regional, and global sources to atmospheric mercury deposition, as well as the benefits of source-reduction scenarios, he says. —REBECCA RENNER
Dzombak appointed ES&T associate editor
KENNETH ANDREYO
Environmental engineer David Dzombak will become ES&T ’s 10th associate editor this January, announced Editor Jerald Schnoor. As associate editor, Dzombak will oversee the peer review of manuscripts and help shape the editorial direction of the journal. Dzombak is a professor in Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Although he is best known for his work in geochemistry, particularly his studies of metals on oxide surfaces, Schnoor calls his work versatile, citing studies with organics and microbes. “He is a true scholar in environmental sciences and engineering, with applications to both the natural and built environment,” adds Schnoor. Dzombak’s 1990 book Surface Complexation Modeling: Hydrous Ferric Oxide, which was coauthored with François Morel, is cited by many as
David Dzombak
a classic text. Other research has focused on the remediation of abandoned mine drainage; restoration of rivers and watersheds; fate and transport of chemicals; and treatment of soil, water, wastewater, and hazardous wastes. Dzombak received a B.S. in civil engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.A. in mathematics from Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., in 1980, following work in a liberal arts–engineering program; an M.S. in civil–environmental engineering from Carnegie Mellon in 1981; and a Ph.D. in the same field from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1986. He is currently a member of the U.S. EPA’s Science Advisory Board and has served on a National Research Council committee and on the boards of several scholarly journals. Dzombak’s honors include a National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award in 1991, the Water Environment Federation Harrison Prescott Eddy Medal in 1993, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize in 1997, and a Distinguished Service Award from the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors in 1999. He was elected a Fellow of ASCE in 2002. According to Schnoor, Dzombak’s appointment was driven by the rapid increase in manuscript submissions to ES&T. For example, the journal received 16% more papers in 2003 than in 2002; for this year, submissions are running 19% higher than for 2003. —ALAN NEWMAN
News Briefs Cooperation and conflict “How can we use the environment to build peace instead of war?” asks a report from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The report was penned by international scholars, who conclude that the relationship between environmental degradation and political instability is poorly understood. UNEP released the report in October in conjunction with its Initiative on Environment and Conflict Prevention, a new program designed to promote conflict prevention, peace, and cooperation through policies and activities related to environmental protection and restoration. The report addresses steps to research this link and recommends ways to bolster conflict prevention policy. It describes the “relatively undeveloped” efforts of local and regional governments and international institutions. Understanding Environment, Conflict, and Cooperation is at www.unep.org/pdf/ecc.pdf.
Affordable green housing Historically, the energy-efficient structures with very clean indoor air known as green buildings have cost more to construct than their traditional counterparts. But a coalition of businesses, architects, and nonprofit groups hopes to permanently alter the situation by launching the Green Communities Initiative, a $550 million project committed to building more than 8500 environmentally friendly, affordable homes across the United States. In addition to supporting developers who are already constructing green housing, the initiative will also encourage government agencies at the local, state, and federal levels to “green” their affordable housing programs. For more information, go to www.nrdc.org.
DECEMBER 1, 2004 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ■ 449A
PHOTODISC
with a variety of halogens. These new reaction rate constants will be incorporated into EPA’s mercury model to provide a more accurate picture of the importance of local,
