faculty.J. Jeffrey Peirce

J. Jeffrey Peirce, Associate Professor

Jeffrey Peirce received a bachelor of engineering science degree in engineering mechanics from the Johns Hopkins University in 1971, and a Ph.D. in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1977. Prior to joining the Duke faculty in 1979, Professor Peirce was a Senior Engineer in the Environmental and Energy Division of Booz, Allen and Hamilton in Washington, D.C.

Professor Peirce's current research activities build on his interests in mechanics and include the study of physical, chemical, and microbiological aspects of particle-fluid interactions in treatment reactors, waste-amended and chemically-applied soils, and clay barriers to waste migration. Laboratory and modeling studies of gases, non-water liquids passing through selected porous media are leading to novel solutions to hazardous waste processing and storage problems. Current emphasis is on the study of trace gas production and transport in soil with a focus on nitric oxide (NO), a precursor to ozone formation and trace gases from fungicides and herbicides as precursors to endocrine disruptors in the lower levels of the troposphere.

In 1984, Professor Peirce was among the first recipients of the Presidential Young Investigator Award, presented by the National Science Foundation. This award and other financial support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Education, the State of North Carolina, and industrial sponsors have enabled him to pursue his research interests.

Professor Peirce has coauthored two successful textbooks: Environmental Engineering and Environmental Pollution and Control. Both texts are used in classrooms nationwide and have been translated into several languages for adoption in other countries.

Education

• Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1977
• M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1973
• B.E.S. Engineering Mechanics, The Johns Hopkins University, 1971

Professional Experience

• Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, 1982-Present

• Associate Professor, Secondary Appointment, Division of Environmental Sciences and Policy, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 2000-Present

• Visiting Professor, Department of Geotechnical Engineering, Chalmers University, Goteborg, Sweden, 1988
• Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, 1981-1982
• Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, 1979-1981
• Instructor, Chesapeake College, Wye Mills, Maryland, 1973
• Special Consultant, Energy and Environment Division, Booz Allen and Hamilton, 1979-1984
• Senior Environmental Engineer, Energy and Environment Division, Booz Allen and Hamilton, 1977-1979
• Research Assistant, National Sea Grant Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1971-1977
• Project Engineer, Airpax Electronics, Cambridge, MA, 1969-1971

Sample Publications [complete publication list]

Tabachow, R. M. (Duke Ph.D. 2002), P.A. Rolle, J. J. Peirce and V.P. Aneja “Soil Nitric Oxide Emissions: Laboratory and Field Measurements and Comparison.” Environmental Engineering Science. 9(4), 205-214 (2003).

Roelle, P.A., A.P., Aneja, R. Mathur, J. Vukovick, and J.J. Peirce “Modeling Nitric Oxide Emissions from Biosolid Amended Soil.” Atmospheric Environment. 36, 5687-5696 (2002).

Tabachow, R. M. (Duke Ph.D. 2002), C. Stock (Duke B.S. 2000), and J. J. Peirce “Options for Centralized Management of Swine Waste.” Journal of Environmental Engineering. 128 (5), 476 – 478 (2002).

Rammon, D. (Duke Ph.D. 2000) and J. J. Peirce “Consumption of Biogenic Nitric Oxide in Hydrated Soil.” Environmental Pollution. 117, 347 – 355 (2002).

Vallero, D. A. (Duke Ph.D. 2000) and J. J. Peirce “Transformation and Transport of Vinclozolin from Soil to Air.” Journal of Environmental Engineering. 123 (3), 261 – 268 (2002).

Courses Taught

• EGR 23. Engineering Economics
• EGR 115/ECON 112. Engineering Systems Optimization
• EGR 127. Environmental Pollution Control
• CE 24L. Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Science
• CE 124L. Environmental Engineering
• CE 218. Engineering Management and Project Evalution.
• CE 242. Biology and Chemistry for Environmental Engineering
• CE 247. Air Pollution Control Engineering
• CE 249. Hazardous Waste Engineering
• CE 265. Industrial Waste Processing and Disposal

Honors and Awards

• 2001 Nominee: National Science Foundation Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mentoring, by Duke's Pratt School of Engineering
• 1992 Recipient: Earl I. Brown II Undergraduate Teaching Award, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University
• 1984 Recipient: Presidential Young Investigator Award, National Science Foundation
• 1984 Recipient: Outstanding Young Faculty Award, Southeastern Section, American Society for Engineering Education

Professional and Service Activities

• Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors
• American Institute of Chemical Engineers
• American Society for Engineering Education
• Chi Epsilon
• Sigma Xi
• Member, Diversity Committee of The Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors
• Chair, Seminar on the Principles and Practices in Engineered and Natural Environmental Systems, sponsored by the Pratt School of the Engineering and the Nicholas School of the Environment
• Chair, Career Days, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Member, Advisory Panel, Undergraduate Environmental Science and Policy Program, Nicholas School of the Environment

Current and Ongoing Research

• Environmental engineering
• Hazardous waste engineering
• Physical, chemical, and biological aspects of particle-fluid interactions
• Models of trace gas emissions from waste-amended and chemically-applied soils.