AECOM Fellows are an elite and esteemed group who represent the very best of AECOM.

These exceptional technical leaders have distinguished themselves as mentors, teachers, innovators and thought leaders. Throughout their careers, they have contributed to iconic projects, delivered exceptional results for AECOM clients, and trained AECOM teams. Notably, their dedication to their technical fields and their groundbreaking work have had a profound and lasting impact on the communities AECOM serves.

AECOM celebrates and honors its Fellows who inspire the next generation of technical experts, propel its industry forward, and help advance its purpose of delivering a better world.

Meet one of these impressive AECOM Fellows, Dr Rosa E. Gwinn, leader of AECOM's Global PFAS Initiative. 

Inspired by the outdoors

Rosa has pioneered methods to address PFAS - synthetic chemicals that resist breaking down and accurate in the environment and living organisms, posing long-term health and ecological risks.

The great outdoors first inspired Dr. Rosa Gwinn to become a scientist. Now, as AECOM Global PFAS Technical Lead, it’s the well-being of communities that continues to drive her success at AECOM. 

"When I first started out on my journey for education and gaining knowledge, I knew that I wanted to be scientist because it brought me into the great outdoors where I was the happiest," says Rosa.

Rosa has pioneered AECOM's PFAS sampling, certification, and remediation programs and has been instrumental in securing and leading major PFAS remediation projects worldwide.

"I would want to tell my younger self, or any other younger person: get out there and disturb the universe," she says.

A leading environmental consulting

Rosa is a globally recognized authority in the identification and mitigation PFAS with over 30 years of experience at AECOM and its legacy companies. Her extensive expertise, including a doctorate in Geology from Brown University, has significantly benefited the organization and the wider regulatory community. As the leader of AECOM’s Global PFAS Initiative, Dr. Gwinn has developed innovative PFAS evaluation protocols and contributed to critical publications and global presentations, cementing her position as a pivotal figure in environmental consulting.

Her primary technical focus includes the characterization and remediation of environmental contaminants such as chlorinated solvents, munitions and explosives of concern (MEC), munitions constituents (MC), and chemical warfare materiel (CWM). Her recent work addresses the challenges posed by PFAS contamination. By invitation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), she participated in an industry and technology roundtable focused on accelerating innovation in addressing PFAS in drinking water. 

Developing women leaders 

Rosa has participated in numerous prestigious forums, including the Tackling PFAS Forum in Antwerp, the EPA in Washington, D.C., and various environmental and industry symposia. She has also been featured in the Environment Analyst and recently co-authored a peer-reviewed article in Environmental Science and Technology on novel sorbents for PFAS. Additionally, Rosa mentors rising professionals and actively supports the development of future women leaders, further solidifying her role as a key knowledge leader within AECOM and the broader environmental community.

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