The SOT Public Communications Award is presented to recognize an individual who has made a major contribution to broadening the general public’s awareness of toxicological issues, including public understanding of the role and importance of experimental animals in toxicological science, through any aspect of public communications, over a significant period of time.
Jamie C. DeWitt, PhD, is the 2023 recipient of the Public Communications Award. Her work over the last 15+ years in emerging contaminants has allowed her to effectively inform policy and the communications arena with respect to foundational science and their application to state and federal health guidelines, including facilitation, interpretation, and communication to enhance interactions with members of impacted communities.
Dr. DeWitt earned a PhD in environmental science and a PhD in neural science from Indiana University in 2004, with a concentration in environmental and developmental neurotoxicology and risk assessment. Since 2015, she has taught at East Carolina University (ECU) in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, where she currently holds the position of Professor. At ECU, Dr. DeWitt has developed a research program that focuses on how exposure to environmental contaminants alters the health status of living organisms. Her scholarship is dedicated to understanding the toxicological effects of emerging environmental contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), geogenic dusts, and pharmaceutical and personal care product pollutants.
Dr. DeWitt is recognized as a global expert in immunotoxicology, especially with respect to PFAS. Her expertise has been utilized by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US National Toxicology Program, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry as an external reviewer or author of documents that the agencies have produced related to PFAS. Dr. DeWitt has testified before subcommittees of the US House of Representatives on PFAS toxicity, served/serves as an expert witness in legal cases surrounding PFAS, and provides pro bono consultation to a wide variety of advocacy organizations on PFAS toxicity. On the local level, she is involved in the North Carolina State University P42 Superfund Research Program Center examining the immunotoxic effects of legacy PFAS chemicals and newer GenX compounds that affect the Cape Fear River in North Carolina.
Because she is regarded as an effective public speaker, since 2018, Dr. DeWitt has delivered, on average, 10 invited public presentations/seminars per year. Her early work and suggested initiatives have spurred epidemiological evaluation of PFAS effects on vaccine efficacy, response to COVID severity, and other work in the immunotoxicity field. Currently, epidemiological evidence for immune targets is driving US regulatory policymaking for the PFAS chemicals PFOA and PFOS.
Dr. DeWitt is an effective communicator in the classroom as well, teaching graduate introductory and advanced toxicology, biomedical statistics, pharmacology (undergrad/grad/med students), and parts of the biomedical sciences introductory course, covering pharmacology and developmental health effects. For her continued excellence in research and teaching, she has received the East Carolina University 2017 Faculty Mentor Award from the Honors College and the 2021 Scholar-Teacher Award from the Office of Faculty Excellence.
Dr. DeWitt has been an SOT member since 2005. She has served in leadership positions in the SOT North Carolina Regional Chapter and is Past President of the SOT Immunotoxicology Specialty Section. She is an Associate Editor for Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology and Editorial Board member of several other top toxicology journals.
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