Linda A. George, PhD

Professor of Environmental Sciences and Management

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences,

School of the Environment

(currently on leave as a Program officer with the

National Science Foundation)

 
     

Contact Information:

Phone - 503.725.3861; Fax - 503.725.3888; E-mail - georgeL@pdx.edu

Office - Science Building II, Room 474 ................ Laboratory SB2 463

Education:
Ph. D., Environmental Sciences & Resources/Chemistry, Portland State University, 1991
Dissertation Title: "Development of a direct, low pressure, laser-induced fluorescence measurement technique for NO2, ambient measurements and urban NOx chemistry"
B.S., Chemistry, cum laude, Loyola University of Chicago, 1983

Research Interests:

Atmospheric chemistry, monitoring and modeling of urban air pollutants, assessing human exposure to and perception of air pollutants and climate change, development of measurement techniques for quantifying atmospheric species, investigations of urban climate modification and atmospheric science education

Member of PSU Center for Climate and Aerosol Research

Recent and Current Projects:

NSF funded GK12 project, "Cascade to Coast GK-12: Enhancing STEM Education through Environmental Sustainability" will support 28 doctoral students with $30K one to two year fellowships over the course of five years to enhance their public science communication skills by working with teachers in the Portland, Hillsboro and Gresham school districts with Cat deRivera (ESM), Elise Granek (ESM), Marion Dresner (ESM), Sherry Cady (GEOL), Christina Hulbe (GEOL) and Carl Wamser (CHEM). http://www.pdx.edu/soe-gk12

Project with Oregon Department of Transportation, METRO regional government and Friends of Trees to assess ecosystem services of trees planted along I-205. Oregon Field Guide coverage

Using Urban Canopy Designs to Improve Air Quality and Public Health in Metropolitan Areas of the U.S, funded by US Forest Service with V. Shandas (Urban Planning), A. Dinno(Comm Health), T. Rosenstiel (Bio) and J. Daniels (USFS).

OTREC funded "Integrated Multimodal Transportation, Air Quality, and Livability Corridor Study: measuring, understanding, and modeling the interactions between traffic, transit, pedestrians, traffic signals, and emission" with Miguel Figlozzi, Ashley Haire and Chris Monsere PSU Civil Engineering Faculty.

Investigating Environmetal and Public Health Impacts of Traffic Flows and Traffic Management Policies in Urban Transportation Microenvironments (PSU Miller Grants and Oregon Transportation and Research and Education Consortium OTREC) - collaborators Chris Monsere and Miguel Figlozzi PSU Civil Engineering Faculty.

Feedbacks between Urban Systems and the Environment (FUSE) (NSF)-- This a large scale, mult-year, multi-investigator project funded through the NSF Biocomplexity program. The research objective is examine the feedbacks between urban climate modification, air pollution and human activity through field studies and modeling. Portlan Oregon and Houston Texas are our testbeds. Project website (www.fuse.pdx.edu) ( with Dave Sailor (MECH) and Jan Semenza (Public Health)). One of activities is to conduct a Summer FUSE Research Institute for high school science teachers and their students (for more info).

Portland Area Air Toxics Analysis (with Vivek Shandas). Oregon DEQ and EPA recently developed a refined air toxics emission inventory for the Portland area. The emission inventory was used with a dispersion model and exposure model to predict human exposure to air toxics. Dr. Shandas and I are using this data with geospatial information about demographics to assess disproportionate impacts of air toxics. We are also assessing the health care costs associated with exposure.

Carbon Nanotube Sensing - ( with Shalini Prasad (ECE)) Measurements of air quality parameters remain extremely limited due to the high expense and maintanance of standard air quality instrumentation. Passive measurement methods are low-cost but are labor intensive and require long averaging times. Nanotechnology based sensing devices have the potential of overcoming these limitations. We are working on coating nanotubes with chemicals that react selectively with pollutants in ambient air. Our goal is to develop sensitive, continuous sensing devices that are rapidly deployable and cost-effective.

