Linda A. George, Ph.D.
Professor,
Environmental Science and Management
Headline
Current Projects
(updated May 2018)
Improving Diesel Particulate Matter Exposure
Assessment for Vulnerable Populations in the Portland Metropolitan Area
Evaluation of indoor and outdoor air quality at Harriet Tubman Middle School and the design of mitigation measures
Investigators: Elliott Gall, Linda George, Raul Cal
Funded by: Portland Public Schools
The project proposal included a review of several prior studies of air
toxics in Portland, including prior studies conducted at Harriet Tubman
Middle School. A brief summary of our integrated analysis of prior
studies indicates that two significant air pollution concerns have been
identified for Tubman Middle School. The first concern that arises from
the existing data is the measurement of elevated cadmium levels in
particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10) at Tubman by
the 2009 EPA School Air Toxics Project. Portland
State University to conduct monitoring and modeling to assess indoor and
outdoor air quality conditions and site air flow conditions at Harriet
Tubman Middle School. Portland State University has completed Phase I of
the proposed project (start date February 1, 2018). This phase of the
project includes: 1) deployment of an air quality monitoring campaign at
the school site, 2) advising regarding the design of the building
heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system and building
renovation, and 3) initiation of site model development for wind-tunnel
tests to characterize site airflows and possible outdoor air quality
mitigation strategies.
Agile Data Integration to Facilitate
Scaling of Air Quality Research
Investigators: Kristin Tufte CSS, Linda George ESM, David Maier CSS
Funded by: National Science Foundation
This projects responds to the National Science Foundation Dear Colleague
Letter: CPS EAGERs Supporting Participation in the Global City Teams
Challenge (NSF 16-036). The proposed project directly contributes to the
Portland (Oregon) Global Cities Team Challenge (GCTC) Action Cluster,
including contributions to the GCTC 2016 and 2017 Expositions.
Transportation, through vehicle emissions, has a significant impact on
air pollution in urban areas and greenhouse gases. Recent research at
Portland State University, in collaboration with the City of Portland,
indicates that modifications to traffic signal timing have the potential
to reduce vehicle emissions along arterial roadways (Kendrick et al.
2015). On road and near road air quality is a significant exposure risk
to pedestrians, vehicle occupants and transit users. Air pollutant
concentrations near roadways may be up to orders of magnitude higher
than average urban levels. The longer term goal of this project is to
explore how traffic signal timing can be used to mitigate human exposure
to direct roadway emissions. To fully evaluate the potential of this
technique, however, the research needs to be scaled from its current
single location to the full transportation corridor, namely Portland’s
Powell-Division Corridor. This EAGER project will investigate how air
quality sensor and data technology can be applied to scale analysis to
the entire corridor, focusing particularly on data cleaning and
integration issues. The proposed project capitalizes on unique and
time-sensitive resources and opportunities to design an innovative and
potentially transformative approach to address a globally relevant
problem – reducing traffic-related air emissions.
REU Site: Atmospheric Science Experiences in Portland State
University’s Center for Climate and Aerosol Research
Investigators:Linda George, ESM and Dean Atkinson, CHEM
Funded by: National Science Foundation
This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site will create a
10-week summer research experience for a diverse pool of non-traditional
students to work with faculty research advisors from Portland State
University's Center for Climate and Aerosol Research (CCAR). Students
will explore the linkages between components of the atmospheric system
that are important in studies of climate, aerosols, and air quality.
They will have access to state-of-the-art instrumentation for conducting
field, laboratory, and modeling research in the atmospheric sciences.
They will explore the need for high-quality data that can be obtained
from measurements and which leads to reliable climate and air quality
model predications. The CCAR REU site will make extensive use of an
online Learning Management System and ePortfolios to foster
collaboration and reflection before, during, and after the 10-week
summer session. Within this dynamic research environment students will
gain knowledge and experience in conducting meaningful research projects
focused on urban atmospheric science, and will acquire and apply
practical professional-technical skills as they explore various issues
related to air quality and climate change, the effects on communities,
and the implications for policy and decision-making at multiple scales
(individual to global).
The Canopy Continuum: The impacts of environmental stressors and
canopy structure on maternal and child health.
Investigators: Vivek Shandas, USP, Linda George ESM, Lynne Messer SPH,
Todd Rosenstiel BIO
Funded by: United States Forest Service
In the US approximately 72% of the population lives within a
metropolitan region (U.S. Census 2014). This dramatic rise in
urbanization and changes in the patterns of urban development have given
rise to several significant environmental and public health concerns,
including air pollution and heat stress (Kondratyev and Varotsos 1995,
Varotsos et al. 2005), and consequent increases in urban
pollution-induced morbidity and mortality (Babisch et al., 2014; Bell et
al., 2007; Brauer et al., 2007; Brunekreef and Holgate, 2002; Dockery et
al., 1993; Pope et al., 2002; Samet et al., 2000; Stansfeld and
Matheson, 2003; Straf et al., 2013; Volk et al., 2013; Weng et al.,
2008; Wilhelm et al., 2011; Klienberg, 2004). In an effort to curb the
degradation of the urban environment stressors and enhance livability,
many municipalities have developed intensive urban forestry campaigns,
many of which guide the growth and management of the urban canopy
infrastructure. These campaigns face dual challenges: how to accurately
assess the benefits accruing from the existing and planned urban canopy
through its role in mitigating environmental stressors; and how to
address the historical artifacts of earlier decision-making that have
created an uneven and generally inequitable distribution of canopy
across cities.
We refer to this dual challenge as the canopy continuum: that is,
addressing the historic inequitable distribution of canopy in our cities
to provide equitable benefits to all in the future. The inequitable
distribution of tree cover is rooted in historic interactions between a
host of geophysical, cultural and ecological factors, and the physical
development of cities that limits the space available for vegetation and
its distribution. The differences in the amount of canopy from one
neighborhood to another, while well documented, has grave implications
on who benefits (and hence is burdened) by urban environmental
stressors, which canopied vegetation can help to alleviate.
Understanding how to create a safe, clean, and healthy urban living
environment is a grand challenge facing society, and we aim to
understand the role of the canopy continuum in creating thriving cities
for all residents.
Research on Toxic Metals Pollution in Portland Neighborhoods
Funded by: PSU Institute for Sustainable Solutions, City of Portland,
Multnomah County
Investigators: Linda George
In response to public concern about toxic metals air pollution in
Portland neighborhoods, the Institute for Sustainable Solutions (ISS) at
Portland State University (PSU), in partnership with Dr. Linda George,
is offering to contribute $62,500 and staff time for advanced chemical
analysis equipment, supplies, and services to conduct further research
on the subject. Over the course of two years, this research will provide
in-‐depth testing of six sites identified by prior research and in
discussion with public health agencies and neighborhood organizations.
This project will provide timely research for public health and other
officials to consider whether or how to adjust policies, regulations,
and/or monitoring activities.
Bringing Research, Engagement, and Action To a Healthier
Environment in Oregon
Primary sponsor: Meyer Memorial Trust
Investigators: Linda George ESM, Vivek Shandas USP, Mary Peveto,
Neighbors for Clean Air, Mark Riskedahl NW Environmental Defense Fund
Current community understanding of the risk of air pollution is fueled
by a patchwork of incomplete state emissions inventory, state and
federal modeling data, limited health impact analysis, and media
attention. The State of Oregon’s current under-protective system for
regulating the emission of air toxics received an explosion of attention
in Portland neighborhoods that were associated with industrial pollution
sources. The resulting flurry of media attention drew a chorus of
criticism from concerned citizens, elected officials and media outlet
editorial boards across the state, focused on the state’s inadequate air
toxics regulatory scheme. Communities across Oregon demanding more
specific information around the science of air monitoring and about how
air pollution negatively impacts community health, find instead the
limits of current systems to link health and regulations. Citizens,
mostly white and middle class, have necessarily turned away from state
entities they do not trust, to the internet and a hive of crowd-sourced
wisdom to become educated about these more complex topics and identify
solutions. In fact, these groups are unlikely anytime soon to put their
faith in regulators and state health officials to protect their
communities from toxic air pollution. The challenges
of accessing adequate and reliable data are exacerbated for historically
disadvantaged communities whose members, might face a host of barriers
to participate in both community and public entity organized engagement,
including: technology access, language barriers, work schedules,
childcare responsibilities, physical disabilities, or would simply
prefer a more intimate or culturally relevant educational event with
their own peers and/or in their own neighborhood. This results not only
in reduced participation in public processes designed to address the
risk, but a lack of common vision or consensus in the community around
solutions.
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