DR. DASH SAYALA

EDUCATION

Ph.D, Geochemistry

MS, Geochemistry

MS, Sedimentary Geology 

BS, Geology, Chemistry and Zoology

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE

Dr. Sayala has over thirty four years of professional experience in various technical fields such as hazardous and radioactive wastes management; environmental technologies; environmental impact assessments; risk assessments; environmental economics, hydro-geochemistry; hydrogeology; knowledge management; and program planning and management. He has effectively applied geochemistry, hydrochemistry, hydrogeology, emanometry to assess fate and transport of pollutants, solving environmental problems relating to hazardous-radioactive wastes, and to assessing the pollution impacts on health and natural resources. Through a synergism of multi-disciplinary approach, he has developed strategies and options for investigating, characterizing and assessing various hazardous waste sites.  He has supported DOE on two geologic repository studies for disposal of defense transuranic mixed wastes and high-level radioactive wastes. He has developed innovative technologies for radiation shielding, and waste solidification.  He has developed guidance manuals, and proposed policies and regulatory reforms to international governments for pollution control management and environmental protection.  In addition, he has recommended for adoption of clean technologies, based on economic incentives and innovative market-based instruments (MBIs), and for restructuring of industries for industrial pollution control management and protection of environment and human health.  He has taught courses in hydrology, geology and environmental courses at universities/colleges in the U.S. and abroad.  He has trained international government staff in environmental monitoring, auditing and reviews, and in industrial waste management.

He has managed and successfully completed multimillion-dollar projects/programs, including field programs for DOE, EPA, USAID, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and other national and international organizations.  He was a member of the team who developed the modified Hazard Ranking System for hazard ranking of Superfund sites for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

He has reviewed and interpreted federal and state environmental regulations and developed guidance and policy documents in support of compliance with regulatory requirements. 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Science & Technology Applications, LLC

President

January 2001 – Present

-          Developed innovative and cost-effective technologies for gamma-neutron radiation shielding, which is applicable for various aspects of radioactive waste management, including waste storage, liquid/sludge radioactive waste solidification/immobilization, and decontamination and decommissioning. A patent was awarded by the US PTO (2007).

-          Developed and tested radiation shielding concrete and polymer based products for radioactive waste management, facility decontamination and decommission and medical facility applications

-          As a consultant, provided scientific and technical advice and support to several companies

-          Developed and field tested patent pending blast and radiation resistant multi-barrier concrete protective structure technology against IEDs and terrorist activities.

Department of Energy: High-Level Radioactive Waste Repository Program at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Consultant

-          Provided technical support and wrote reports on: Radionuclide Inventories and Impacts of Igneous Intrusion on Waste Packages and Waste Forms pertaining to High-level Radioactive Waste Repository Project, Yucca Mountain.

-          Revamped the technical and quality assurance requirements for conducting and   completing various technical studies in support of the repository for regulatory compliance  

-          Peer reviewed the technical reports on drift-scale thermal-hydrologic-chemical model and in-drift microbial-community model and radionuclide sorption.  

Department of Justice Environmental Litigation Support Project

      -     Expert Analyst to the Department of Justice on the litigation case of ASARCO Vs. US Government, pertaining to the liability of environmental pollution due to copper production during World War II period.  Dr. Sayala’s technical analysis formed the basis for settling the case and saving multimillion dollars for the US Government. 

University of Maryland University College, Graduate School of Management and Technology - September 2000 – present

Associate Professor - Dept. of Environmental Management and Technology Systems

-          Has been teaching graduate level courses:

       a) Environmental Systems,

b) Hazmat/Radioactive Waste Treatment, Storage, Transport and Disposal Approaches in accordance with the applicable RCRA and NRC regulations, as well as International regulations pertaining to IAEA, UN, IMO and ICAO.

c) Air Quality Management and Related RCRA Regulations

                   d) Environmental, health and safety auditing

Kathpal Technologies, Inc. – July 1998 – 2000

Director of Environmental Programs

He has put together a strategic plan and partnership with big to small companies, and competed for various procurements such as USDA Health Risks Assessment, GSA Millennia Lite, NIH Image World2 and CIOSP2, and EPA’s Information Centers Support and FAIR II.  Developed effective technical proposals and won two multimillion-dollar and multi-year NIH Image World2 and CIOSP2 ID/IQ contracts, as a prime contractor.  Also won three Maryland State Integration contracts, as a subcontractor to Versar Inc.   