Neigbhorhood Level Diesel Exhaust Components (EPA) -- This study investigates the penetrations of diesel exhaust components, NO2 and diesel particulate matter, into neigbhorhoods adjacent to I-5 North. (with Dean Atkinson (CHEM))

Spatial Analysis of NO2 (Murdock Foundation) - The project is a collaboration with Kathy Childress, a high school science teacher at Gresham High School. We are using passive NO2 diffusion tubes to study the spatial variation of NO2 (a combustion related pollutant) in the Portland area. Matt Mavko, MS ESR, has recently completed his thesis "APPLICATIONS OF PASSIVE NITROGEN DIOXIDE MEASUREMENT FOR QUANTIFYING AND MAPPINGURBAN AIR POLLUTION". An inverse dispersion model to predict roadway emissions factors was developed and agreed well with conventional approaches. In another application, passive measurements were used to develop a land use regression model of county-wide NO2 levels.

Air Quality Demonstration Project in SE Asia (US-AID) - This project involves the development of air quality demonstration projects in Hanoi, Vietnam and Chiang Mai, Thailand. The goal of these projects is to collaborate with local officials to identify air quality project that can be addressed through measurements, modeling, public involvement and policy development (with Glenn Montgomery and Sunun Setboonsarng (Oregon Economic Development) and Marcus Ingle (Executive Leadership Institute).

Science Gender and Social Context (with Johanna Brenner (Sociology/Women's Studies)- This is a longstanding educational research project examining the impact of a unique course integrating science and gender analysis (SCI/WS 347 Science, Gender and Social Context) on students understanding of science and feminist science studies. Our working paper on this course is "Final Frontiers".

Graduate Research Projects (primary or co-advisor):

Current:

Jeremy Parra ( post-doc, PhD 2012) - Novel optical technique for NO2 and NO3 gradient studies

Meenakshi Rao (ESM PhD student) - Investigations of landuse planning policies and air quality

Christine Kendrick (ESM PhD student) - Personal exposure to air pollutants as a function of mode of travel.

Jacinda Mainord (ESM PhD student) - Formation and deposition of nitrogen compounds

Holly Neill (ESM MS Student) - Formation of organic nitrates from an urban outflow

Kassie Ridley (ESM MS Student) - Urban climate modification and precipation

Miles Javes (ESM MEM Student) - Effect of reduced sulfur fuel on shipping emissions in Portland

Graduates:

Vinh Mason (ESR MEM awarded 2008) -Adaptive Management of Local Greenhouse Gas Emissions to Mitigate Global Climate Change

Justin Olexy (ESR MEM awarded 2009) - Assessment of effectiveness of voluntary air quality mitigation

Bhuvana Sekana (MS Electrical Engineering awarded 2008) - Nanotube sensing device for nitrogen dioxide

Kate Norton (MST student awarded 2008) - Assessment of Student Watershed Research Project (SWRP)

Laura Offerman (MST student awarded 2007) - examination of the impact of inquiry-based learning on student science learning. Development of a teaching module and guidebook for lichen bio-monitoring of air pollution.

Matthew Mavko (MS Env. Science awarded 2006) - application of passive NO2 measurements for quantifying and mapping urban air pollution

Karen Hunter (MST awarded 2004) - modernization of high school physics curricula

Margaret Johnson (MST awarded 2003)- science inquiry and gender

Tasha Murray (MST awarded 2002) - development of a critical review instrument to assess student understanding of science inquiry

Patrick Edwards (MST awarded 2000) - science teacher professional development

Chris Bailey (MEM awarded 2004)- evaluating urban heat island effect in portland

Tia Henderson (MST awarded 2004)- community health education/asthma education

Charlotte Marshall (MST awarded 2004)- science identity formation and gender in middle school students

David Krassner (MST awarded 2005) - investigating science career orientation in a service learning project at the Oregon Museum Science and Industry

Courses Currently Offered:

Sophomore Level

ESM 230/231: Fundamentals of Environmental Chemistry

Junior/Senior Level

SCI 331: Urban Air Pollution

UNST 420: Environmental Justice Capstone

Graduate Level

ESM 460/560 Air Quality

Publications:

Professional Affiliations:

American Geophysical Union - Atmospheric Section

Air Advice Incorporated - Technical Advisory Board

Last updated May 2012- LAG

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