Brendan F. O'Leary

Brendan F. O'Leary is a Research Fellow at Wayne State University's Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research (CLEAR), affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He holds joint appointments in the Biological Sciences and Civil and Environmental Engineering departments. His research focuses on contaminant fate and transport in urban environments, with emphasis on human health risks and remediation strategies. Dr. O'Leary earned a B.Sc. in Environmental Science and Geology from Allegheny College (2011), an M.Sc. in Geology from Wayne State (2014), and a dual Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and Urban Sustainability from Wayne State (2023).

Key research areas include urban hydrology, geostatistical modeling of contaminants, and environmental justice. He develops field screening techniques and numerical models for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urban settings. His work bridges environmental science with community engagement, such as participatory air pollution monitoring in the Ohio River Valley.

Publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches to groundwater management, urban air quality, and health impacts of BTEX compounds. Notable projects include assessing Brownfield remediation's socioeconomic effects and evaluating groundwater challenges in the Great Lakes region. He teaches Applied Geologic Mapping (ESG 5650) and contributes to courses on environmental contaminants.

• Grants/Labs: Active in CLEAR initiatives and collaborative projects with the Great Lakes Executive Committee.
• Awards: None explicitly mentioned.

Future work emphasizes integrating community science with environmental policy to address urban sustainability challenges, particularly in post-industrial cities like Detroit.