Debbie in a floral shirt happy in the Bahamas.

Debbie Decker is Retiring

In June 2020, Debbie Decker, Safety Manager for the Department of Chemistry, will retire after 22 years of service at UC Davis. Debbie completed her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at UC Davis and moved into a career in the explosives industry. While there, she earned her hazardous materials certificate which she used to leverage into a position at Sacramento State as their Chemical Hygiene Officer and Hazardous Waste Program Manager. In 1998 Debbie joined EH&S at UC Davis as the campus Chemical Hygiene Officer. At that time the position was newly created so she had the opportunity to create her own niche by determining where the gaps were in the existing program and working to fill those gaps. In 2013 Debbie left EH&S to become the Safety Manager at the Department of Chemistry. 

Looking back over the past 20 years Debbie has witnessed that safety has become much more embedded in how people conduct themselves, both in research and in teaching. She indicates that while we’re, “not quite at the level where you get in the car, put your seatbelt on and not even think about it,” progress has been made. Debbie hopes that the conversations around safety continue to evolve, with researchers becoming more adept at assessing the risks and hazards of what they're doing and incorporating that into how they accomplish their work.
Debbie has had a hand in developing the careers of several safety professionals. Veronica Thron, Supervisor of the Lab Safety Review Program, shared “Debbie’s willingness to share her skill, knowledge, and expertise were instrumental in both my safety officer and EH&S roles. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from her.” The current Chemical Hygiene Officer for UC Davis, Karen Gagnon, says, “Debbie has been a mentor to me and one of my strongest supporters. She has always been willing to offer guidance with candor and sass whenever I’ve needed it.”

Graduate Students Love Debbie
Kelsey Mesa, a former graduate student in the Department of Chemistry and the current interim Chemical Hygiene Officer at UC Berkeley says, “As a chemistry grad student, I knew I didn't want to work at the bench anymore but wasn't sure what to do. I was fortunate to be able to work directly for Debbie as her safety TA and really expand on my non-bench skill set. She taught me how to support labs, discuss safety culture, and still find joy in science (also when to use a good cat meme). I keep her attention to detail and focus on written documents in mind as I start my own career in safety.” When asked about advice for new safety officers and departmental coordinators Debbie suggests starting by talking to people in the department: ask researchers what their concerns are and what they see as safety issues to start building trust. She advises to look critically at the written documents available and identify gaps in your safety program. 

What's Next for Debbie
In retirement, Debbie looks forward to having time to travel on her own terms (Hawaii is a favorite vacation spot), reading through the stack of books she’s accumulated on her bedside table, and continuing to volunteer with the American Chemical Society. When asked what she will miss most about UC Davis Debbie responds that she will miss her cohort of safety officer graduate students: “They are precious to me…I take seriously that I need to be an advocate for their safety and their health and, to a certain degree, their well-being as well. And they keep me on my toes: they're funny and they're brilliant and they're adorable.”