Now, though, he spends much more time indoors as director of the CDC’s Environment, Safety and Health Compliance Office. In that capacity, he is responsible for ensuring the health and safety of employees and visitors at all U.S. and international CDC facilities, as well as for preparing CDC staff to work in hazardous locations.
Carroll credits his time at ASU earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology for setting him on the right path.
“The ASU faculty are unique in how engaged they become in ensuring the success of students,” Carroll said, “even and perhaps especially those that really need that extra level of involvement to catalyze their academic growth. ASU didn’t just impart into me the normal college curriculum, it taught me how to learn, and that has served me well for the rest of my career through a highly diverse set of jobs and experiences.”
During his 13 years in the field, Carroll investigated outbreaks of various deadly diseases in Africa, Central Asia, and North and South America. He has spoken at numerous scientific conferences and authored or co-authored more than 70 publications. He was even a consultant for the Hollywood movie “I Am Legend.”
In recognition of his career achievements, the ASU Alumni Association has named Carroll a 2016 Distinguished Alumnus.
“I was always amazed at the highly intelligent and capable students that I was surrounded by,” Carroll said, “so to be recognized out of that ASU cohort is a great honor.”
Carroll’s wife, Serena, also works at the CDC in the National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Diseases.
