Dr. Wentsel has over 30 years of experience in environmental sciences in areas including: sediment, aquatic, and terrestrial toxicology; ecological risk assessment; research strategies; and science policy. Dr. Wentsel has authored over 30 open literature publications, 70 government publications, and various book chapters addressing state-of-the-art techniques and environmental toxicology and risk assessment issues.
One of Dr. Wentsel’s strengths is the ability to lead multi-disciplinary groups of scientists to address complex issues and to delineate attainable goals; these efforts have resulted in providing guidance to the scientific community. Primary examples (that he has led or co-led) include the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Framework for Metals Risk Assessment, the EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) Guidance on Ecological Soil Screening Levels, a White House Committee for Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) document on Ecological Risk Assessment in the Federal Government, and a DoD Tri-service guidance on Ecological Risk Assessment.
Dr. Wentsel has served in several Federal government positions. He was the National Program Director (NPD) for Contaminated Sites/Resource Conservation in the EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD), where he provided scientific direction of the program, strategic planning, and documentation of research impacts and applications. In the EPA Office of Water, Dr. Wentsel was a Branch Chief and supervised a staff addressing nutrient criteria, biosolids issues, and sedimentation criteria. He also worked in the ORD National Center for Environmental Assessment and the Office of Science Policy. Working for DoD, Dr. Wentsel managed research activities in ecological risk assessment, aquatic and terrestrial toxicology and biotechnology at the U.S. Army Edgewood Research, Development, and Engineering Center.
Dr. Wentsel has a unique breadth of experience in science policy through completion of the Senior Executive Fellows program at the JFK School of Government, Harvard University, being chosen as the SETAC Science Fellow on the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, serving as the DoD member on the White House National Science and Technology Council, Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources, and working with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy staff on risk and cost benefit issues.
Dr. Wentsel is active in peer review panels, advisory committees, and technical workshops. In the EPA development of ecological risk assessment (ERA) methods, Dr. Wentsel was a peer reviewer on the ERA Framework report, case studies, and guidelines. Technical workshops have included: assessing multiple stressors to ecosystems, ecological risk management, population modeling, soil quality standards, and bioavailability.
Bradham K, Wentsel R. Scientific issues in the U.S. EPA framework for metals risk assessment. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A 2010; 73:108–113.
Fairbrother A, Wentsel R, Sappington K, Wood W. Framework for metals risk assessment. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2007; 68:145–227.
Wentsel R, Beyer N, Forbes V, Maud S, Pastorok R. A framework to apply population-level methods to ecological risk assessment. Chapter 10. In: Population-Level Ecological Risk Assessment. Barnthouse L (ed), SETAC Press, 2003.
Dearfield, K, Bender E, Kravitz M, Wentsel R, Slimak M, Farland W, Gilman P. Ecological risk assessment issues identified during the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s examination of risk assessment practices. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 2005; 1(1):73–76.
Blundell A, Scatena F, Wentsel R, Sommers W. Ecorisk assessment using indicators of sustainability: Invasive species in the Caribbean National Forest of Puerto Rico. Journal of Forestry 2003; 101(1):14–19.
Sappington K, Fairbrother A, Wentsel R, Wood W. Development of a framework for metals risk assessment. Journal of Environmental Management 2003; 5(6):321–330.
Wentsel R, Beyer N, Edwards C, Kapustka L, Kuperman R. Effects of contaminants on soil ecosystem structure and function. Chapter 4. In: Assessing Contaminated Soils: From Soil-Contaminant Interactions to Ecosystem Management. Lanno et al. (eds), SETAC Press, Pensalcola, FL, 2003.
Wentsel R, Blaney B, Kowalski L, Bennett D, Grevatt P. Future directions for EPA Superfund research. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 2002; 205(1–2):161–163.
Kowalski L, Denne J, Dyer R, Garrahan K, Wentsel R. Overview of EPA Superfund Human Health Research Program. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 2002; 205(1–2):143–148.
Wentsel R, Zeeman M, Maciorowski A, Ells S, Orr R. Examples of risk-based decision making. Chapter 5. In: Risk Management: Ecological Risk Based Decision-Making. Stahl R, Pittinger C, DeFur P, Barton A, Wentsel R (eds), SETAC Press, Pensacola, FL, 2001.
Stahl R, Pittinger C, DeFur P, Barton A, Wentsel R (eds), Risk Management: Ecological Risk Based Decision-Making. SETAC Press, Pensacola, FL, 2001.
Wentsel R, Van der Schalie W, Sommers W. Ecological Risk Assessment in the Federal Government. Comments on Toxicology 2001; 7(5):495–518.
Wentsel R. Contributing chapter author. Characterizing Risks and Impacts Associated with Multiple Stressors. Chapter 3.1. In: Multiple Stressors in Ecological Risk and Impact Assessment. Foran J, Ferenc S (eds), SETAC Press, Pensalcola, FL, 1999.
Wentsel RS. Application of risk assessment in policy and legislation. Appendix 1. In: Ecotoxicological Risk Assessment of the Chlorinated Organic Chemicals. Carey et al. (eds), SETAC Press, Pensalcola, FL, pp. 211–234, 1998.
Wentsel RS. Application of risk assessment in policy and legislation – North America. Chapter 10. In: Handbook of Environmental Risk Assessment & Management, Blackwell Science Ltd., Oxford, England, UK, pp. 261–288, 1998.
Wentsel R. Contributing author. Ecotoxicological Risk Assessment of Chlorinated Organic Chemicals. Carey J, et al. (eds), SETAC Press, Pensalcola, FL, 1998.
Pittinger C, Bachman R, Barton A, Clark J, DeFur P, Ells S, Slimak M, Stahl R, Wentsel R. A multi-stakeholder framework for ecological risk management proceedings of a SETAC technical workshop. Supplement to Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 1998; 18(1).
Wentsel RS, Simini M, Checkai RT, Ludwig D, La Point T. Procedural guidelines for ecological risk assessments at U.S. Army sites. Environmental Toxicology and Risk Assessment: Modeling and Risk Assessment, Sixth Volume. ASTM STP 1317. Dwyer FJ, Doane TR, Hinman ML (eds), American Society for Testing and Materials, pp. 197–223, 1997.
Simini M, Wentsel RS, Checkai RT, Phillips CT, Chester NA, Major MA, Amos JC. Toxicity testing of soils from Joliet Army Ammunition Plant. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 1995; 14(4):623–630.