Roberts-Semple, Dawn

Assistant Professor

Earth and Physical Sciences

Phone: 718-262-2775
Office Location: AC-1E14
Email: drobertssemple@york.cuny.edu

Dr. Roberts-Semple is an environmental scientist with an interdisciplinary background. Her research is focused on the meteorological impacts on particle- and gas-phase air pollutant concentrations, and their cumulative effects on respiratory health. Dr. Roberts-Semple’s teaching interests in the Geosciences include natural landscape processes, land use change and urban environmental issues of energy and resource consumption. She is currently exploring the use of low-cost technology to monitor air pollution through student-centered and community-based participatory research.

Office Hours

Day	Time
By Appointment

Education

Degree	Institution	Field	Dates
PhD	Rutgers University	Environmental Science	2012
MPhil	Cambridge University, UK	Environment and Development	1998
BA	University of Guyana	Geography	1995

Areas of Expertise

Air pollution characterization
Local climate change
Public health
Environmental sustainability
Environmental justice

Publications in Field Of Expertise

Articles

Roberts-Semple, D., Holder, J., Brown, B., and Akinremi, A.. "Potential health impacts of air and noise pollution on Southeast Queens residents in the JFK airshed." Environmental Health Perspectives. 9/2023: .

Roberts-Semple, D., Holder, J. and Akinremi, A. "Public Health Disparities: Impact of fine particulate matter and income on COVID-19 cases based on airport proximity in New York City." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 8/2023: 13pp.

Blaszczak-Boxe, C., Shin, JY, Artigas, F., Yao, Y., Wang, S., Yu, M., Roberts-Semple, D., Riyad, M., Smith, K., Kuklis, F., Blaylock, S., Hamid B., Bailey, C., Sen, P. and Phillip, N.. "Temporal variation of NOx, O3, and CO2 and meteorological influences in New York and New Jersey urban atmospheres.." Environmental Research – Health. 2023: 22pp.

Holder, J., Jordan, J., Johnson, K., Akinremi, A. and Roberts-Semple, D. "Using low-cost sensing technology to assess ambient and indoor fine particulate matter concentrations in New York during the COVID-19 lockdown." MDPI - Air. 1(3) 2023: 196–206.

Guaman, M., Roberts-Semple, D., Aime, C., Shin, J.Y. and Akinremi, A. "Traffic density and air pollution: Spatial and seasonal variations of nitrogen dioxide and ozone in Jamaica, New York." Atmosphere. 13(12) 2022: 2042.

Roberts-Semple, D. and Gao, Y. "Pollution- and climate-induced respiratory health effects: Do national standards adequately provide a safe threshold for NOx and O3 in urban New Jersey?." Athens Journal of Sciences. 4(4) 2017: 301-322.

Roberts-Semple, D.. "Characterization of gas-phase air pollutants and their public health impact." Mineralogical Magazine. 77(5) 2013: 2071.

Roberts-Semple, D. and Gao, Y. "Evaluation of air pollution, local meteorology and urban public health." Int. J. Environmental Technology and Management. 16(1/2) 2013: 160-177.

Roberts-Semple, D., Song, F. and Gao, Y. "Seasonal characteristics of ambient nitrogen oxides and ground-level ozone in metropolitan northeastern New Jersey." Atmospheric Pollution Research. 3(2) 2012: 247-257.

Roberts-Semple, D. "Protection or survival? The conflict between conservation and exploitation of tropical rainforests." Forum on Public Policy,. 3(4) 2007: 409-416.

Refereed Proceedings

Hanover, K., Simmons, DA., and Roberts-Semple, D. "A comparative study of the concentration of ambient particulate matter of size 2.5 microns in Georgetown." Journal of Academic Research & Essays. 1 2020: 11.

Pardo, L. R., Roberts-Semple, D.. "The Influence of Environmental Factors on Particulate Matter Concentrations in Jamaica, Queens, NY." American Geophysical Union. 2018: ED13E-0810.

