IBERA Application Portal Now Open
Tim Verslycke, Gradient and IBERA President
We are excited to announce that applications are now being accepted for the 2026 International Board of Environmental Risk Assessors (IBERA) certification through 15 June. Candidates wishing to become certified as an IBERA Diplomate must demonstrate expertise in environmental risk assessment through education, professional experience and by passing a remotely proctored examination, to be taken between 30 September and 11 October.
In conjunction with the upcoming SETAC Europe 36th Annual Meeting, the IBERA Council is organizing an Informational Breakfast at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, 19 May, in Room 2.3 at the MECC Maastricht, offering an overview of the certification process. This informal gathering will provide a unique opportunity to engage with existing diplomates and members of IBERA, allowing participants to gain firsthand insights directly from their peers into the certification process and the carrer benefits of certification, and to grow their professional network in an informal setting.
With more than 75 diplomates already certified across the globe (see map below), IBERA certification is increasingly recognized as a significant achievement that demonstrates meaningful expertise in environmental risk assessment. We would like to congratulate the class of 2026, which consists of 12 new IBERA Diplomates:
- Biyao Han, ExxonMobil, China
- Breanne Holmes, Eawag, Switzerland
- Charles Hazlerigg, Enviresearch Ltd., UK
- Christopher Sinclair, Bayer, UK
- Daniel Hennessy, Hennessy Consulting LLC, USA
- David Boyle, Cobalt Institute, UK
- Gregory Garvey, GSI Environmental, Inc., USA
- Irene Bramke, AstraZeneca, The Netherlands
- Johannes Völker, WTConsulting GmbH, Switzerland
- Robert West, Huntsman Corporation, USA
- Samuel Maynard, AstraZeneca, UK
- Zacharias Pandelides, Geosyntec Consultants, USA
The IBERA certification serves as a valuable qualification for professionals working in government, academia, consulting or industry, demonstrating experience and a commitment to best practices in environmental risk assessment, as reflected by one of the new IBERA Diplomates, Charles (Charlie) Hazlerigg, Ecotoxicology Expert & UKRI Future Leaders Fellow:
I perform chemical risk assessment work under European Regulations, such as 1107/2009 and the BPR, where there is currently no regulatory need to be certified. However, certification is a recognized way of demonstrating one’s expertise, having been tested and assessed by your peers and community. IBERA is an effort to professionalize a disparate group with varying backgrounds and provide confidence to potential clients that someone will perform their task well. Having been through the process (meeting the eligibility criteria is no small task and the exam was thorough), I am delighted to say it does exactly that!
We look forward to connecting with those interested in IBERA certification at the SETAC Europe annual meeting and supporting progress toward certification. Those unable to attend the Informational Breakfast in Maastricht but interested in a virtual information session may contact [email protected].
For more details on the certification process, please visit ibera-certification.org.
Author’s contact: [email protected]