Researchers who are conducting significant research on water plastic pollution
Published on by Water Guardian Research in Science
From AI Chat GPT
Here are some top members of the scientific community who are conducting significant research on water plastic pollution . These researchers are involved in understanding the impact of plastics on marine ecosystems, advocating for policy change, and finding solutions to reduce plastic waste:
1. Dr. Jenna Jambeck
- Position : Professor, College of Engineering, University of Georgia
- Research Focus : Dr. Jambeck is a leading researcher in the field of marine plastic pollution. Her research includes global plastic waste management, ocean plastics, and the pathways of plastic into the oceans.
- Key Work : Co-author of the widely-cited paper "Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean."
- Contact Information : Jenna Jambeck - UGA
- Email : jambeck@uga.edu
2. Dr. Richard Thompson
- Position : Professor of Marine Biology, University of Plymouth (UK)
- Research Focus : Dr. Thompson is a pioneering researcher on microplastics . His research has greatly contributed to the understanding of how small plastic particles impact marine ecosystems.
- Key Work : Coined the term “microplastics” and published foundational research on their effects on marine life.
- Contact Information : Plymouth University
- Email : richard.thompson@plymouth.ac.uk
3. Dr. Kara Lavender Law
- Position : Research Professor of Oceanography, Sea Education Association (SEA)
- Research Focus : Dr. Law’s work focuses on quantifying the amount of plastic in the ocean and how it breaks down into microplastics.
- Key Work : Co-authored papers on the distribution of plastic pollution in the oceans and participates in global initiatives to address plastic waste.
- Contact Information : Sea Education Association
- Email : klaw@sea.edu
4. Dr. Marcus Eriksen
- Position : Co-founder, 5 Gyres Institute
- Research Focus : Dr. Eriksen is dedicated to reducing plastic pollution, especially in the world’s oceans. He has conducted expeditions to study plastic pollution in ocean gyres and rivers.
- Key Work : Research on microplastic pollution and advocacy for global plastic policy reform.
- Contact Information : 5 Gyres Institute
- Email : info@5gyres.org
5. Dr. Chelsea Rochman
- Position : Assistant Professor of Ecology, University of Toronto
- Research Focus : Dr. Rochman’s research focuses on the impacts of plastic pollution on ecosystems and wildlife, particularly how plastic interacts with toxins in the environment.
- Key Work : Published extensively on microplastics and the chemical contaminants associated with plastic debris.
- Contact Information : Rochman Lab - University of Toronto
- Email : chelsea.rochman@utoronto.ca
6. Dr. Erik van Sebille
- Position : Professor of Oceanography and Climate Physics, Utrecht University (Netherlands)
- Research Focus : Dr. van Sebille’s work includes studying the movement of ocean plastic through currents and how it accumulates in certain regions.
- Key Work : Developed models to predict the pathways of plastics in the ocean.
- Contact Information : Utrecht University
- Email : e.vansebille@uu.nl
7. Dr. Melanie Bergmann
- Position : Scientist, Alfred Wegener Institute (Germany)
- Research Focus : Dr. Bergmann specializes in Arctic marine plastic pollution and its effects on marine ecosystems.
- Key Work : Research on how plastic reaches the Arctic and its impact on wildlife.
- Contact Information : Alfred Wegener Institute
- Email : melanie.bergmann@awi.de
8. Dr. Amy L. Brooks
- Position : Assistant Professor, University of Georgia, Department of Geography
- Research Focus : Dr. Brooks studies the environmental and human dimensions of plastic pollution, including plastic waste management, the global plastic trade, and its impacts on marine environments.
- Key Work : Research on the impact of global waste trade on plastic pollution and marine ecosystems, with a focus on understanding plastic flows between countries.
- Contact Information : University of Georgia
- Email : amyb@uga.edu
9. Dr. Britta Denise Hardesty
- Position : Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere (Australia)
- Research Focus : Dr. Hardesty is an expert on marine debris and plastic pollution, with her work focusing on the distribution, movement, and impacts of plastics on marine wildlife, particularly seabirds and turtles.
- Key Work : She leads research on understanding how plastics move through ocean currents and the risks posed to marine life. Her research is a key part of CSIRO’s marine debris program .
- Contact Information : CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere
- Email : britta.hardesty@csiro.au
10. Dr. Peter Ryan
- Position : Director, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town (South Africa)
- Research Focus : Dr. Ryan has done extensive research on marine plastic pollution and its effects on seabirds. He has studied the ingestion of plastics by seabirds and the distribution of plastic debris in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Key Work : Pioneering research on microplastics in the Southern Ocean and the ingestion of plastic debris by marine animals.
- Contact Information : University of Cape Town
- Email : peter.ryan@uct.ac.za
11. Dr. Sherri Mason
- Position : Sustainability Coordinator, Penn State Behrend
- Research Focus : Dr. Mason is an expert in microplastics and has conducted some of the first studies on the presence of microplastics in the Great Lakes . Her research has expanded to address plastic pollution in freshwater systems.
- Key Work : Research on microplastics in the Great Lakes, focusing on how they enter the waterways and their impact on wildlife and ecosystems.
- Contact Information : Penn State Behrend
- Email : slm24@psu.edu
12. Dr. Heather Leslie
- Position : Senior Researcher, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Research Focus : Dr. Leslie studies microplastics and plastic additives and their effect on marine life and human health. She investigates the sources and pathways of plastic pollution and how it ends up in oceans and rivers.
- Key Work : Focus on the environmental and toxicological impacts of plastics and the chemicals associated with them.
- Contact Information : Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Email : heather.leslie@vu.nl
13. Dr. Stefanie Kaiser
- Position : Marine Ecologist, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research (Germany)
- Research Focus : Dr. Kaiser specializes in the impact of microplastics on deep-sea ecosystems . Her research includes how plastics accumulate and affect life in deep-ocean environments , which are often overlooked in plastic pollution studies.
- Key Work : Studies on plastic accumulation in deep-sea sediments and the long-term ecological consequences of this.
- Contact Information : GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre
- Email : skaiser@geomar.de
These researchers are at the forefront of addressing the complex issue of plastic pollution in waterways and the oceans. For detailed information on their work or to reach out for collaboration, their institutional profiles and email addresses provide a starting point.
Taxonomy
- Research
- plastic pollution
- Plastic waste