David Kalafut is the field research scientist at UL Research Institutes’ Chemical Insights, where he focuses on collecting and identifying chemical and elemental hazards and particulate matter in air, soil, and water. His work supports the evaluation of potential human health effects and the development of strategies to reduce community exposure to environmental hazards. Kalafut utilizes various sampling tools and integrates high-resolution geospatial data with analytical results to identify hazard concentrations and locations.

He earned a B.S. in Geology from the University of Northern Iowa and previously worked as an environmental consultant, conducting large-scale exposure assessments on issues like PFAS contamination at military sites and lead in drinking water at schools. His expertise supports all field sampling projects at Chemical Insights, leading to the creation of training materials and initiatives such as a water fountain flushing program for Nashville public schools and sampling procedures for PFAS in wind propulsion tunnels.