Safety Committees
University-Wide Oversight Committee
The U-M Research and Academic Safety Committee is the main oversight committee for the Research Smart initiative, and membership includes faculty, staff, student, trainee and administrative levels from research areas across the university, as well as representation from EHS, OVPR and the Provost’s Office.
The committee focuses on the academic and research activities that involve potentially hazardous materials or equipment and that occur in laboratories, shops or studios affiliated with the Ann Arbor campus and advises the U-M Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) and the Department of Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) on university policies for implementation of federal and state research safety regulations.
The Research and Academic Safety Committee also serves a coordinating role for the school/college/unit safety committees and assists these local bodies by reviewing how safety incidents and concerns are addressed and recommending improvements and remediation, as necessary.
Unit Safety Committees
Fifteen local safety committees (unit safety committees) have been established across twenty different schools, colleges, institutes and units on the Ann Arbor campus (see list below).
The unit safety committees focus on academic and research activities that involve potentially hazardous materials or equipment, and that occur in laboratories, shops or studios. The unit safety committees work to address communication and information-sharing challenges.
Unit safety committees are encouraged to meet at least quarterly. These meetings provide a forum for discussion of safety issues and include local problem-solving.

Unit Safety Committees Chair Roster
Name | Unit Affiliation |
---|---|
Rachel Henry | A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning |
Sarah Weiss | Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design |
Andre Boehman | College of Engineering |
Jody Reynolds | Institute for Social Research |
David Sherman | Life Science Institute |
Corey Stephenson | Literature, Science, and the Arts |
Paul Jenkins | Medical School |
Jeffrey Kuras | School of Music, Theatre & Dance |
Johannes Foufopoulos Sucilia Fernandes – co-chair |
School of Environment & Sustainability |
Yuji Mishina Tao Jin |
School of Dentistry |
Adam Kraft Jacob Haus |
School of Kinesiology |
Vicki Ellingrod Nicole Crandall |
College of Pharmacy |
John Meeker | School of Public Health |
Jerome Rork | School of Social Work |
Luis Hernandez-Garcia Scott Peltier |
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging |
Nicole Crandall | Health Science |
Vaughn Haack | Mcity |
Shannon Zachary | University Library |

Karl Jepsen – Chair Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Bioengineering |
Affiliation – Medical School |
James Burkel Assistant Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs |
Affiliation – Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Faculty Affairs |
Chris Gordon Director – Wilson Student Team Projects Center |
Affiliation – College of Engineering |
Danielle Sheen Executive Director – Environmental, Health & Safety |
Affiliation – Facilities & Operations; Environmental, Health & Safety |
Jackie Hoats Shields Associate Director – Research Safety Compliance |
Affiliation – Office of Research – Research Policy & Compliance; Research Safety Compliance |
James Morrissey Professor, Biological Chemistry and Internal Medicine |
Affiliation – Biological Chemistry; Medical School |
Janet Follo Manager – Environmental, Health & Safety |
Affiliation – Facilities & Operations; Environmental, Health & Safety |
John Meeker Professor of Biochemistry and Internal Medicine, Senior Associate Dean for Research |
Affiliation – School of Public Health |
Kevin Ferrell Program Manager – LRSI |
Affiliation – Facilities & Operations; Environmental, Health & Safety |
Lorraine Currie Director of Enterprise Strategic Risk Management |
Affiliation – Office of Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Business & Finance |
Nathaniel Szymzak Associate Professor of Chemistry |
Affiliation – College of Literature, Science, and the Arts |
Peter von Buelow Professor of Architecture |
Affiliation – School of Architecture |
Vicki Ellingrod Professor of College of Pharmacy, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education |
Affiliation – College of Pharmacy |
William Greer Assistant Vice President, Animal Program Compliance Oversight |
Affiliation – Office of Research; Animal Care & Use Office |