Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences

Williams, R., Rea, A., Vette, A., Croghan C., Whitaker, D., Wilson, H., Stevens, C., McDow, S., Burke, J., Fortmann, R., Sheldon, L., Thornburg, J., Phillips, M., Lawless, P., Rodes, C., Daughtrey, H.  The design and field implementation of the Detroit Exposure and Aerosol Research Study (DEARS).  Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, doi:101038/jes.2008.61

Thornburg, J., Rodes, C., Lawless, P., Williams, R. Spatial and Temporal variability of outdoor coarse particulate matter mass concentrations measured with a new coarse particle sampler during the Detroit Exposure and Aerosol Research Study. Atmospheric Environment (in Press) online version at : doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2009.06.026

Case, M., Williams, R., Yeatts, K., Chen, F., Scott, J., Svendsen, E., Devlin R. Evaluation of a direct personal coarse particulate matter monitor.  Atmospheric Environment, 42: 4446-4452 (2008).

Johnson, M., Hudgens, E., Williams, R., Andrews, G., Neas, L., Gallagher, J., Ozkaynak, H.  A participant-based approach to indoor/outdoor air monitoring in community health studies.  Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology 42: 9080-9086 (2008).

Frazier, E., McCurdy, T., Linn, W., Williams, R., George, B.  Describing variability in human activity/location data in two health-compromised US elderly cohort studies.  Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemology, 2008.  doi:10.1038/jes.2008.47

Watkins, T., Williams, R., Vette, A., Burke, J., George, B., Isakov, V.  The importance of exposure in addressing current and emerging air quality issues. Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XIX. Springer, New York, NY 2008.

Williams, R., Vette, A., Burke, J., Norris, G., Wesson, K., Strum, M., Fox, T., Duvall, R., Watkins, T.  The Detroit Exposure and Aerosol Research Study. Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XIX. Springer, New York, NY 2008.

Olson, D., Turlington, J., Duvall, R., McDow, S., Stevens, C., Williams, R. Feasibility of low-volume sampling for source apportionment of PM2.5 using organic and inorganic source markers. Atmospheric Environment 42: 1742–1751 (2008).     

Yeatts, K., Svendsen, E., Creason, J., Alexis, N., Herbst, M., Scott, J., Kupper, L., Williams, R., Neas, L., Cascio,     W., Devlin, R., Peden, D.  Coarse particulate matter (PM10-2.5) affects heart rate variability, blood lipids, and circulating eosinophils in adults with asthma.  Environmental Health Perspectives 115:709-714 (2007)

Svendsen, E., Yeatts, K., Neas, L., Orton, S., Alexis, N., Creason, J., Williams, R., Peden, D. Circulating neutrophil CD14 expression counteracts the inverse association of ambient PM2.5 and PM10-2.5 on lung function in asthmatic children.  Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology   99:244-253 (2007)

Chen, F., Williams, R., Svendsen, E., Yeatts, K., Creason, J., Scott, J., Terrell, D., Case. M.  Coarse particulate matter concentrations from residential outdoor sites associated with the North Carolina Asthma and Children=s Environment Studies (NC-ACES).  Atmospheric Environment, 41:1200-1208 (2007)

McBride, S., Williams, R., Creason, J. Bayesian hierarchical modeling of personal exposure to Particulate Matter.  Atmospheric Environment 41:6143-6155 (2007)

Wallace, L., Williams, R., Suggs, J., Jones, P. Estimating contributions of outdoor fine particles to indoor concentrations and personal exposures. EPA 600/R-06/023. (2006)

Williams, R., Vette, A., Whitaker, D., Croghan, C., Jones, P., Daughtrey, H., Oliver, K., Jacumin, H., Williams, D., Rodes, C.., Thornburg, J., Herrington, J., Zhang, L., Tong, J., Zhang, J.  Use of passive samplers in the DEARS. Proceedings of the 2006 AWMA Symposium on Air Quality Measurement Methods and Technology. (2006)

