New Faculty Spotlight: Birnur Buzcu-Guven
Contact: Jessica A. Knoblauch, News Writer for Environmental Science and Policy Program: (517) 432-3823 or knoblau7@msu.edu
ESPP welcomes new faculty member Birnur Buzcu-Guven, an assistant professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department. Originally from Turkey, Buzcu-Guven majored in mathematics and received her master's degree in environmental science before moving to Texas to attend Rice University. During that time, she obtained a second master's degree and a Ph.D. in environmental engineering.
Buzcu-Guven came to MSU in the fall of 2006 to teach a class offered for the first time by MSU on air pollution control. Next semester, Buzcu-Guven will be teaching another new class, this time on air pollution modeling.
Buzcu-Guven's research interests include the area of multivariate statistical methods for data analysis, characterization of source/receptor relationships for ambient air pollutants, air quality modeling, measurement of atmospheric pollutants, and emission inventory assessment.
While in Houston, Buzcu-Guven was able to identify industrial sources of air pollutants using receptor models. Her research was significant to the area because Houston has some of the largest petrochemical industries in the country. Through her research, she was able to locate the sources most responsible for releasing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and pinpoint individual factories using receptor modeling techniques and meteorological data. Buzcu-Guven also found that VOCs emission inventories were widely underestimated and later reported her findings at several conferences.
Buzcu-Guven is currently writing proposals for research on hazardous air pollution emissions deposited in the Great Lakes region. Her research will combine the chemistry of the pollutants and their emission characteristics in the hopes of identifying where the pollutants come from and what levels are in the Great Lakes. Buzcu-Guven is also beginning an additional project that focuses on identifying the biggest contributors of secondary sulfate particles along the Ohio River valley.
Buzcu-Guven notes that the value MSU places on research and collaboration among faculty in all departments is one factor that made her want to come here. Buzcu-Guven notes that when first interviewed she immediately noticed and appreciated the manner of the deans, faculty and chairmen and MSU's low stress environment. "Everybody was very friendly," says Buzcu-Guven.
