second opinions, contractor oversight, and expert witness services. He specializes in solving environmental problems in a creative manner, drawing on his expertise in environmental science, resource economics, technology assessment, and energy conservation. Among other projects, he has served as a technical consultant at active and former industrial waste disposal sites, commercial landfills, and recycling operations regulated by U.S. EPA; has prepared risks assessments for a wide range of remediation projects involving chlorinated dioxins and furans, and creosote and coal tar residuals; has coordinated remedial investigation and feasibility studies for contaminated industrial sites involving PCBs, heavy metals, petroleum distillates, etc.; has conducted regulatory compliance reviews; and has developed practical options for remediating contaminated aquifers. Dr. Stern has also served as an expert witness and technical consultant in litigation related to toxic torts, hazardous waste insurance coverage, and responsibility for past disposal practices at specific sites.