Zhao, W., Hopke, P., Norris, G., Williams, R., Paatero, P.  Source apportionment and analysis on ambient and personal exposure samples with a combined receptor model and an adaptive blank estimation strategy. Atmospheric Environment, 40, 3788-3801 (2006)

Williams, R. EPA’s Detroit Exposure and Aerosol Research Study. EPA Research Highlights, AWMA Environmental Manager, pp43 (2005)

Wallace, L., Williams, R., Rea, A., Croghan, C.  Continuous week long measurements of personal exposures and indoor concentrations of fine particles for 37 health-impaired North Carolina residents for up to four seasons. Atmospheric Environment, 40:399-414 (2005)

Wallace, L. and Williams, R.  Use of personal-indoor-outdoor sulfur concentrations to estimate the infiltration factor, outdoor exposure factor, penetration coefficient, and deposition rate for individual homes. Environmental Science and Technology, 39, 1707-1714 (2005)

Wallace, L., Williams, R., Suggs, J. Validation of a method for estimating long-term exposures based on short-term measurements. Risk Analysis, 25, 687-694 (2005)

RECENT SELECT PRESENTATIONS (FROM 1980 TO 2009) FROM OVER 220

Vette, A., Barzyk, T., Croghan, C., Thornburg, J., Rodes, C., Williams, R.  Near-Roadway exposures to mobile source air pollutants in the Detroit Exposure and Aerosol Research Study. 2009. Submitted abstract to the Annual Air and Waste Management Association Symposium.  June 6, 2009, Detroit, Michigan.

Avery, C., Mills, K., Williams, R., McGraw, K., Poole, C., Smith, R., Whitsel, E.   Estimating error in using outdoor and ambient PM2.5 concentrations as proxies for personal exposure: a meta-analysis.  2009 American Heart Association, 49^th Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention-and- Nutrition Physical Activity and Metabolism.  Palm Harbor, Fl.  March 10, 2009.

Breen, M.., Breen, M., Long, T., Williams., R., Schultz, B.  Exposure model for individuals (EMI) in air pollution health studies: development of residential indoor air quality model for PM_2.5.  2009 International Council on International Council of Chemical Association: Connecting Innovations in Biological, Exposure, and Risk Sciences. June 16, 2009. Charleston, SC.

Vette, A., Williams, R., Baxter, L., Barzyk, T., Baldauf, R.  EPA Near- Roadway Studies.  Invited presentation to the 2009 Bernstein Symposium.  Air Toxics:Transcending Boundaries-Better Science for Better Health.  Ann Arbor, Michigan. May 6, 2009.

Williams, R.  The impact of various sources on personal exposures to select air pollutants. Invited presentation to the 2009 UKC US-Korea Conference, July 16, 2009, Raleigh, NC.

Williams, R.  Role of Personal Monitors in Exposure Science.  Invited presentation to Health Canada. April 8, 2009. Ottawa, Canada.

Williams, R., Vette, A., Croghan, C., Stevens, C., Baxter, L. The Detroit Exposure and Aerosol Research Study- Air Toxic Findings.  Invited presentation to the 2009 Bernstein Symposium.  Air Toxics: Transcending Boundaries-Better Science for Better Health.  Ann Arbor, Michigan. May 6, 2009.

Schneider, A., Neas, L., Herbst, M., Williams, R., Cascio, W., Peters, A., Devlin, R. Vascular inflammation and markers of cellular activation are associated with exposure to air pollution particles in diabetics.  2009 Annual American Thoracic Society Meeting, May 2009.

Schneider A., Neas, L., Herbst, M., Williams, R., Cascio, W., Peters, A., Devlin, R. Vascular inflammation and markers of cellular activation are associated with exposure to air pollution particles in diabetics.  2009 American Thoracic Society, May 15, 2009, San Diego, California.

Breen, M., Breen, M., Williams, R.  Air pollution exposure model for individuals (EMI) in health studies: model evaluation of residential air exchange rates.  2008 Annual Society of Risk Analysis, Boston, Mass, December 7, 2008. 

