Laboratory Safety Specialist
meganutl@uchicago.edu
Megan Utley received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geosciences from Purdue University, studying the impact of pesticide use on urban reservoirs and soils. After a brief time as a geologist working on Phase II site assessments, she returned to earn a Master’s in Library Science from Indiana University.
Megan began her career in safety as part of Indiana University’s Environmental Health and Safety team as an EHS Specialist, and also acted as the Laser Safety Officer for the university. She then went on to become the Laboratory Safety Specialist for the Viterbi School of Engineering at the University of Southern California. While at USC, she was responsible for all aspects of safety in the engineering labs, as well as managing multiple toxic gas systems on campus.
Megan joined the ORS team as the PSD Lab Safety Specialist in May 2023. Megan interacts with the chemical safety officers, biosafety officers, laser safety officer, Principal Investigators, and laboratory staff to promote a culture of safety at the University of Chicago. She holds a 40-hour HAZWOPER certification and is a Certified Chemical Hygiene Officer.