Stacey Harper

Stacey Harper is a Professor in the Department of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering at Oregon State University’s College of Engineering. Her research focuses on the environmental health and safety implications of nanoscale materials, including engineered nanoparticles and nanoplastics. She leads the Harper Nanotoxicology Laboratory, developing rapid toxicity testing strategies and tools to identify material features influencing biological interactions. Her work emphasizes risk assessment to safeguard ecosystems and human health.

Education:

• Ph.D. Biological Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 2003.
• M.S. Biological Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 1998.
• B.S. Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Mesa State College, 1993.

Research Interests: Harper’s research integrates nanomaterial characterization, toxicity assays, and informatics to predict hazard potential. Key areas include nanoplastics in aquatic environments, tire wear particle impacts, and structure-activity relationships of nanomaterials. Her lab explores how material properties like size, shape, and surface chemistry correlate with toxicity in organisms such as zebrafish, Daphnia, and estuarine species.

Labs & Teams: The Harper Nanotoxicology Laboratory collaborates across disciplines to address nanotechnology’s environmental challenges. Research groups include Materials and Catalysis, Health and Biotechnology, and Water and Environment.

Grants & Partnerships: Harper’s work is supported by federal initiatives like the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) and interdisciplinary grants focusing on micro/nanoplastics in aquatic systems. Projects include developing predictive models for nanomaterial toxicity and assessing pesticide formulations’ environmental risks.