Lilia Ann Abron

Abron was born in Memphis, Tennessee, was the second of four daughters. She was born prematurely, at home, and had to be rushed to the hospital by her aunt in a cab, as ambulances were not available for African Americans at the time. Abron attended a public school and was placed in the school's math and science track. After graduating from Memphis High School, she decided to study medicine. == Education ==

Abron studied at LeMoyne-Owen College. She was granted a scholarship, which she lost after her freshman year because her grades were not high enough. She was the first African American woman to be awarded a Ph.D. in chemical engineering, and only the third woman to receive a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Iowa. Her thesis focused on reverse osmosis, and was titled: "Transport Mechanism in Hollow Nylon Fiber Reverse Osmosis Membranes for the Removal of DDT and Aldrin from Water". == Career ==

Dr Abron was assistant professor of civil engineering at Tennessee State University from 1971. She was also an assistant professor of environmental engineering Vanderbilt University from 1973. In 1975, she moved to Howard University as assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, simultaneously working at Washington Technical Institute (now part of the University of the District of Columbia). She also serves on the Engineering Advisory Board for the National Sciences Foundation. She was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2020, for "leadership in providing technology-driven sustainable housing and environmental engineering solutions in the United States and South Africa". She was inducted into Tau Beta Pi, DC Alpha chapter as an Eminent Engineer, and she is a History Maker. Dr Abron gave a TED talk in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, on Organizing to Break the Cycle of Energy Poverty in Memphis. Dr Abron was reinduced into the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in 2020. She has been bestowed the highest honor – Distinguished Member, Class of 2021 – of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). As of January 2021, she became president of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES). She was inducted into the college of fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) in March 2024.   PEER Consultants, P.C. In 1978, Abron founded and became president and CEO of PEER Consultants, P.C. She was the first African-American to start an engineering consulting firm focused on environmental issues and concerns relating to the physical and human environments. PEER offers engineering and construction management services, environmental management and sustainability services, and advisory/consulting services. With this consulting firm, Abron succeeded in proving that by enacting sustainable practices in poverty-stricken parts of the world, living conditions there can drastically improve. In 1995, Abron co-founded PEER Africa Pty. (Ltd.), with the mission of building energy-efficient homes in post-apartheid South Africa. == Personal life ==

Abron is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She is particularly active in promoting science education, and through her company, offers financial support to science fair participants. PEER staff are encouraged to work with students in their neighborhood schools, and Abron herself mentor's students. She cites the book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson as an inspiration for entering the environmental movement. Abron is a Christian who began her three-year term serving as deacon at The First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C. on June 17, 2018. She previously served as president of the Washington, D.C., chapter of Jack and Jill for America. She also plays the hand bells in the Angelus church choir. Abron has three sons and six grandchildren, only one of which is a granddaughter. == Honors ==

• William W. Grimes Award for Excellence in Chemical Engineering from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, 1993 • Superior Achievement from American Academy of Environmental Engineers & Scientists, 2012 ==References==