Employee Spotlight: Joe Bullard

Meet ORAU employee Joe Bullard! Joe is an ORAU contractor working under the National Student Services Contract (NSSC) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As an Administrative and Communications Assistant in Research Triangle Park, Joe supports EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD), the Office of Science Advisor, Policy, and Engagement (OSAPE), and the Extramural Research and Partnerships Division (ERPD). Joe assists the Partnerships Branch Chief and the Environmental Justice program lead in OSAPE with analytical and administrative duties required to support and maintain a robust program, including the administration, management, and communication of results and impacts resulting from ERPD activities.

Joe works in the Environmental Justice Program, writing articles, helping organize webinars, designing visual media, and raising awareness of the Agency's work to address environmental issues that disproportionately affect underserved communities. Additionally, he contributes his communications skills to the OSAPE Translational Science Team, a group dedicated to ensuring research produces practical, usable products for communities to improve their environment. Lastly, he assists with weekly and monthly newsletters.

We asked Joe to tell us about his accomplishments while working at EPA. Joe said, “This December I published my first external publication, a Science Matters article on the Environmental Justice Video Challenge for Students, along with my mentor Sania Tong Argao.”

Background

Joe is a native of Austin, Texas. He also lived in Saratoga Springs, New York, before moving to Raleigh, North Carolina, in high school. Moving frequently provided Joe the confidence to successfully seek out and attend college in a new city. After weighing all the university options, he decided on Louisiana State University (LSU).

Joe majored in Mass Communication at LSU with a concentration in Print Journalism. He started working for the LSU newspaper during his sophomore year, and while he didn't have an assigned beat to cover for the newspaper, he quickly began writing science-related articles. In his junior year, he became the newspaper’s official Science Reporter (a position that had never existed before). Joe received an internship at the LSU College of Science writing in-house communications during his senior year. Returning to Raleigh after graduation in May of 2023, he was able to secure his current role at EPA to further his career in science communication.  

Joe earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Louisiana State University in May 2023. His goal is to continue developing his communication skills and publish more external pieces.

Fun Facts:  Joe works part-time for the Carolina Hurricanes, an NHL team in Raleigh. He started playing ultimate frisbee in college and continues to play today. Additionally, Joe enjoys performing in theater, improv, and stand-up.