EAST BOARD OF DIRECTORS
K
nown as a lover of science and education, Dr. Michael Gealt's nomination and acceptance as a Fellow of the world’s largest general science society, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) was no surprise. Described as deserving of this recognition from one nominator, Robert Peterson, Gealt is now a part of an organization that is not only known for esteemed members like Thomas Edison and Margaret Mead but for currently leading the conversation around science funding and policy, climate change, energy policies, STEM education, vaccines, and space exploration1. “I am humbled to join the fellowship of such esteemed scientists, researchers, and academics whose work I admire,” Gealt said. Gealt began his post-secondary academic journey at Temple University where he earned a BA in Biology. He completed the journey when he received a Ph.D. in Microbiology from Rutgers University but proudly states he has never stopped learning. After working as a researcher in the Pharmacology Department at Rutgers Medical School and at the Fox Chase Cancer Center (Philadelphia, PA), Gealt was given the opportunity to share his knowledge as an appointed faculty member in the Department of Bioscience & Biotechnology at Drexel University. He was later named the Director of the School of Environmental Science, Engineering and Policy at Drexel. Gealt’s other roles in academic leadership include Dean of the School of Engineering, Mathematics and Science at Purdue University Calumet (now Purdue University Northwest, Hammond, IN), Dean of the College of Science at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR, Little Rock, AR) and leader of the 8
EAST QUARTERLY | www.EASTinitiative.org
EAST BOARD MEMBER RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION
