Bob Vashon, PhD

Within P&G Beauty & Grooming and beyond, Bob Vashon, PhD, is a coveted author­ity in the fields of bio­degradation and risk assessments.

After earning a doctorate in microbiol­ogy from Cornell University, Dr. Vashon began his career at P&G by developing a method for predicting the biodegra­dation of chemicals in marine systems and estuaries.

He later worked with P&G's envi­ronmental public policy group in Washington, D.C., to help strengthen the government's requirements for con­ducting peer-reviewed risk assessments before issuing policies.

Currently, Dr. Vashon is focused on assessing the environmental impact posed by ingredients found in personal care products. Based on his expertise, he was invited to present a paper and con­duct a seminar at the 2005 Water Envi­ronment Federation's Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference, the largest conference of its kind, to teach others in the industry to conduct meaningful and cost-effective risk assessments.