Ph.D. Candidate
Hometown: Rockland, Ontario, Canada
Rebecca Peer was born in Rockland, Ontario, Canada into a military family. She spent most of her childhood moving, even spending 4 years of her childhood in England before returning to Canada. She attended school in the province of Québec before leaving for Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania, where she competed as a member of the Division I women’s swim team, serving as captain in her third and final year. She graduated in May 2014 with her Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Engineering. Rebbeca joined USC in July of 2014 and is pursuing a Ph.D. in the Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. She plans to graduate with her doctorate in May 2019.
Research Interests
Rebecca is investigating the environmental trade-offs of electricity generation in the US. Her research aims to develop methods to model and mitigate water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and air quality pollutants across the power sector through sophisticated grid modeling and data analysis.
Awards and Honors
- Recipient of Annabelle B. Bush Endowed PEO Scholar Award – 2017
- Recipient of WiSE top-off fellowship – 2014
- Recipient of USC Provost Fellowship – 2014
- Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities Nominee – 2014
- 3rd Place for Best Student Oral Presentation at the 2014 American Society of Mining and Reclamation’s Annual Meeting – 2014
- Rhodes Scholarship Finalist (province of Québec) – 2013
- Recipient of the Saint Francis University School of Sciences Undergraduate Research Excellence Award – 2013
- Recipient of the American Society of Mining and Reclamation Undergraduate Memorial Scholarship – 2013
- Inducted into Gamma Sigma Epsilon National Chemistry Honor’s Society – 2013
- SFU Women’s Swim Team Captain – 2013
- Record holder in 200 yd. backstroke, 4 x 50 yd. individual medley relay, and 4 x 100 yd. individual medley relay events at Saint Francis University – 2012, 2013
- Recipient of Student Ambassador Scholarship – 2012, 2013
- Recipient of International Merit Scholarship – 2011, 2012, 2013
- Recipient of Women’s Swimming Athletic Scholarship – 2011, 2012, 2013
- Inducted into Kappa Mu Epsilon National Mathematics Honor’s Society – 2012
Education
- Master’s of Science in Environmental Engineering. August 2014 – May 2016
- Honors Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Environmental Engineering (Summa Cum Laude). August 2011 – May 2014
Peer-reviewed Journal Publications
- R.A.M. Peer and K.T. Sanders. (2018) “The water consequences of a transitioning US power sector” Applied Energy, Vol. 210, p. 613-622, DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.08.021
- R.A.M. Peer and K.T. Sanders. (2016) “Characterizing cooling water source and usage patterns across US thermoelectric power plants: a comprehensive assessment of self-reported cooling water data” Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 11, p. 1-10, DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aa51d8
- R.A.M. Peer,J.B. Garrison, C. Timms* and K.T. Sanders. (2016). “A Spatially and Temporally Resolved Analysis of Environmental Trade-Offs in Electricity Generation.” Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 50, No. 8, p. 4537-4545, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b05419
- R.A.M. Peer, J.A. LaBar, B.K. Winfrey, R.W. Nairn, F. Llanos López, W.H.J. Strosnider. (2015) “Removal of less commonly addressed metals via passive cotreatment” Journal of Environmental Quality, Vol. 44 No. 2, p. 704-710, DOI: 10.2134/jeq2014.08.0338.
- W.H.J. Strosnider, B.K. Winfrey, R.A.M. Peer, R.W. Nairn. (2013). “Passive co-treatment of acid mine drainage and sewage: Anaerobic incubation reveals a regeneration technique and further treatment possibilities.” Ecological Engineering 61: 268-273.
- W.H.J. Strosnider, B.K. Winfrey, R.A.M. Peer, R.W. Nairn (2013). “Passive Co-Treatment of Zn-Rich Acid Mine Drainage and Raw Municipal Wastewater.” Journal of Geochemical Exploration. 125: 110-116.
Other Publications
- M. Smyntek, J. Chastel, R.A.M. Peer, E. Anthony, J. McCloskey, E. Bach, R.C. Wagner, J.Z. Bandstra, W.H.J. Strosnider (2018). “Assessment of sulphate and iron reduction rates during reactor start-up for passive anaerobic co-treatment of acid mine drainage and sewage” Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis, Vol. 18, No. 1, p. 76-84, DOI: 10.1144/geochem2017-001
- R.A.M. Peer and K.T. Sanders. (2015). “A Quantitative Assessment of Temporally-Resolved Environmental Trade-offs in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.” Proceedings of the World Environmental & Water Resources Congress 2015, May 17-21, 2015, Austin, TX, USA.
- R.A.M. Peer, W. Strosnider, B. Winfrey, R. Nairn (2013) Passive Co-Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage and Municipal Wastewater: Removal of Less Commonly Addressed Metals at Cerro Rico de Potosí, Bolivia. Proceedings of the International Mine Water Association International Conference, August 5-9, 2013, Golden, CO, USA.
- W.H.J. Strosnider, F. Llanos López, J.A. LaBar, K.J. Palmer, R.A.M. Peer, R.W. Nairn (2013) Cerro Rico de Potosí, Bolivia: Broader Impacts from Unabated Acid Mine Drainage. Proceedings of the International Mine Water Association International Conference, August 5-9, 2013, Golden, CO, USA.
- R.A.M. Peer, W. Strosnider, B. Winfrey, R. Nairn (2013) Passive Co-Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage and Municipal Wastewater: Removal of Less Commonly Addressed Metals at Cerro Rico de Potosí, Bolivia. Spectrum, Saint Francis University Research Journal.
- W.H.J. Strosnider, T.A. Hughes, R.A.M. Peer, B.K. Winfrey, N.F. Gray, R.W. Nairn (2012) Co-Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage with Municipal Wastewater: A Promising New Approach. Reclamation Matters, Fall 2012: 26-29.