Meet EPA Researcher Chelsea Hintz, Ph.D.
EPA researcher Chelsea Hintz is a biologist in EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response (CESER). She joined the Agency in 2019 and her current research focuses on the impact of environmental contamination in aquatic systems. She currently works on several projects, one of which is evaluating the impact of spilled oil in freshwater environments, and another is evaluating the impact of contamination within green infrastructure (specifically, bioretention cells).
Tell us about your background.
I have a bachelor’s in zoology from Ohio State University and a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Cincinnati. In between my degrees, I worked at the Aquatic Ecology Lab at Ohio State University where I was a research assistant for four years.
When did you first know you wanted to work in environmental science?
I think I decided I wanted to be a researcher/scientist when I did a grade-school science report on manatees. I loved the process of reading and learning about something new!
What do you like most about your job?
I enjoy that it is our job to ask questions and learn something new. I also appreciate that everyday is a little different; somedays you are at a computer while other days you are in the lab collecting data.
How does your science matter?
I hope my science better informs responders, communities, and stakeholders about how contamination impacts the surrounding environment.
If you weren’t a scientist, what would you be doing?
If I wasn’t a scientist, I would like to be a professional adventurer (is that a thing?!) or a baker.
What advice would you give a student interested in a career in science?
Do it! It is fun that we get to learn new things through the questions we ask.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the researcher alone. EPA does not endorse the opinions or positions expressed.