Maryland State Low-level Radioactive Waste Management Project

Project Manager and Technical Specialist:  Provided technical services, which includes review of key issues that affected the sitting of a Low Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) disposal facility for the Appalachian Compact; assessment and QA/QC of data on LLRW quantities, their storage and disposal facilities; and preparation of a comprehensive report. 

Asian Development Bank Project (Industrial Pollution Control Management in Malaysia)

Project Director and Environmental Specialist:  Coordinated and managed the project activities. For industrial pollution control management in Malaysia, surveyed pollution control and waste management approaches of 200 electroplating, textile and food-beverage industries; and reviewed the existing regulations and policies.   Based on the findings of deficiencies and problems, recommended reforms to policies and regulations, introduced market based instruments (MBIs) and incentive based ISO 14000 and 9000 approaches for waste and pollution control management; and recommended adoption of cost-effective clean technologies for improving efficiency of industrial processes and environmental pollution management through waste minimization and pollution prevention.   

Washington D.C GIS Project

Project Director:  Coordinated and managed the project activities related to GIS and IT system design and development, and peer reviewed the project reports.

NIH Image World Project

Project Manager:  Promoted GIS technology application for effective management of science and technological information. Developed over $4.2 million business.

International Business & Technical Consultants Inc. - Nov. 1996- June 1998

Principal, Environmental Division

USAID Privatization Environmental Project

As a Due Diligence contractor, reviewed environmental impact assessment reports pertaining to privatization of three pharmaceutical plants in Russia, and made recommendations to the State Department for compliance of the plants with the applicable regulations.  Suggested for inclusion of environmental framework and liability issues into the industrial privatization projects.  Recommended to the State Department ways and means of avoiding future liabilities through modification of existing agreements.

USAID Global Environmental Center Project

-          Responsible for winning the $8.3 million IDIQ contract for providing technical and administrative support to Global Environmental Center.

-          Submitted a position paper to USAID on policies and guidance for promoting reduction of emission of greenhouse gases and global warming.  This paper recommended a synergistic approach based on the cooperative agreement of USAID Center for Economic Development, Global Environmental Center and Global Climate Protection Division, and based on the market-based incentive program for restructuring and adoption of clean technologies by small and medium size industries in developing countries.

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) - April 1991-1996

Assistant Vice President, Environmental Programs and

Senior Scientist/Program Manager, Technology Assessment Division (Held  DOE “Q” Clearance)

DOE/Environmental and Waste Management Projects

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Program (Department of Energy)

·        As principal investigator on WIPP project for DOE/WIPP Headquarters, Dr. Sayala has assisted DOE in Test Phase Program activities related to Defense mixed transuranic waste (including plutonium, actinium, uranium, and thorium) disposal. 

·        Reviewed EA and EIS documents pertaining to characterization of transuranic wastes from Rocky Flats, Hanford, and other storage sites, and actinide test phase program.

·           As a member of the Special Team, he has assessed the regulatory requirements and participated in developing a regulatory compliance based Test Phase Program in support of WIPP repository Performance Assessments and RCRA No Migration Demonstration.

·        As a member of an expert committee, established by DOE Headquarters, made an in-depth review of the EPA's proposed rule, 40 CFR Part 191, on radioactive waste disposal.  Based on the review, some significant implementation issues were identified pertaining to the deep geological repositories for disposal of radioactive wastes.

·        Developed a technical and logistical rationale paper in defense of the revised WIPP regulatory compliance Strategy.  This paper was developed for presentation to the US Congress.

·        Involved in developing a strategic Test Phase Program for WIPP based on 40 CFR Part 191 and RCRA LDR mixed waste regulations, as well as “No Migration Variance regulations

·        Reviewed radioactive source-term test plans pertaining to EIS and significantly contributed for their technical defensibility.

·        Participated in National Academy of Sciences Board review meetings on WIPP and assisted DOE in resolving the issues/concerns of the Board.  Responded to the public comments pertaining to the WIPP issues.

·        Developed a synopsis of the test phase program activities for transuranic waste disposal and their 5-year cost-logistics for DOE's Strategic Management Plan and Program reviews.

·        Developed a DOE/EM‑342 position paper on Issues Pertinent to Tracer Tests and Source-Term Tests/Models.  This was intended for improving the test approaches and reducing uncertainties in the data developed for WIPP performance assessments.

·        A draft report, "Some Global Issues Pertaining to WIPP Experimental Activities and a Recommended Guidance for Resolving them" was developed for improving the WIPP Experimental Program for meeting the compliance with applicable regulations.

