Brenda Howard's research focus is on environmental radioactivity. She has chaired Working groups on modelling and transfer of radionuclides in the human foodchain and to wildlife under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) EMRAS I, II and MODARIA programmes and was awarded an MBE for her radioecological work in 2002. She is a member of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE). She is also an honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham.

Her career spanning thirty five years at CEH has focused on understanding factors affecting radionuclide behaviour in the terrestrial environment, radiation protection of the environment and the development and application of countermeasures and remediation strategies. She has co-ordinated seven EU framework projects and participated in many others. She was involved in the development of the ERICA Tool and co-edited a special issue on the topic.

She has published more than 140 refereed papers and 20 books. The latter include special issues of journals and contributions to various IAEA documents, notably the chapters on transfer to domestic animals in both TRS 364 and 472 and the environment section of Chernobyl forum report. She lead the preparation of a TRS 479 on transfer to wildlife, and co-edited TRS 475 on remediation. She has recently chaired the sub group on remediation for the IAEA Fukushima Report.