Meet David Puskas

 

What is your official job title at EHS and a general description of your job duties?

My official title is Director of Biosecurity, and my working title is Institutional Biosafety Officer. I am responsible for directing the university's Biosafety Program that includes advising the university on policy and programs necessary to ensure the control of biological agents to protect faculty, staff, students, the university, and the environment. I consult with the university on hazards and compliance assurance associated with biological agents, potentially infectious materials, recombinant DNA, and other possible hazards in academic and research environments.

 

How long have you been with EHS?  

I joined Ohio State on July 20, 2020.

 

Why did you decide on a career in health and safety?

When I was at Battelle, I believed we needed more safety representatives to help with oversight of the BSL3 laboratories. We had multiple labs in two different sites, supporting a wide range of research projects at any one time. Our safety resources, while very good, struggled to provide timely responses because they had too much ground to cover. I volunteered to become a Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP) with the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) so I could help. I had spent many years working in the BSL3 labs as a technician at the bench, running my own projects and as lab director of one of the sites and believed this experience would help in all aspects of BSL3 safety, such as risk/hazard assessments, vetting new projects, and performing lab inspections.

 

What is your favorite thing about Ohio State?  

Buckeye football at the Shoe, of course!  Nothing beats game day.

 

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?  

I do a lot of DIY home projects, and I recently started re-reading some of the classics that were required in college so I can actually enjoy them. I also used to play a lot of golf, and it is something that I would like to get back into as time allows.

 

What is your favorite quote, TV show, movie, or book?

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
                                    - Robert Frost