Paul has recently joined the Safety Services, Environmental Health & Safety team at UC Davis as the Asbestos & Lead Database Specialist within the Industrial Hygiene group.

In this role, Paul is responsible for developing a centralized database to track and manage information for locations where asbestos and lead is present on campus. The comprehensive inventory Paul is developing, which involves reviewing over 30,000 historical documents for over 1,000 buildings on UC Davis campus, will streamline the tracking of asbestos and lead data, ensuring efficient access to critical safety information while addressing questions about prior abatements, preparing for future renovations, and preventing potential exposures. With an extensive list of professional certifications, Paul is a living encyclopedia of hazardous materials, asbestos management, and environmental health and safety procedures.

Paul has a deep appreciation of rocks that started in his childhood in East Tennessee where he spent his time exploring the rivers, lakes, quarries, and caverns, where he found his first quartz crystals at the age of six. In high school, his curiosity for science deepened as he worked in environmental research laboratories at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, monitoring radioactive iodine in cattle thyroid glands resulting from widespread global fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. That early exposure to both geology and environmental science set the stage for his career, combining his passion for the outdoors with a scientific purpose of collecting real-time data.

Paul holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geology from UT Knoxville, and a Master’s Degree in Aqueous Geochemistry from the University of Idaho. His master’s research delved into the solubility and mobility of Rare Earth Elements, Thorium, and Uranium in Idaho’s hydrothermal springs, a topic that has real-world implications for radioactive waste disposal. 

After acquiring his scholastic degrees, Paul has spent 28 years as an environmental consultant, specializing in remedial investigations, cleanup actions, and restoration at sites across the U.S. Most recently, he owned and operated PRISM Environmental Services in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where he conducted asbestos building inspections, developed asbestos management plans for public school districts, and performed air clearance surveys for abatement projects. His expertise in environmental drilling, groundwater sampling, and regulatory compliance now benefits UC Davis as he spearheads efforts to create a centralized asbestos and lead database program.

Paul is excited to join the UC system, renowned for its innovation, sustainability, and leadership in shaping regulations nationwide, and helping contribute to efforts that continually update and improve safety practices around hazardous materials. 

Outside of work, Paul continues his love for geology as an avid rockhound. Over the years, he’s built a large star garnet collection from the Emerald Creek area of North Idaho and gathered Precambrian fossils from the Blue Ridge Mountains. Originally from Tennessee, he spent his youth hiking the Appalachian and Great Smoky Mountains, further fueling his passion for earth sciences. Paul now resides in Davis with his wife, son, and daughter.

Paul’s Current Certification Collection

Paul’s extensive training is backed by a remarkable array of certifications, including:

• CalOSHA & EPA AHERA Asbestos Building Inspector
• CalOSHA & EPA AHERA Asbestos Management Planner
• CalOSHA & EPA Certified Asbestos Abatement Contractor Supervisor
• EPA Certified Asbestos Project Designer
• EPA Certified Lead Paint Renovator
• CESCL Water Pollution Control Manager
• 40-hour OSHA HAZWOPER Site Worker & Confined Space Operator