Rachel A. Meidl
Rice University
Fellow in Energy and Environment
Rachel A. Meidl, LP.D., CHMM, is the fellow in energy and environment at Rice University's Baker Institute. She was previously appointed deputy associate administrator for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, an agency of the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. Her research focuses on sustainability; the circular economy; domestic and international policy and law as it relates to life cycle management of hazardous wastes; safety and environmental regulations of the treatment, storage, disposal, and transportation of chemicals within and outside the U.S.; assessing plastics, plastic recycling technologies, advanced electronics, and alternative energy applications from a sustainability and life cycle perspective to understand the environmental, economic, and social impacts across the supply chain; and resiliency of the energy industry. Prior to her public service, Dr. Meidl was the director of regulatory and technical affairs at the American Chemistry Council in Washington, D.C., where she advanced a broad range of regulatory and policy issues, including reforming the Toxic Substances and Control Act, hazardous waste management and emergency response, and addressing contaminated site issues. She has 27 years of regulatory, public policy, advocacy and technical experience in industry, academia, government and international relations. Dr. Meidl holds a Ph.D. in law and public policy from Northeastern University, a master in environmental policy and management, a master of education in applied science and technology with certifications in chemistry and physics, and bachelor degrees in conservation biology and zoology & animal physiology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Dr. Meidl is a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager.
