NCWQR Director - Gary Winston

Dr. Winston has enjoyed a long career that has brought him through the academic ranks to his present position as Director of the National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg College. His recent experience as the Chief Toxicologist to the Department of Environmental Health, Israel Ministry of Health for nearly six years has helped him to appreciate one of the more important aspects of scientific endeavor, i.e. that research aims to bridge variance between scientific data and the legal ramifications of environmental and public health regulations within a framework of international scientific developments.

After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology Education from the University of Florida, Dr. Winston taught high school biology for ten years, during which time he earned a Master’s Degree from Florida Atlantic University in Human Behavior, with his sights set on pursuing doctoral study in behavioral psychology. As often happens in career paths, an influential individual ignites a new passion, as was the case while Winston was teaching high school Advanced Biology in Reno, Nevada. Few individuals can claim that impetus to pursue doctoral study was provided by a high school student's science fair project (Effects of Arsenic in the Truckee River on Mitochondrial Electron Transport of Brown Trout). Serendipity led to teacher and student seeking the advice of a University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) Biochemistry Professor. Soon after, Winston found himself in a Ph.D. program with the same professor.

Following his Ph.D. from UNR Dr. Winston did post-doctoral study at Washington State University in Pullman, WA working on acute bovine pulmonary edema and emphysema and later at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in NY City working on mechanisms of ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity. Based on this work, Dr. Winston received the Revson Fellowship for career development in research and was promoted to Research Assistant Professor.

From New York, Winston went on to the Institute of Environmental Studies and the Department of Biochemistry at Louisiana State University, where he worked his way through the ranks to Full Professor and ultimately Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry (1990 - 1997) At LSU Dr. Winston created a personal research niche in aquatic and marine toxicology as one of the first to study oxidative stress (free radical and antioxidant biochemistry) as a general response to chemical pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, and to develop and employ biomarkers of exposure and effect to environmental contaminants in aquatic and marine organisms. This work had received funding for three programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service. He also was the U.S. Co-P.I. on two NATO-sponsored grants with scientists at the Plymouth Marine Laboratories in the U.K. and scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and had sustained extramural funding in the broader area of environmental toxicology throughout his academic career from both the NIH and USDA. Dr. Winston has amassed more than 100 peer-reviewed publications in environmental toxicology. Dr. Winston has received numerous teaching and research awards during his career – two of which he is most proud were receiving a "University of Nevada Alumni Professional Achievement Award" and the "LSU Alumni Foundation Distinguished Professor" award.

Later, as Head of the Department of Toxicology at North Carolina State University (1997- 2000) and fueled by successes in aquatic toxicology (including being named to the editorial board of the journal Aquatic Toxicology) and growing collaboration with aquatic and marine scientists worldwide (Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Great Britain, et al.) his career track continued to grow in water quality research. In 2001, Dr. Winston was nominated to fill a vacancy as Chief Toxicologist in the Department of Environmental Health of the Israel Ministry of Health, a position which he has held for the past five and a half years. In this position Dr. Winston is involved in oversight of ground water, aquifer, and surface water supplies used by the national water company (Mekorot) and all wells in Israel, adoption and regulation of Israeli drinking water standards, regulation of industrial waste-water effluent discharge, certification of drinking water treatment chemicals, and working closely with the Israel Water Commission to ensure that point-source and nonpoint-source pollution of ground and surface waters are properly regulated and interpreting risk assessment documents, and issuing health advisories on private well use; more than a third of Israelis obtain drinking water from private wells.

Dr. Winston has been lauded as a gifted teacher, researcher, public speaker, and educational innovator. He claims boundless enthusiasm and energy and derives great pleasure from working with challenged colleagues.

Two things attracted Dr. Winston to the position of Director of the NCWQR at Heidelberg College. One was the obvious record of research excellence as indicated by the publications, conference participation, and grant acquisition success of the center. Another was the mission statement of Heidelberg College, which in every respect reflects his personal philosophy of higher education, i.e. "to cherish academic excellence, honor knowledge, and to encourage original research." He takes great pride in his ability to instill in students and colleagues an enthusiasm for research and commitment to free inquiry. Dr. Winston embraces Heidelberg's commitment to understand and respect diverse cultures, religions and lifestyles, something, he says, "I am all about."