First Global Certification Program for Environmental Risk Assessors Established
Tim Verslycke, Gradient; Karel De Schamphelaere, Ghent University; Nikola Bitsch, Elanco Animal Health GmbH; and Bruce Duncan, Bruce Duncan Environmental Consulting, LLC
Building on the successful SETAC Europe Certification of Environmental Risk Assessors (CRA) program established in 2015, the SETAC World Council recognized the needs of other geographic units and decided to globalize this program. On 2 June, representatives from SETAC signed the incorporation documents of the International Board of Environmental Risk Assessors (IBERA). IBERA will manage the global environmental risk assessor certification program as a new, independent, not-for-profit organization, registered in Belgium. At the same meeting, we, the authors, were appointed as the first Executive Committee of IBERA.
IBERA will promote scientific progress in environmental risk assessment, encourage education and training, and establish an international certification program that will allow professionals to become a certified specialist or diplomate in environmental risk assessment. After a transition period, IBERA will replace the current CRA program, and current SETAC Europe certified experts will be automatically granted the IBERA diplomate status, if they apply.
Screen capture taken at the IBERA Incorporation Meeting on 2 June 2021.IBERA is currently working on finalizing exam questions in nine core knowledge domains:
- Environmental risk assessment concepts, principles and legislative frameworks
- Fate and behavior of chemicals
- Exposure assessment of chemicals in the environment
- Sub-organism level ecotoxicology
- Organism level ecotoxicology
- Supra-organism level ecotoxicology
- Chemical, biological and ecological monitoring of exposure and effects
- Statistics and modeling in ecotoxicology and environmental risk assessment
- Interdisciplinary professional principles and capabilities
In addition, IBERA is working on details, format and timing of the first certification exam as well as guidelines for preparing for the exam.
We are looking forward to sharing more details with all of you at the upcoming SETAC North America meeting in November and are planning for a first exam to take place by early 2022. We are also planning to develop a website and communication and outreach procedures. In the meantime, please spread the word and do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions or suggestions about IBERA, the exam or volunteer opportunities. For now, we can be reached at [email protected].
Authors’ contact information: [email protected]