Lisa A. Rodenburg

Lisa A. Rodenburg is a Professor of Environmental Science at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, with 20+ years of expertise in PCB fingerprinting and environmental data mining. She currently serves as Graduate Program Director for Environmental Science and previously directed the undergraduate program (2012-2018).

Education:

• PhD in Environmental Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University (1999)
• B.A. in Chemistry, Wittenberg University (1991)

Research Focus: Dr. Rodenburg specializes in tracking anthropogenic chemicals—particularly PCBs and semivolatile organic contaminants—across water, air, sediments, and biota. Her innovative source apportionment methods and large-scale data mining techniques reveal contaminant pathways in complex ecosystems like urban harbors and river systems.

Key Projects: She leads CARP II for the Hudson River Foundation analyzing PCB/dioxin dynamics in NY-NJ Harbor; directed PCB source evaluation for Seattle's Green-Duwamish River Superfund site; and investigates contaminant removal at Spokane County's water reclamation facility. Her work integrates data from sewage systems, stormwater, air, and wildlife (including otter scat) to model cross-media transport.

Teaching: Courses include Environmental Applications of Organic Chemistry (11:375:340), Environmental Organic Chemistry (16:375:522), and previously Analytical Environmental Chemistry Laboratory.