·        Involved in strategic planning meetings with WPIO and WPIO contractors, DOE headquarters and EH/DOE to discuss the issues and concerns related to the implications of applying the SDWA regulations, as proposed in 40 CFR 191, to WIPP.  Prepared comments and recommendations to EPA for improving the proposed radioactive waste disposal regulations.

·        Peer review and QA/QC of the annual WIPP performance assessment documents and made recommendations for improvement.

·        On behalf of WIPP/DOE, authored a technical paper, "An Overview of DOE's WIPP Program" and presented the paper at the International SPECTRUM Conference on Nuclear and Hazardous Waste Management, August 1994, Atlanta, Georgia.  The paper is published in the Conference proceedings.

·        International Nuclear Energy Agency (INEA) position paper on the work program was reviewed, and comments and suggestions were made to improve the medium- and long-term future program activities.

·        Reviewed the draft Application for WIPP Compliance Certification package.  The review focussed on the approach, data presentation and defensible demonstration of compliance with 40 CFR 19.  Made comments for improvement.

Offices of Environmental Guidance and Compliance (Department of Energy)

·        As a Program Manager, Dr. Sayala has assisted US Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Guidance on policies, planning and developing guidance documents in support of DOE field activities.  These guidance documents include removal action guidance, guidance on generator pre-transport and generator manifesting requirements for compliance, groundwater investigation guidance, groundwater investigations at hazardous waste sites, and guidance on cultural resource assessment.  He has assisted the Office of Environmental Compliance (DOE) in reviewing the compliance documents such as EPIPs and EIS, and has made recommendations for strategically and cost-effectively achieving the implementation program for health/environmental protection.  

·        Developed a draft guidance report on groundwater investigations and monitoring

·        Developed Information Briefs, policies and guidance on State Historic Preservation Officers Requirements; on ignitable, corrosive, reactive, and incompatible wastes; RCRA hazardous waste container labeling, marking, and placarding requirements; and on manifesting, shipping papers, record keeping and reporting requirements

Office of Nuclear Safety Policies and Standards (Department of Energy) Project

·        Supported NE‑70 in rule making  for 10 CFR Part 830 on Nuclear Safety

·        Wrote preamble to the final rule on 10 CFR 830.320, and reviewed and commented on the draft of the final rule on 10 CFR 830.320, and reviewed and commented on the draft of the final rule and its comment responses.

Army Environmental Center Project - Baltimore

Reviewed the NPL packages of DOD bases, and developed strategies with recommendations for delisting the Airforce Base sites and repackaging the land for Base Realignment and Closure for Privatization.

Army Environmental Policy Institute Project, Illinois

Wrote sections of Mission Area Pollution Prevention Guidance

World Bank Environmental Project – Government of Republic of Kazakhstan

Strategically put together a team of US and Kazakh specialists and wrote a winning proposal for a multimillion dollar contract on Institutional strengthening of the Ministry of Environment and Bio-Resources. Dr. Sayala developed uniform policies, procedures, systems, and guidance for environmental auditing, review of industrial activities, environmental monitoring, and environmental Impact Assessments.  He has also trained various government officials in environmental monitoring and auditing of sites polluted by radioactive waste and industrial chemical wastes.

Other Tasks

·        For Oak Ridge DOE, he, as a principal investigator, has written a document on the proposed dye-tracer study to delineate potential groundwater flow paths for migration of radioactive and chemical pollutants at Y-12 Plant area.  Reviewed and made improvements on the draft and final documents on the Field Tracer Studies at Y-12 plant.

·        Assessed the cost logistics of site pollution-remediation technology program submitted by the Management and Operating contractor of DOE, and based on the assessment, made recommendation for saving several hundred million dollars.

The Mitre Corporation - 1985-1991

Member of the Technical Staff, Hazardous Waste and Safety Systems Division

EPA Superfund Project Tasks

·        As a member of the team, developed the revised Hazard Ranking System (HRS) for assessing the relative hazards of Superfund sites for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Also involved in field testing the ranking system.  Developed guidance for uniform and consistent implementation of the HRS and trained the regional offices in implementing the HRS.

·        Assessed various physical, geochemical and biological processes responsible for fate and transport of radioactive, organic and inorganic pollutants as a function of characteristics of different environmental media.  Examined both dissolved and facilitated/colloidal transport of contaminants and their implications to aquifer contamination.  Evaluated various groundwater models, and their functional applicability.  Based on a synergistic approach, developed cost-effective factors for ranking of hazardous waste sites.

