Lilia Ann Abron is an entrepreneur and chemical engineer. In 1972, Abron became the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in chemical engineering. Abron was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Her father was a school principal and her mother was a schoolteacher who taught art and geography. Abron attended Lemoyne College in Memphis, Tennessee where she received her B.S. degree in chemistry in 1966. She earned her M.S. degree in sanitary engineering from Washington University in St. Louis in 1968. After receiving her M.S. degree, Abron worked for the Kansas City Water Department. She went on to become a research engineer for the Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago.  Abron received her Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Iowa in 1972. After completing her education, Abron served as an assistant professor of civil engineering at Tennessee State University and held a joint appointment as an assistant professor of environmental engineering at Vanderbilt University. She was also an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Howard University. In 1978, Abron founded and became CEO of PEER Consultants, PC. She was the first African American to start an environmental engineering firm. Her firm had contracts with the Superfund program including the Boston Harbor cleanup; the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy through its Hazardous Waste Remedial Actions Program. The firm has grown to included branch offices in 10 major cities throughout the United States. In 1995, Abron founded Peer Africa with the mission of building energy-efficient homes in post-apartheid South Africa. Beyond her work at PEER, Abron has been active in several community organizations, including serving as president of the Washington DC chapter of Jack and Jill of American, Inc., and as a board member for the Baptist Home for Children. She also plays hand bells in the Angelus Bell Choir at her church. A registered Professional Engineer, Abron is a member of several professional and technical societies, including the Water Environmental Federation, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Water Works Association, the Society of Sigma Xi, and the American Association of University Women. She also serves on the Board of Registration of Professional Engineers for the District of Columbia and the Engineering Advisory Board for the National Science Foundation. Abron is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the International Women’s Forum. In 1999, Abron was the recipient of the Hancher-Finkbine Alumni Medallion from the University of Iowa; in 2001, she was awarded the Magic Hands Award by LeMoyne-Owen College, and in 2004, she was elected to the National Academy of Arts and Sciences. Abron uses her business acumen and engineering expertise to promote science education in primary and secondary schools. Her company supports science fair projects by purchasing equipment and supplies for students, and Abron encourages PEER staff to work with children in their neighborhood schools. She serves as a mentor for several students each year.

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