Ph.D. Graduate, Spring 2019
(LinkedIn)
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 finished her Ph.D. in the Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering ate the University of Southern California in May 2019.
Dissertation Title
Developing High-Resolution Spatiotemporal Methods to Model and Quantify Water Use for Energy
Awards and Honors
- 2019 USC PhD Achievement Award for 2019 (University-wide)
- 2018 Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) Merit Award for Current PhD Students
- 2018 Research Assistant of the Year, USC Civil and Environmental Engineering Department
- 2017-2018 Annabelle B. Bush Memorial Endowed PEO Scholar Award
- 2017 Teaching Assistant of the Year, USC Civil and Environmental Engineering Department
- 2014-2018 USC Provost Fellowship
- 2015-2016 USC Civil and Environmental Engineering Department Top-Off Fellowship
- 2014-2015 WiSE Top-Off Fellowship
- 2014 Saint Francis University Environmental Engineering Top Graduate
- 2014 Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities Nominee
- 2014 American Society of Mining and Reclamation Undergraduate Memorial Scholarship
- 2014 3rd place Student Oral Presentation, American Society of Mining and Reclamation Mtg.
- 2013 Rhodes Scholarship Finalist (province of Quebec)
- 2011-2014 Saint Francis University International Merit Scholarship
- 2011-2014 Saint Francis University Women’s Swimming Athletic Scholarship
- 2011-2014 Saint Francis University Student Ambassador Scholarship
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
- B. Tarroja, R.A.M. Peer, K.T. Sanders, and E. Grubert (2020). How do non-carbon priorities affect zero-carbon electricity systems? A case study of freshwater consumption and cost for Senate Bill 100 compliance in California, Applied Energy, 265, 114824. DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.114824
- M. Meng, E.A. Grubert, R.A.M. Peer, and K.T. Sanders (2020). Spatially allocating lifecycle water use for US coal-fired electricity across producers, generators, and consumers, Energy Technology, 1901497 DOI: 10.1002/ente.201901497
- R.A.M. Peer, E. Grubert, and K.T. Sanders (2019). A Regional Assessment of the Water Embedded in the US Electricity System. Environmental Research Letters, 14(8), 084014.
DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ab2daa - 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.
Visit Dr. Peer’s Google Scholar Page for most recent publications post-graduation.
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.