Dr. Opdyke received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Emory University in Atlanta where he studied neurophysiology. He quickly transitioned from academics to the environmental field, first working at the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GaEPD), where he wrote a novel adult lead model as well as co-authored their RCRA risk assessment guidance. Following his start at GaEPD, Dr. Opdyke took a position as a risk assessor with Region 4 USEPA in Atlanta working in the Air Branch. From there he quickly decided that it would be more beneficial to actually affect change by working directly on environmental cleanups, rather than sit in a regulatory role, and thus he took his first position with USACE in the New England District as a risk assessor. From there he took a role as the Risk Assessment Team Lead in Baltimore District. He followed that up with a 3 year stint in Louisville District where he learned project management, then returned to Baltimore District where he continues his work as the Risk Assessment Team Lead. He has worked on environmental sites throughout the United States for nearly 20 years.