Roberts-Semple, D. "Seasonal characteristics of gas-phase air pollutants: Implications for public health in northeastern New Jersey." EOS Transactions American Geophysical Union. 93(28) 2013: 257-261.

McHugh, CMG., Cormier, MH., Marchese, P., Zheng, Y., Stewart, G., Acosta, V. Bowman, A., Cortes, A., Leon, L., Rosa, M., Roberts-Semple, D., Thaker, N., Vargas, W. and Williams, L. "Late Quaternary Depositional History and Anthropogenic Impacts of Western Long Island Sound, New York." EOS Transactions American Geophysical Union. 87 2006: OS31B1638.

Non Refereed Proceedings

Bratspies, R., Roberts-Semple, D., Guel, L., Scarborough, A., Galvez, M., Bryan, O., Dogan, W., Dubno-Hammer, D., Humphrey, L. and Scotland, M.. "No Sacrifice Zones in Research Either! Lessons from A Community Science Research Partnership in South-East Queens." National Center for Institutional Diversity. 2022: .

Roberts-Semple, D. "The Oil Paradox: Energy Solution vs. Increased Pollution." Geography & GIS. 2022: .

Boeglin R., Goodman W., Latham S. (Eds)...Roberts-Semple D. et al. "The State of Waste in Queens." A Report by the Queens Solid Waste Advisory Board Organizing Committee. 2021: .

Roberts-Semple, D. "Climate Change: Is it possible in Queens?." Environment, Health and Sustainability in Laurelton.nyc. 2017: .

Other

Presented Papers, Lectures, and Exhibitions and Performances

"Air quality: Student-centered and community-based participatory research" 11/13/2023: Graduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (G-RISE), Rutgers University.

"Air pollution-health-climate interactions in Southeast Queens" 06/27/2023: EPA STAR Awards Kick-off Event.

"Air pollution and environmental justice in Southeast Queens" 06/26/2023: NYC Council District 27 and Brinkerhoff Action Association.

"Air and noise pollution: Impact of JFK Airport" 04/27/2023: Queens Climate Justice Fellowship Series, Queens College – CUNY.

"Community air quality: A research opportunity" 04/20/2023: Spring Symposium, York College – CUNY.

"Air pollution and climate impacts on underserved communities: Case of Southeast Queens" 04/17/2023: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2.

"Air pollution and human health effects" 01/20/2023: Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana.

"Interdisciplinary teams in higher education: Performance and innovation" 03/22/2022: University of Georgia.

"Making air pollution visible with low-cost technology" 11/02/2021: Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) Day of Service, YC-CUNY.

"Impact of air pollution on the quality of life" 03/26/2021: Bard Early College.

"Overcoming career development challenges in Environmental Science" 03/19/2021: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University.

"Navigating career opportunities" 03/10/2021: American Women Geoscientists: Northeastern Region Career Development Series.

"Air pollution health effects" 02/25/2021: Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, Community Engagement Core.

"Air pollution and coronavirus 2019: Implications for aviation" 06/01/2020: JFK Airport Committee Quarterly Meeting.

"Urban land use, ecology and environment" 09/29/2019: Chinese Delegation, York College.

"Leadership and women in science" 09/17/2019: Cambridge in America, New York, NY.

"Air pollution and respiratory health" 09/12/2019: Johns Hopkins Health Care, Baltimore, MD.

"Air pollution: sources, measurement and regulation"" 03/28/2019: Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana.

"The role of environmental science in daily life" 03/14/2019: Queens Public Library: Inspiring Women in Science series.

"Air quality and public health in proximity to airports”" 03/01/2019: New York Community Aviation Roundtable Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.

"The influence of environmental factors on particulate matter concentrations in Jamaica, Queens, NY" 12/10/2018: American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C..

"Air Quality and Community Health: Harms & Risks of Living Near an Airport" 08/01/2018: JFK Airport Committee, Jamaica Chamber of Commerce.

"Next Generation Air Quality Measurement Technologies" 07/02/2018: Roundtable: The Future of Teaching and Research in a Global World, Athens, Greece.

