Melissa A Lombard

In the broadest sense, Melissa's work is at the intersection of humans and the environment. Her research interests include connecting environmental geochemistry with human and ecosystem health. She uses machine learning models as a tool to understand, estimate, and predict contaminant occurrence in groundwater. She enjoys collaborating with epidemiologists and public health scientists to link the occurrence of contaminants in drinking water to human health outcomes. Melissa currently oversees and coordinates research at the USGS related to PFAS contamination of groundwater on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Prior to joining the USGS, her research included examining the potential human health effects from exposure to biodiesel and petroleum diesel emissions, the occurrence of mercury in rainwater, and the occurrence of pesticides and herbicides in groundwater. She has also worked with K-12 science educators and taught college level courses in geology and environmental science.