Renee Falconer

My research interests center around the environmental chemistry of organic pollutants and their transport and fate in the environment. Understanding the movement, distribution and degradation of these compounds in the environment is essential for determining their long-term effects. Determining pathways of exposure for humans is necessary to control adverse health effects. By analyzing various media (e.g. air, water, soil, food, tissues, indoor environments, children’s toys) for these pollutants, I hope to better understand how human’s actions affect their health and the health of the environment.

My teaching interests revolve around improving chemical education through the use of modern pedogogies and a current understanding of chemical theories. In particular, I am working to improve the general chemistry curriculum through the creation of inquiry-based, active learning experiences in both the classroom and the lab that reflect changes in our knowledge of chemistry and advances in technology. I am interested in using research based best practices to show all students, no matter their field of interest, that chemistry is central to the world of science.

Education

• BS – Grove City College
• PhD – University of South Carolina

Selected Publications

• Luek, J.L.; Dickhut, R.M.; Cochran, M.; Falconer, R.L.; Kylin, H 2017. Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Atlantic and Southern Oceans and Oceanic Atmosphere. Sci. Total Environ., 583:64-71.
• Hauser, E.; Dickhut, R.; Falconer, R.; Wozniak, A. 2013. Improved method for quantifying the air-sea flux of volatile organic carbon. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, 11:287-297.
• Ulrich EM, Falconer RL. Chiral chlordane components in environmental matrices. In: Garrison, AW, Gan, J, Liu, W (Eds.). Chiral Pesticides: Stereoselectivity and Its Consequences. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 2011; pp. 11-43.
• MacNeil, J.; Falconer, R. 2010.  When Learning the Hard Way Makes Learning Easy: Building Better Lab Note-Taking Skills.  J. Chem. Ed., 87(7), 703-704.
• Meighan, M.; MacNeil, J.; Falconer R.  2008.  Determining the solubility product of Fe(OH)3: an equilibrium study with environmental significance.  J. Chem. Ed., 85, 254-255.