Jeremy M. Gernand, PhD, CRE, CSP
Assistant Professor | Environmental Health and Safety
Engineering
John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering
The
Pennsylvania State University
121 Hosler Building | University Park, PA 16802 | jmgernand
[at] psu [dot] edu | 814.865.5861
© 2013-
My research activities focus on using quantitative risk analysis including probabilistic models and data informatics to make recommendations on environmental health and safety policy including assessing the feasibility or effectiveness of system design mandates or regulations. A few short descriptions of current research initiatives follow below.
*Though some grants and publications could conceivably apply to more than one of the broad initiatives below, each is only recorded once.
Understanding the Characteristics Influencing Nano-
The number of variations between different batches of nanomaterials (e.g. carbon nanotubes) makes the determination of the causes of observed differences in their toxicity more complicated than it is for organic chemicals. Our group develops and employs novel data mining techniques on the accumulated toxicity information on nanomaterials to help guide materials designers and regulators on the characteristics associated with increased toxic potential.
Grants and Contracts
“Forecasting Pulmonary Inflammation from In Vitro Assay Results for Nanoparticles.” PI: Gernand J. Total Budget: $133,470. Period of Performance: Sept 2015 to Aug 2017. Sponsor: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Testing the Predictive Power of Nanoparticle Characteristics for In Vitro and In Vivo Toxicity.” PI: Gernand J. Total Budget: $87,795. Period of Performance: Jul 2014 to Aug 2015. Sponsor: Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology (CEINT), Duke University
“Connecting Cells to Worms to Mice to Workers: Extending Nanomaterial Toxicity Modeling for Environmental and Occupational Risk Assessment.” PI: Gernand J. Total Budget: $3,036. Period of Performance: Feb 2014 to Dec 2014. Sponsor: College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, Penn State University
Publications
Ramchandran V. and Gernand J. “Examining the In Vivo Pulmonary Toxicity of Engineered
Metal Oxide Nanomaterials Using a Genetic Algorithm-
Ramchandran V. and Gernand J. “A Dose-
Ramchandran V. and Gernand J. “Examining Pulmonary Toxicity of Engineered Nanoparticles
Using Clustering for Safe Exposure Limits.” Proc. Of IMECE2018. No. 87431. doi:10.1115/IMECE2018-
Edinger S. and Gernand J. “N2-
Gernand J. “Limitations on the Reliability of In Vitro Toxicity Experiments to Predict
Pulmonary Toxicity in Rodents.” Proc. of IMECE2016. No. 67151. doi: 10.1115/IMECE2016-
Stone V., Johnston H., Balharry D., Gulumian M., and Gernand J. “Approaches to Develop
Alternative Testing Strategies to Inform Human Health Risk Assessment of Nanomaterials.”
Risk Analysis. doi:10.1111/risa.12645. 36(8):1538-
Gernand J. and Casman E. “Nanoparticle Characteristic Interaction Effects on Pulmonary
Toxicity -
Gernand J. and Casman E. “A Meta-
Gernand J. and Casman E. “Selecting Nanoparticle Properties to Mitigate Risks to
Workers and the Public -
Characterizing Real World Particulate Exposures, Estimating Health Impacts, Evaluating Relevant Policy
While exposure experiments to nanoparticles in the laboratory are highly controlled and present just one type of particle at a time to the animal or cellular subjects, real world exposures are quite complex. Although most existing research just characterizes aerosol exposures by the mass concentration of PM10, PM2.5 or PM0.1, our group is performing a detailed size and chemical composition breakdown of these complex mixtures to reveal the size distributions of each particle type present in these complex aerosol mixtures. In addition to direct sample collection, we conduct PM dispersion modeling to predict exposures for various groups of people at risk of exposure including heavy metals from coal fired power plants and diesel engine emissions at hydraulic fracturing sites.
Grants
“Investigating Indoor Air Pollutant Variability, Source Contributions, and Respiratory Health in Senegal.” PI: Gernand J. Total Budget: $50,000. Period of Performance: Nov 2018 to Jun 2020. Sponsor: Penn State Institute for Energy and the Environment
“Heavy Metal Exposures and Aggressive Prostate Cancer.” PI: McDonald A. (Gernand
J. -
Collecting and Characterizing Saharan Dust and Associated Pathogens for Evaluating
Disease Risk across the Meningitis Belt and Cape Verde.” PI: Jenkins G. (Gernand
J. -
“Characterizing the Ambient Background Nanoparticle Distributions in Workplaces.” PI: Gernand J. Total Budget: $12,960. Period of Performance: Apr 2014 to Aug 2015. Sponsor: National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Publications
Banan Z. and Gernand J. “Model Predicted Distribution of PM2.5 Exposure-
Lai K., Looi S., Li M., Ilçi F., Naushad H., and Gernand J. “Characterization of
User PM Exposure During the Application of Aerosol Mineral-
Ilçi F., Li M., and Gernand J. “Detailed Physico-
Marone A., Kane C., Jenkins G., and Gernand J. “Characterization of Aerosol Bacteria from Dust Events in Dakar, Senegal.” In Review.
