Environmental Chemistry Faculty and Research

Click here to see faculty and associated/affiliated faculty with the Biochemistry & Neuroscience Graduate Program.

Ana Aguilar-Islas	Assistant Professor Chemical Oceanograpy, School of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, UAF. (Associated Faculty UAF Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry) Ph.D. University of California Santa Cruz, 2007 (Ocean Sciences) Professor Aguilar-Islas's research deals with marine biogeochemistry of trace metals with particular emphasis on high latitude regions.
Tom Douglas	Research Chemist, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (Affiliated Faculty UAF Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry) Ph.D. Dartmouth College, 2001. (Geochemistry) Dr. Douglas's research interests include geochemistry, hydrogeology and environmental characterization related to soil and water quality and linking snow chemistry with atmospheric contaminants.
Larry Duffy	Professor of Biochemistry, UAF Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Ph.D. University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1977. (Neurochemistry/Protein Chemistry & Biochemistry) Professor Duffy's research focuses on wildlife and human environmental health, mercury toxicity and environmental ethics and justice.
Tom Green	Professor of Chemistry, UAF Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Ph.D. University of Tennessee, 1984. (Organic Chemistry) Professor Green's research in Environmental chemistry focuses on synthesis and use of cyclodextrins as catalysts in Environmental remediation.
Lisa Hoferkamp	Associate Professor, University of Alaska Southeast (Juneau) Department of Environmental Sciences, (Affiliated Faculty UAF Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry) Ph.D. University of Neuchatel (Switzerland), 1995 (Inorganic chemistry) Professor Hoferkamp's research centers on the transport, deposition and attenuation of heavy metal and organic pollutants in high latitude environments. Heavy metal studies in my lab include characterization of the lead and copper species associated with high organic carbon soils under anaerobic conditions.
Mary Beth Leigh	Assistant Professor, UAF Department of Biology and Wildlife, Institute of Arctic Biology (Associated Faculty UAF Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry) Ph.D. The University of Oklahoma. (Microbiology) Professor Leigh's group uses an array of molecular, biochemical and classical microbiology techniques to investigate the microbial degradation/immobilization of environmental pollutants, including PCBs, PAHs, pharmaceuticals, radionuclides and metals. Professor Leigh is also interested in mechanisms of lignocellulose degradation, its role in C cylcing, and potential use in biofuel production.
Jingqiu Mao	Assistant Professor, CNSM Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Geophysical Institute Ph.D.: Pennsylvania State University 2007 Professor Mao's research is aimed at understanding the evolution in time and space of the trace gas composition of the atmosphere, using field/lab measurements, global modeling and satellite observations.
Todd M. O'Hara	Associate Professor, UAF Department of Biology and Wildlife, Institute of Arctic Biology (Associated Faculty UAF Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry) Ph.D. The Medical College of Virginia, 1988; DVM University of Wisconsin, 1992. (Wildlife Toxicology) Professor O'Hara's research interests are focused on environmental and wildlife toxicology of marine mammals, subsistence use foods, and Arctic contaminants.
Brian Rasley	Associate Professor of Chemistry, UAF Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Ph.D. Georgetown University, 1998. Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry) Professor Rasley's research includes work in the areas of Environmental analytical chemistry and inorganic and organometallic synthesis.
Bill Simpson	Professor of Chemistry, UAF Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Ph.D. Stanford University, 1995. (Environmental and Atmospheric Chemistry) Professor Simpson's research investigates Arctic radical chemistry through field and satellite instruments of trace gases and reactive radicals, with a particular focus on how environmental surfaces produce and consume reactive radicals.
Tom Trainor	Professor of Chemistry, UAF Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Ph.D. Stanford University, 2001. (Aqueous Geochemistry; Surface Chemistry) Professor Trainor's research is focused on understanding the chemistry of environmental interfaces in order to improve both conceptual and quantitative models of the fate, transport and geochemical cycling of trace elements.