Baxter, L., Barzyk, T., Vette, A., Croghan, C., Williams, R.  Contributions of Diesel Truck Emissions to Indoor Elemental Carbon Concentrations in the Homes Proximate to the Ambassador Bridge. 2008 ISEA, October 12, 2008, Pasadena, CA.

Schneider, A., Neas, L., Herbst, M., Williams, R., Cascio, W., Hinderliter, A., Holguin, F., Buse, J., Dungan, K., Styner, M., Peters, A., Devlin, R. Endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory blood markers in association with exposure to central-site and personally measured fine particles in diabetic subjects. 2008 ISEA/ISEE Conference.  October 12, 2008, Pasadena, CA.

Schneider, A., Neas, L., Williams, R., Case, M., Peters, A. The alignment of immediate health effects of multi-hour exposure periods. 2008 ISEA, October 12, 2008, Pasadena, CA.

Schneider, A., Neas, L., Herbstm M., Williams, R., Cascio, W., Hinderliter, A., Holguin, F., Buse, J., Dungan, K., Styner, M., Peters, A., Devlin, R.  Associations of endothelial dysfunction with exposure to ambient fine particles in diabetic subjects: are the effects modified by patient characteristics?  2008 ISEA, October 12, 2008, Pasadena, CA.

Breen, M., Breen, M., Rea, A., Williams, R.  Air pollution exposure model for individuals in health studies: parameter estimates for PM2.5 from the Research Triangle Park PM Panel Study.

Johnson, M., Mukerjee, S., Williams, R., Smith, L., Hudgens, E., Gallagher, J., Stallings, C., Ozkaynak, H., Vette, A., Croghan, C., Neas, L.  Evaluation of land use regression models in Detroit, Michigan.    2008 ISEA, October 12, 2008, Pasadena, CA.

Johnson, M., Hudgens, E., Williams, R., Andrews, G., Neas, L., Gallagher, J., Ozkaynak, H. Characterizing exposure in community health studies:a participant-based approach to indoor/outdoor air monitoring.  2008 ISEA, October 12, 2008, Pasadena, CA.

Jones, P., Williams, R., Croghan, C., Vette, A., Stevens, C.  The impact of human and environmental factors on personal exposures to ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide.  2008 ISEA, October 12, 2008, Pasadena, CA.

Williams, R., Jones, P., Croghan, C., Rea, A., Wallace, L.  The impact of human and environmental factors upon personal PM2.5 exposures. 2008 ISEA, October 12, 2008, Pasadena, CA.

Breen, M., Breen, Miyuki, Williams, R.  Exposure modeling of air pollutants for individuals in health studies: parameter estimates for PM2.5 from the Research Triangle Park PM Panel Study. 2008. ORD Science Forum.

Chen, Fu-lin, Vanderpool, R., Williams, R., Dimmick, F.  Evaluation of the differential method for PM10-2.5 mass concentration measurements. 7th Symposium on Advanced Environmental Monitoring, Hawaii, February 2008.

Williams, R., Jones, P., Croghan, C., Vette, A., Stevens, C.  The use of passive dosimeter monitors to determine the impact of human and environmental factors on personal exposures to ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Invited presentation to the 2008 Air and Waste Management Association, Symposium on Air Quality Measurement Methods and Technology, November 6, 2008, Chapel Hill, NC.

Williams, R., Vette, A., Croghan, C., Jones, P.  The Detroit Exposure and Aerosol Research Study.  Meeting with the Japanese EPA Delegation. August 6, 2008, Research Triangle Park, NC.

Barzyk, T., George, B., Shores, R., Vette, A., Thoma, E., Williams, R., Seila, R., Isakov, V., Baldauf, R. Developing and evaluating proxies for near road research:a distance to roadway paramterization and an air toxic surrogate.  2008 CRC Mobile Source Air Toxics Workship. December 1, 2008, Phoenix, Arizona.

