Richard “Dick” Schwanke has been a staple in Harford County community environmental initiatives and offices for several decades. Dick served as an Industrial Hygienist for 10 years on Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Goddard Space Flight Center, and the Army Environmental Hygiene Agency (AEHA, now known as CHPPM). For the following 24 years, Dick has worked in the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) on APG in multiple roles, including Environmental Programs Manager, Chief Risk Management Division Supervisor, and Hazardous Materials Manager.

Throughout the span of his career, Dick has also taught at Harford Community College (HCC) as an Instructor and Technical
Director of their Environmental and Safety Center. While at HCC, Dick has developed a student curriculum, authored and edited multiple resources, and taught courses to several generations of eager scholars. In addition, he is also currently an Environment, Safety, and Health Subject Matter Expert (SME) for SURVICE Engineering. During his tenure with HCC, Dick was a founding member, former President, and current Vice President of the Senior Science Society (SSS).

Coupling his extensive experience in environmental studies and his instructional career, Dick has mentored thousands of students at dozens of Harford County Public Schools, and a half dozen local private schools. Dick has also worked with the GEMS program (Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science) for over a decade. He can be found frequently at NMTC’s Stem and Beyond nights, with his educational display (and several interested spectators) in tow.