Loretta A. Fernandez
Associate Professor and Associate Chair for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Associate Professor, Marine and Environmental Sciences
Contact
- l.fernandez@northeastern.edu
- 360 Huntington Avenue, 400 SN
Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Office
- 473 Snell Engineering
- 617.373.5461
Lab
- 231 Egan Research Center
Related Links
Research Focus
Environmental organic chemistry; passive sampling methods; transport and transformation of contaminants in built and natural environments
Education
- PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2010
- SM, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005
- BS, Northeastern University, 2002
- BA, Tufts University, 1993
Honors & Awards
- 2022 College of Engineering Faculty Fellow
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Excellence in Teaching Award
- Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) Project of the Year, Co-Performer (2011)
- National Research Council, Research Associateship (2010)
Professional Affiliations
- American Chemical Society
- Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
- Tau Beta Pi
Research Overview
Environmental organic chemistry; passive sampling methods; transport and transformation of contaminants in built and natural environments
Selected Research Projects
- Electrochemically-Induced in Situ Degradation of Legacy Munitions and Insensitive High Explosives in Manufacturing Wastewater
Co-Investigator, Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program - Establishing an Approach to PFAS Forensics and a PFAS Source Materials Forensic Library
Co-Investigator, Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program - Herbicide Monitoring Related to Hell’s Half Acre Invasive
Principal Investigator, Charles River Conservancy
Research Centers and Institutes
Affiliations:
Coastal Sustainability Institute
Social Science Environmental Health Institute
Department Research Areas
Selected Publications
- A.S. Joyce, L.A. Fernandez, R.M. Burgess, In Situ Investigation of Performance Reference Compound-Based Estimates of PCB Equilibrated Passive Sampler Concentrations and C free in the Marine Water Column, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 39(6), 2020, 1165-1173
- A.V. Mueller, M.J. Eden, J.M. Oakes, C. Bellini, L.A. Fernandez, Quantitative Method for Comparative Assessment of Particle Removal Efficiency of Fabric Masks as Alternatives to Standard Surgical Masks for PPE, Matter, 3, 2020, 1-13
- M.J. Benotti, L.A. Fernandez, G.F. Peaslee, G.S. Douglas, A.D. Uhler, S. Emsbo-Mattingly, A Forensic Approach for Indentifying PFAS Materials, Environmental Forensics,21(3-4), 2020, 319-333
Oct 25, 2023
Students Nominated for Prestigious Marshall and Rhodes Scholarships
Benjamin Lanava, E’24, environmental engineering, and Siddharth Simon, E’24, computer engineering/computer science, were nominated by Northeastern for the Marshall Scholarship and Lanava also for the Rhodes Scholarship. Both prestigious awards support study in the UK for those distinguished by their academic accomplishments, records of leadership, and drive to serve.
Apr 28, 2022
FY23 TIER 1 Award Recipients
Congratulations to the 15 COE faculty and affiliates who were recipients of FY23 TIER 1 Interdisciplinary Research Seed Grants for 13 different projects.
Apr 15, 2022
Faculty and Staff Awards 2022
Congratulations to all the winners of the faculty and staff awards, and to everyone for their hard work and dedication during the 2021-2022 academic school year.
Jan 03, 2022
Choosing the Best Mask with the Omicron Variant
CEE Assistant Professor Loretta Fernandez and ChE Associate Professor Steve Lustig provide insights into what combination of materials and fits make the best face masks.
Feb 11, 2021
If double-masking is hurting your ears, try these tips to relieve the pain
CEE Associate Professor Loretta Fernandez was featured in the Washington Post article “If double-masking is hurting your ears, try these tips to relieve the pain” for her research into finding effective fitting masks.
Feb 05, 2021
How to Wear 2 Masks Effectively
CEE Assistant Professor Loretta Fernandez and Amy Mueller explain how to best wear two masks effectively to keep out COVID-19 particles.
Oct 02, 2020
PhD Spotlight: Alice Peiying Wang, PhD’19 – Civil Engineering
Advised by Loretta Fernandez, Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, jointly appointed in Marine and Environmental Sciences in the College of Science While pursuing her PhD in Civil Engineering (CEE) at Northeastern University, Alice Peiying Wang worked closely with researchers at the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers’ Environmental Research and Development Center (USACE ERDC). She […]
Aug 11, 2020
How to Choose the Best Cloth Face Mask for You
CEE Associate Professor Loretta Fernandez was featured in the NY Times Wirecutter article “How to Choose the Best Cloth Face Mask for You” for her expertise in studying how to make the best fitting mask.
Jul 30, 2020
Designing the Most Effective Face Masks
CEE Associate Professor Loretta Fernandez and Assistant Professor Amy Mueller are examining the best fit, while ChE Associate Professor Steve Lustig is determining the best combinations of materials for the most effective mask to protect against COVID-19.
Apr 23, 2020
Adding A Nylon Stocking Layer Could Boost Protection From Cloth Masks, Study Finds
CEE/MES Assistant Professors Loretta Fernandez was featured in the NPR article “Adding A Nylon Stocking Layer Could Boost Protection From Cloth Masks, Study Finds” and WFUV.org article “Adding A Nylon Stocking Layer Could Boost Protection From…” about her research in making sure COVID-19 masks are effective.