Melissa A Lombard

In the broadest sense, Melissa's work is at the intersection of humans and the environment. Her research interests include connecting environmental geochemistry with human and ecosystem health and using machine learning models as a tool to understand, estimate, and predict contaminant occurrence and water availability and use.  Much of her work has focused on building and using models as a tool for understanding and predicting trace element occurrence in groundwater. She enjoys collaborating with epidemiologists and public health scientists to link the occurrence of these elements to human health outcomes. Other research interests include the impacts of climate change on water quality, water availability, and human health, and the environmental health effects from the reuse of materials from unconventional oil and gas development. Her previous professional experience includes running analytical instruments in clean labs, overseeing groundwater sampling activities at contaminated sites, and collecting atmospheric mercury samples. Previous research has included examining the potential human health effects from exposure to biodiesel and petroleum diesel emissions, the occurrence of mercury in rainwater, and the occurrence of pesticides and herbicides in groundwater. She has also worked with K-12 science educators and taught college level courses in geology and environmental science.