Ralph J. Portier  Ph.D.
Professor & Distinguished Louisiana Professor of Environmental Sciences

1165 Energy, Coast and Environment Building
Department of Environmental Sciences
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA  70803

E-mail: rportie@lsu.edu        
Phone: (225) 578-4287
Fax:     (225) 578-4286

Education:
Ph.D. (1982), M.S. (1977), Oceanography & Coastal Sciences (Marine Sciences), LSU
B.S. (1974), Science Education/ Math Education, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA

Academic Positions Held:
1994-             Professor (Chair 2001-05), Environmental Sciences, LSU
1983-             Adjunct Professor, Dept. Oceanography & Coastal Science, LSU
1983-             Adjunct Professor, Dept. Food Sciences, LSU
2003-             Distinguished Louisiana Professor, Environmental Sciences, LSU
2001-05        Department Chair, Environmental Sciences, LSU
2000-01        Institute Director, Institute for Environmental Studies, LSU
1984-             Director, Aquatic/Industrial Toxicology Laboratory, LSU
1988-94        Associate Professor, Environmental Sciences, LSU
1983-88        Assistant Professor, Environmental Sciences, LSU

 

Ten Most Significant Publications:

Book Chapters :
Portier, R.J. (1991).  Applications of adapted microorganisms for site remediation of contaminated soil and water:  Biological Degradation Of Wastes (A.M. Martin, Editor), Chapter 11, pp247- 259 Elsevier Science Publishers Inc., New York
Portier, R. J.  2000. Contributions of marine biotechnology to marsh oil spill restoration. Opportunities For Environmental Applications of Marine Biotechnology, National Academy Press (National Research Council), pp 61-67.

Refereed Journal Articles:
Ogawa, M., M.W. Moody, R.J.Portier, J. Bell, M.A. Schexnayder, J.N. Losso. 2003. Biochemical  Properties of Black Drum and Sheepshead Seabream Skin Collagen. J Agric Food Chem 51(27):8088-8092.
Goktepe, I. and R.J. Portier. 2004. Ecological risk assessment of Neem-based pesticides. J. Environmental Science & HealthB29(2):311-320.
Milward,R.N., K.R. Carman, J.W. Fleeger, R.P. Gambrel, R.J. Portier. 2004. Mixtures of metals and hydrocarbons elicit complex responses by a benthic invertebrate community. J. Exp. Mar. Biol.Ecol. 310:115-130.
J.W. Fleeger, G. Tita, K.R. Carman, R.N. Millward, E.B. Moser, R.J. Portier, and R.P. Gambrell  2006. Does bioturbation by a benthic fish modify the effects of sediment contamination on salt marsh benthic microalgae and meiofauna? J. Exp. Marine Biol. Ecol. 330:180-194.
E.G. Ngwenya, M. Walsh, C.A. Metosh-Dickey and R.J. Portier. 2006. Remediation of acid mine drainage leachate by a physicochemical and biological treatment-train approach.  Remediation (Wiley) 16(2):79-90. 
Conger, R.M. and R.J. Portier. 2007. Before-after control-impact paired modeling of groundwater bentazon treatment at a phytoremediation site. Remediation(Wiley) 17(1):81-96.
Igbal, J.I., R.J. Portier, and D. Gisclair. 2007. Aspects of petrochemical pollution in coastal Louisiana, USA. Marine Pollution Bulletin  4(6):792-797.
Igbal, J., D. Gisclair, D. McMillin, D. and R.J.Portier. 2007. Aspects of petrochemical pollution in southeastern Louisiana(USA): Pre-Katrina background and source characterization. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 26(9):2001-2009.

Current Grants As PI only (See Appendix for Five-Year List):

2007-08	Ralph J. Portier. Risk-based protocols for removal of flowline and pipeline infrastructure in coastal wetlands. American Petroleum Institute. Award Total: $119,520.
2007-08	Ralph J. Portier. Immobilized microbe bioreactor systems for ethanol production.  TMS,LLC. Award total: $137,668
2006-08	Ralph J. Portier. Refinery oil spill bioremediation analysis .CITGO.  Award Total: $43,393

Courses Taught:
ENVS 1000 – Introduction to Environmental Sciences
ENVS 4110 – Applied Ecology
ENVS 4477 – Environmental Toxicology: Introduction & Applications
ENVS 7110 – Toxicology of Aquatic Environments
ENVS 7112 – Concepts in Marine Ecotoxicology
ENVS 7950 – Special Topics in Environmental Sciences

Theses/Dissertations Directed and Completed as Major Professor (numbers only):
Environmental Sciences: 69 M.S.; Oceanography: 1 PhD ;Engineering Sciences: 1 PhD;  Food Sciences: 2 PhDs. Currently serving as major professor of 3 M.S. students in Environmental Sciences

Honors and Scholarships:

1978	Cystic Fibrosis Society Honor Award, State of Louisiana
1987	Johns Manville Corporation International Research Excellence Award
1988	George W. Goethals Medal, The Society of American Military Engineers, (Highest technical merit award to an engineer or scientist in memory of the builder of the Panama Canal)
1988	Certificate of Merit , American Chemical Society , Best Technical Presentation, Division of Environmental Chemistry, Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada, June 7, 1988
1989	Certificate of Recognition, Phi Delta Kappa, for environmental research.  Acknowledged in the Congressional Record, March 23, 1989.
1988	Best Innovative Technology in Pollution Engineering Award, 1988: To Manville Corporation and Louisiana State University By Pollution Engineering, for the immobilized microbe bioreactor waste water treatment system.
1992	Finalist.  Construction Man of The Year Award. Engineering News Record.
1992	Governor's Award Developing environmental education programs for high school teachers.  The Louisiana Systemic Initiatives Program (School Science Education Reform).
1992	Innovator of the Year Award.  The Louisiana Partnership for Technology and Innovation.
1996	American Forest & Paper Association Environmental and Energy Achievement Award. Presented to Rayonier Corporation and Louisiana State University, Aquatic/Industrial Toxicology Laboratory.
2007	Tiger Athletic Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award

Synergistic Activities:

1997	Editorial boards of these journals: Remediation, Phytoremediation, J Soils &Sediments,. Environment and Waste Management
2000-08	Member of two National Research Council (NRC) Committees, two NSF review panels, two congressional committees on marine biotechnology,  two Sea Grant marine biotechnology  review panels, 4 Sea Grant program review teams  and one NASA review panel
1996-07	External program reviews (Washington State, Texas A&M, American Society of Civil Engineers)
1999-	Chairman, University Facilities Design and Development Committee.

Awards:
Dr Portier is the 1988 recipient of the George W. Goethals Gold Medal by the Society of American Military Engineers (Highest technical merit award to an engineer or scientist in memory of the builder of the Panama Canal) and the 1992 recipient of the Innovator of the Year Award by the Louisiana Partnership for Technology and Innovation. He was a 1992 Finalist for the Construction Man Of The Year Award by Engineering News Record for development of a wood recycling facility for creosote and other treated wood products. Recently his laboratory at LSU and Rayonier Corporation won the 1996 American Forest & Paper Association Environmental and Energy Achievement Award for development and operation of a bioremediation system to treat contaminated groundwater and soil at a closed wood treatment facility in Florida.