Brook, R., Bard, R., Burnette, R., Williams, R., Vette, A., Croghan, C., Phillips, M. Adverse cardiovascular responses to alterations in daily levels of total personal and ambient fine particulate matter air pollution. Submission to the 2008 American Heart Associations Science Sessions 2008, November 8, 2008, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Neas, L., Vette, A., Williams, R., Gallagher, J., Mukerjee, S., Hudgens, E., Johnson, M., Barzyk, T., Baxter, L., Williams, A.  Near-roadway studies in a northern, industrial U.S. metropolitan area: exposures and health outcomes. Session overview.  2008 ISEE-ISEA, Pasadena, CA, October 12, 2008.    

Williams, R., Vette, A., Croghan, C., Jones, P., Barzyk, T., Stevens, C.  The Detroit Exposure and Aerosol Research Study (DEARS). Invited presentation to the 2008, Annual Health Effects Institute Conference, April 28, 2008, Philadelphia, PA

Williams, R., Wheeler, A.  The DEARS and WOEAS. Why studies like these are so important to exposure science. 2007. Exploring Innovative Approaches in Exposure Science. RTP, NC

Williams, R., Vette, A., Croghan, C., Jones, P., Williams, D., Rodes, C., Thornburg, J. PM and criteria gas pollutant relationships in the DEARS. 2007. Exploring Innovative Approaches in Exposure Science. RTP, NC

Williams, R., Vette, A., Burke, J., Norris, G., Wesson, K., Strum, K., Touma, J., Watkins, T.  The Detroit Exposure and Aerosol Research Study.  2007. International Technical Meeting, 29^th NATO/ SPS Conference,  Avero. Italy

Williams, R., Vette, A., Croghan, C., Stevens, C., Barzyk, T., Jones, P., Whitaker, C., McDow, S., Norris, G., Mukerjee, S., Burke, J., George, B., Heindorf, M. Planned integration of measurement and survey data from the DEARS with local and regional research efforts. 2007. US-Canada Border Air Quality Workshop, Ottawa, Canada

Williams, R., Vette, A., Croghan, C., Stevens, C., Barzyk, T., Jones, P., Whitaker, D., McDow, S., Norris, G., Duvall, R. The Detroit Exposure and Aerosol Research Study-Select Findings and Observations. 2007.  Third Annual Windsor Air Quality Symposium. Windsor, Ontario.

Williams, R., Vette, A., Croghan, C., Stevens, C., Jones, P., Thornburg, J., Rodes, C.  Personal, residential and central site PM mass concentrations associated with the Detroit Exposure and Aerosol Research Study (DEARS). 2006.  Environmental Partnership Summit, Research Triangle Park, NC.

Williams, R., Vette, A., Croghan, C., Stevens, C., Jones, P., Thornburg, J., Rodes, C.  Personal, residential and central site PM mass concentrations associated with the Detroit Exposure and Aerosol Research Study (DEARS). 2006. American Association of Aerosol Research, St. Paul, Minn

Williams, R., Vette, A., Whitaker, D., Croghan, C., Jones, P., Daughtrey, H., Oliver, K., Jacumin, H., Williams, D., Rodes, C.., Thornburg, J., Herrington, J., Zhang, L., Tong, J., Zhang, J.  Use of passive samplers in the DEARS. 2006.  AWMA Symposium on Air Quality Measurement Methods and Technology, RTP, NC

NARRATIVE

My current research focuses on developing and leading multi-pollutant human exposure measurement panel studies involving particulate matter, pollutant gases and select air toxics.  This research involves determining the relationships between personal exposures to these air pollutants and various source categories. It involves investigating the human and environmental factors that influence these sources to exposure relationships. Integration of the science across multiple EPA and non-EPA research institutions is often required to achieve this objective. In addition, as the EMAB acting Branch Chief, I am responsible for leading and directing the efforts involving a multidisciplinary environmental research team and integrating their efforts in the NERL’s overall research portfolio.