Mol M.F., Li M., and Gernand J. “Particulate Matter Emissions Associated with Marcellus Shale Drilling Waste Disposal and Transport.” J. of Air & Waste Management Association. Revisions Requested.
Banan Z. and Gernand J. “Emissions of Particulate Matter due to Marcellus Shale Gas Development in Pennsylvania: Mapping the Implications.” Environmental Research. Revisions Requested.
Li M. and Gernand J. “Identifying Shelter Locations and Building Air Intake Risk
from Release of Particulate Matter in a Three-
Banan Z. and Gernand J. “Evaluation of Gas Well Setback Policy in the Marcellus Shale
Region of Pennsylvania in Relation to Emissions of Fine Particulate Matter.” J. of
Air & Waste Management Association. doi:10.1080/10962247.2018.1462866. 68(9):988-
Assessing the Efficiency and Efficacy of Policy Aimed at Protecting Worker and Public Health and Safety
To ensure equity in terms of occupational and public risks to health and safety, governments typically turn to regulations to limit exposures, ensure reporting of problems, and reduce the risk of injuries and disease. These policies have limitations and one aim of my research is to evaluate the effectiveness and the efficiency of actual and proposed policies to reduce real risks to people.
Publications
Lashgari A., Kohler J., and Gernand J. “An Evaluation of a Compliance Sampling Program for Respirable Dust.” In Review.
Gernand J. “The Occupational Safety Implications of the California Residential Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Systems Mandate.” Journal of Safety Research. Revisions Submitted.
Agrawal S. and Gernand J. “Quantifying the Economic Impact of Hydraulic Fracturing Proppant Selection of Light of Occupational Particulate Exposure Risk and Functional Requirements.” Risk Analysis. Accepted.
Gernand J. “An Analysis of the Trends in US Offshore Oil and Gas Safety and Environmental Performance.” Proc. of IMECE2019. Accepted.
Eslambolchi S., Grayson R., and Gernand J. “Policy Changes in Safety Enforcement
for Underground Coal Mines Show Size-
Gernand J. “Occupational Safety Implications of the Changing Energy Mix.” Proc. Of
IMECE2018. No. 86678. doi:10.1115/IMECE2018-
Silva-
Gernand J. “Evaluation of Risk Reduction Effectiveness in OSHA’s Workplace Sampling
Activities.” Proc. of IMECE2016. No. 65942. doi:10.1115/IMECE2016-
Gernand J. “Evaluating the Effectiveness of Mine Safety Enforcement Actions in Forecasting
the Lost-
York J. and Gernand J. “Evaluating the Performance and Accuracy of Incident Rate Forecasting Methods for Mining Operations.” J. of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems. doi:10.1115/1.4036309. 3(4):041001. June 2017.
York J. and Gernand J. “Ascertainment of the Archetype Statistical Method for Incident
Rate Forecasting Through Forecast Performance Evaluations.” Proc. of IMECE2015. No.
53138. doi:10.1115/IMECE2015-
Gernand J. “Particulate Matter: Fine and Ultrafine -
Gernand J. “Machine Learning Classification Models for More Effective Mine Safety
Inspections.” Proc. of IMECE2014. No. 38709. doi:10.1115/IMECE2014-
Understanding and Ameliorating Biases in Engineers’ Estimates, Judgments, and Decisions Regarding Risk
All humans have cognitive biases when considering risk and potential choices to mitigate those risks. However, engineers, who must make decisions about the risks to others, continually evaluate very consequential and very unlikely events, which can be prone to their own particular characteristics and challenges. My research in this area attempts to experimentally explore these biases and decision making processes through techniques developed in experimental psychology and behavioral economics to understand how to help engineers make better decisions regarding the risks of technology.
Grants
“An Engineering Design Simulator for Risk-
Publications
Gernand J. “A Set of Estimation and Decision Preference Experiments for Exploring Risk Assessment Biases in Engineering Students.” In Review.
Gernand J. “A Set of Preliminary Model Experiments for Studying Engineering Student
Biases in the Assessment and Prioritization of Risks.” Proc. Of IMECE2018. No. 87888.
doi:10.1115/IMECE2018-
Gernand J. “Understanding and Preparing for Human Bias in the Assessment of Risks.”
Chapter 24 in Safety Leadership and Professional Development. Eds: Olawoyin R. and
Hill D. American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP). Park Ridge, IL. pp. 319-
Gernand J. “Educating Engineering Students on Probabilistic Risk: Effects on the
Perception of Ethics, Professional Responsibility, and Personal Agency.” Proc. of
IMECE2015. No. 53055. doi:10.1115/IMECE2015-
Additional information including some linked and downloadable content is available from my publications page or any of my public research profile sites: