Environmental Study of Local Area Conducted by Caltech Team

PASADENA, Calif.— California Institute of Technology researchers have received a $100,000 grant from the Alice C. Tyler Perpetual Trust to study the human impact on land and water in the San Gabriel Valley and San Gabriel River watershed. Ecosystems bordering major metropolitan areas are subject to intense pressures from pollutants produced by transportation, industrial activities, power generation, and recreational activities. This project will measure and document these environmental changes in order to predict future impacts.

The research project, "Environmental Quality Near Large Urban Areas," is being coordinated by Janet Hering, associate professor of environmental engineering science at Caltech. Other members of the group include Michael Hoffmann, the James Irvine Professor of Environmental Science; James Randerson, assistant professor of global environmental science; and Paul Wennberg, professor of atmospheric chemistry and environmental engineering science.

The project will also teach Caltech undergraduate students fundamental concepts in environmental chemistry, providing them with practical training and field experience in the collection, measurement, and analysis of human-induced changes on air quality, plants, soil, and water. The training program will allow undergraduates to gain a perspective on the impact of human activities on the atmosphere and biosphere.

The Alice C. Tyler Perpetual Trust was established to contribute to the improvement of the world's environment, including the preservation of all living things, the land, the waters, and the atmosphere.

Contact: Deborah Williams-Hedges (626) 395-3227 debwms@caltech.edu

Visit the Caltech Media Relations Web site at: http://pr.caltech.edu/media ###