Christopher Broberg

What is your position at UNC-Chapel Hill, and how long have you been associated with the University?

I am the Associate Biosafety Officer and have been with UNC for about 13 years. I started as a Postdoctoral Fellow and have worked as a researcher in both the Microbiology & Immunology and Chemistry Departments. I joined EHS a little over a year ago

How did you initiate your career in this field or what led you to your current position? 

I became interested in EH&S through my interactions with safety personnel while working in the lab. When I decided to leave research, I saw Biosafety as an occupation that would allow me to learn a new field while still utilizing my previous training and experiences.

Which sectors of the University does your role impact, and in what ways does it contribute to those areas of work? 

Most of my time revolves around various aspects of the University’s research enterprise. I interface with lab personnel while conducting risk assessments, lab inspections, and incident investigations; TAs and Emergency services personnel for safety training; Facilities personnel for lab systems testing, repair and verification; and many others. Every day is different from the last.

Describe what you love most about your job.

I get to interact with a very diverse population of researchers and learn about their research, including areas that I had little exposure to while I was at the bench. Plus I don’t have to write grants!

What advice do you have for those interested in entering a career in your line of work? 

Talk to us! Safety Professionals are a great group of people that work to help others. Our professional focus is on safety and training, and that includes letting people know what we do and how we do it.