RESEARCH COUNCIL

The EREF Board of Directors (BOD) has recognized that while Board members are very familiar with the solid waste industry, many may not necessarily be technical experts.  Thus, the Research Council was formed as a sub-committee of technical experts to assist the BOD in funding high quality research projects and identify industry research needs.  Although the Research Council has technically been in existence since 2007, Council members have noted previous attempts at organization had a number of apparent issues, specifically:
- a lack of definitive structure
- over burdening Council members with too many proposals over too short a review period
- an inefficient or vague review format and proposal rating system

During the December 2008 Board of Directors meeting, the EREF technical staff was asked to prepare a report proposing how the Research Council would function.  In consideration of this, it quickly became evident that the Research Council should be a primary and integral component of the entire research program if it were to be successful and have the necessary structure desired by the Board. 

Thus, re-structuring the Research Council also required re-structuring the EREF research program.  As a result, a framework was established with the Board of Directors providing strategic guidance and the Research Council providing technical guidance.  The goal of this framework was to provide a detailed protocol for proposal submission, review, recommendation and funding.  In addition, appropriate mechanisms were established for ongoing project review and assessment of completed projects and the structure and governance of the Research Council were materialized.  All primary elements of the proposed structure were reviewed and approved by the Research Council and the EREF Board of Directors in mid-2009.

Current Research Council members are listed below.
Todd Watermolen, Chair (Veolia Environment NA)
Gary Hater, Vice-Chair (Waste Management)
Morton Barlaz (North Carolina State University)
Craig Benson (University of Wisconsin - Madison)
Greg Cekander (Waste Management)
Bob Gardner (SCS Engineers)
Tim Kelly (Joyce Engineering)
Clarke Lundell (Republic Services)
George Paturalski (Environmental Solutions Group)
Debra Reinhart (University of Central Florida)
Kurt Shaner (Waste Connections)
Stacey A. Smith (Richardson Smith Gardner & Associates, Inc.)
Bryan Staley (EREF)