Lance is a trained multidisciplinary scientist who works in the field of respiratory public health. As a French horn player with an impressive lung capacity, Lance is an advocate and a role model for respiratory health.
Lance grew up in a forested, mountainous, rural region of Pennsylvania. As a child, he had his own miniature greenhouse, filled with cacti, vegetables, and an array of houseplants. Lance also had a menagerie of pets including cats, dogs, horses, fish, lizards, a rabbit, a guinea pig, and a miniature donkey. This upbringing strongly influenced Lance's desire to pursue a career in science.
As a student, Lance was very interested in many aspects of science and completed nearly twice as many science classes as were required. With his wide spanning scientific knowledge, Lance also participated in the multidisciplinary “Envirothon,” an annual environmental competition that tests a student team’s knowledge in aquatics, wildlife, forestry, and soil.
After graduating as high school co-valedictorian and receiving several awards for his musicianship and academic achievement in science, Lance decided to attend Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, and major in Biology and minor in Chemistry and Math/Physics.
During college, Lance became fully immersed in science. He enrolled in a variety of science courses, taught chemistry lab experiments as a chemistry teaching assistant, and tutored several students in science. Lance also became the vice president of the premedical society, president of the Tau Sigma Chapter of the Beta Beta Beta Biology Honor Society, and president of the statewide Collegiate Academy of the North Carolina Academy of Science. Lance participated in highly competitive research fellowships at Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and Washington University School of Medicine; he also worked briefly at Weill Medical College of Cornell University after graduating college.
Lance continued musical training in college. He studied at Gardner-Webb University during his term of college study and briefly studied at Carnegie-Mellon University for a summer. Lance participated in the college orchestra, musical pit orchestra, and brass ensemble at Gardner-Webb; he also performed as a soloist with several choirs in North Carolina. During his senior year of college, Lance was a winner in a Regional Concerto Competition; he was the only non-music major who was a winner in the collegiate division. Lance currently plays in the Jubilee Symphony Orchestra.
Lance Lucas is a project manager at the American Thoracic Society, an international professional medical organization that focuses on respiratory, critical care, and sleep medicine. He manages and advises numerous committees, composed of physicians, scientists, and nurses, on developing various medical documents including clinical practice guidelines, policy statements, technology reviews, and workshop proceedings. Lance will attend New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service this fall and will earn a Masters of Public Administration in Health Policy and Management, specializing in Management and Finance.
