About Our Faculty

 

Dr. Ed Overton is recognized from a number of industries worldwide for new portable analytical instrument development, and the very important role such equipment plays in helping solve to environmental problems such as the cause of ozone formation in selected locals: Overton's funded research has lead to the develop of intellectual property, and three patents, that have significant commercial potential in the one billion dollar annual gas chromatography market. This technology has be licensed from LSU by Analytical Specialists Inc., founded by Overton, and converted to a commercial product, the microFAST GC (see www.microfastgc.com). This instrument is currently in the initial phases of manufacturing and market penetration, and is being sold as an OEM analyzer to the leading producer of "electric noses", Alpha MOS of Toulouse France, for inclusion in their product line. This device has many environmental applications including air monitoring for HRVOVs, emergency response, and on-site assessment of contaminated sites.

Dr. Margaret Reams is funded by the U.S. Forest Service to create and maintain web-based clearing-house of information on state, county and local programs to reduce risk from wildfire. (www.wildfireprograms.gov <http://www.wildfireprograms.gov> ) Also, through U.S. Forest Service funding, she conducts annual surveys of state and local managers of wildfire reduction programs to determine effectiveness of specific risk-reduction strategies.

Professor Michael Wascom holds a Master of Law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and is licensed to practice in Louisiana, the District of Columbia; the U.S. Court of International Trade, NY, NY; U.S Appeals Courts for the federal circuit and Fifth Circuit; and U.S. District Courts for the District of Columbia, and the Eastern and Middle Districts of Louisiana. His areas of legal expertise include: Environmental and Natural Resources Law; Ocean and Coastal Law, Land Use Law, and legislation. His particular expertise involves natural resource damage assessments (NRDAs); oil spills; coastal management and restoration legal issues; ocean policy; wetlands law; environmental regulation of land use; and regulatory “takings” due to land use restrictions.

Dr. John Pine is currently chairing a development team for a course in Hazard Mapping and Modeling (sponsorship by FEMA and the Dept. of Homeland Security). The upper level course for undergraduates and graduate students examines how both natural and human caused disasters are modeled, and how GIS is utilized to understand the economic, social and environmental impacts. Eight faculty from LSU and other universities are involved in the course development effort.

Dr. Vince Wilson, Claiborne Chair Professor, is chair of the
Interdepartmental Studies Concentration in Toxicology at LSU
(January, 1998 - present). His current research is focused on
understanding oncogenic mutations induced by environmental toxicants in cultured normal human bronchial epithelial cells.