Associate directors join laboratory
Sarah Dricken was appointed Aug. 30 as associate director of the Administration and Finance Division and senior financial officer. She leads units related to financial management, business development, customer support, quality management and other laboratory operations.
Dricken has had financial and laboratory experience in her previous roles, including as a department director at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids with approximately 100 staff members who reported to her, a multi-million-dollar budget, capital equipment oversight and contract negotiations. She started her career as a medical technologist and, over sixteen years, has earned progressive leadership roles.
Dricken has a master’s degree in Business Administration from Western Illinois University-Quad Cities, and an undergraduate degree in biology from Culver-Stockton College. She is a certified medical laboratory scientist by the American Society for Clinical Pathology.
Susie Dai began her role as director of the Environmental Health Division on Dec. 7. She leads programs that monitor and analyze environmental contaminants in drinking water, ground water, soil, food and other sources.
Dai previously served as a research associate professor for the Office of the Texas State Chemist with a joint appointment to the Texas A&M University Department of Veterinary Pathobiology in the Veterinary School. Her background focused in field application of measurement science, regulatory science, biomonitoring, biotechnologies, quality control and quality assurance, and risk assessment. Dai has developed and implemented risk management models while maintaining research programs and academic appointments.
Dai earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and then entered the Duke University doctoral program where she earned her Ph.D. in chemistry with additional education in biomedical engineering and regulatory science.