·        Responded to public comments on HRS application and conducted training classes on HRS to promote HRS to the industry and public.

·        Developed a methodology for calculating contaminant release rates from sources, through unsaturated zone, to aquifers as a function of waste quantity, constituent concentrations, leachability of wastes, net percolation, and specific yields of wastes and geomedia.

·        Assessed the impacts of fracture flow, granular flow and conduit flow on groundwater risks. Also assessed the impacts of cross contamination due to surface water-groundwater interconnections

·        Evaluated safe drinking water standards and ACLs with reference to radioactive waste, including uranium mill tailings

·        Reviewed geophysical techniques and assessed the feasibility of their use in P.A. and S.I.

·        Developed guidance for characterization of sites and hazardous waste sources.

·        Developed a radon prediction technology by utilizing NURE Aerial spectral radiometric survey data.  Presented the paper in the International Indoor Radon Conference and subsequently published the paper 

·        Prepared a technical information brief on radon problems and mitigation technologies for American Nuclear Society

·        Reviewed various innovative and/or alternative remedial technologies, including bioremediation, in-situ remediation and waste stabilization technologies, and assessed their efficacies

·        Assisted EPA Headquarters in writing a portion of the preamble to the final HRS rule

·        Developed guidance for evaluating the HRS groundwater pathways and delineation of an area of soil contamination

·        Assisted EPA Headquarters in writing responses to public comments on the final Hazard Ranking System and in reviewing the work of other EPA subcontractors

·        Assessed groundwater-monitoring technologies under variable gradients, velocities and heterogeneous aquifer conditions.

Woodward-Clyde Consultants, 1983-1985

Senior Project Geochemist, Nuclear Waste Disposal and Hazardous Waste Studies Division

DOE Nuclear Waste Isolation Project Tasks

·        Senior Geochemist, in charge of geochemical studies related to high-level nuclear waste isolation in the bedded salt formation of Paradox Basin, Utah and in crystalline rocks of the northeastern U.S.  Investigated site characteristics, in terms of possible radionuclide release, transport and retardation, for evaluating the potential candidate sites for nuclear waste disposal.

·        Planned and conducted field studies and managed laboratory programs related to repository site characterization. Field studies included collection and study of groundwater and surface water samples, and evaluation of stable and unstable radioactive isotopes, trace/major metals and non-metals, water quality, organic species, water-rock interactions/alterations and migration/retardation of radionuclides and associated chemical species

·        Developed QA/QC procedures and guidance for evaluating various types of field data used for assessing the suitability of sites for  nuclear waste repository.

·        Responded to public comments on the nuclear disposal site selection

·        Evaluated origin and source of groundwater and traced groundwater-flow paths, by means of isotopic studies, for selecting suitable sites for disposal of radioactive wastes

·        Reviewed world's salt deposits in contact with igneous intrusives and assessed their hydrothermal alterations as natural analogues in support of performance assessment of salt repositories for nuclear waste isolation

·        Served as a member of the committee, established by the DOE/ONWI, to respond to the public comments on the environmental impact assessment of salt repositories for disposal of high-level radioactive wastes

·        Supported in planning and designing of proposed engineered-barriers for nuclear waste isolation.  Evaluated the feasibility of temporary storage of radioactive wastes in Monitored Retrieval Storage facilities

·        Coordinated work programs with DOE/ONWI and promoted innovative ideas for characterizing nuclear waste repository sites.  Based on innovative ideas, Dr. Sayala was awarded program contracts.

Bendix Field Engineering Corporation, 1979 - 1983

Manager of Technology Integration Department,

National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) Program

DOE Project Tasks (NURE Program)

·        Manager of Technology Integration Department (18 research geoscientists and five year, multimillion dollar program) of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation program (NURE).  Planned and developed cost-effective technologies for characterizing and exploring uranium deposits occurring in different environments and negotiated the work programs with uranium companies and DOE. Developed fate and transport based innovative technologies for detection of uranium and associated elements in different geologic environments

·        Planned, managed, and monitored various field and laboratory programs related to site characterization, and successfully completed four multi-million dollar projects related to uranium deposits of different environments.  Field programs included drilling, and geologic, geochemical, geophysical, radiation and emanometric surveys, while lab programs included analyses of rocks, soils and waters by various sophisticated techniques