"Potential impact of climate change on ambient air pollution concentrations and respiratory hospital admissions" 07/23/2018: Conference on Ecology, Ecosystems and Climate Change, Athens, Greece.

"Air pollution and public health - New directions" 01/24/2018: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Seminar Series, Rutgers University - Newark.

"Energy and the Environment: Energy consumption, associated costs and environmental impacts" 01/08 - 01/09/2018: Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, St. Lucia, West Indies.

"Environmental Health Science Careers" 11/14/2017: STEM Panel for Adult and Continuing Education, LaGuardia Community College, CUNY.

"Characterization of ambient air pollution and effects on urban health" 05/25/2017: STEM Academy, Biology Department Research Day, Queensborough Community College, CUNY.

"Characterization of gas-phase air pollutants and their public health impact" 08/2013: Goldschmidt, Florence, Italy.

Professional Honors, Prizes, Fellowships

NIH Minority Biomedical Research Support Fellowship: 2011 - 2012.

AGU Outstanding Student Paper Award: 2011.

Association for Women Geoscientists, Chrysalis Award: 2011.

Graduate Student Excellence Award, Rutgers University: 2011.

National Science Foundation Fellowship, Rutgers University: 2009 - 2011.

Sutosama Trust Research Award, Cambridge University: 1997.

Cambridge Commonwealth Trust ODA Award: 1996 - 1997.

Grants-In-Aid

EPA STAR, Studying air pollution-health-climate interactions for people of color in Southeast Queens, NY: A community-based project. 2022 - 2025: $1,344,622.

CUNY, Office of Research, Impact of fine particulate matter on COVID-19 deaths in proximity to two airports in New York City. 2021: $38,000.

National Institutes of Health, Community-led investigation of air quality and environmental injustice in proximity to two waste transfer stations in Jamaica, Queens. 2021: $25,000.

NYSDEC, Assessing airport-related noise and air pollution levels in SE Queens. 2020-2021: $100,000.

PSC-CUNY, The impact of aircraft emissions on local air quality and public health in the JFK Airshed. 2020: $12,000.

PSC-CUNY, Public health implications of mobile source emissions near York College campus in Jamaica, Queens. 2018: $6,000.

CUNY, Office of Research, Learning through innovative and inquiry-driven methods: An investigation of indoor air quality in the classroom. 2018: $7,500.

UNEP, Integrating environment and experience for sustainable rural development - A Road Map. 2016-2017: $6,000.

Association for Women Geoscientists, Air pollution and public health effects in Newark, NJ. 2011: $2,000.

PSC-CUNY, Field investigations in Earth and Environmental Sciences. 2008-2010: $9,000.

Offices Held In Professional Societies

Member, Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) Community: 2023.

Member, American Chemical Society: 2020 - Present.

Member, Rutgers Alumni Association: 2012 - Present.

Member, American Meteorological Society: 2011 - Present.

Member, American Women Geoscientists: 2011 - Present.

Member, American Geophysical Union: 2011 - Present.

Member, Oxford Round Table, U.K.: 2007 - Present.

Fellow, Cambridge University Commonwealth Society, U.K.: 1997 - Present.

Other Professional Activities and Public Service

Reviewer: CRC Press - Taylor and Francis Group: 2023.

Associate: Queens Solid Waste Advisory Board (QSWAB): 2020 – Present.

Member: JFK Airport Committee/NY Community Aviation Roundtable: 2017 - Present.

Member: Eastern Queens Alliance for Environmental Science: 2017 - Present.

Co-Moderator: Environmental Justice & Health Disparities Symposium, University of Maryland: 08/2022.

Guest Editor: Environmental Justice, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Publishers: 2022.

Reviewer: Water, Air and Soil Pollution: 2022.

Chair Judge: Junior Science and Humanities Symposium: 2017 - 2022.

Reviewer: Atmospheric Pollution Research: 2021.

Reviewer: American Chemical Society: 2019.

OSPA Judge: American Geophysical Union: 2018.

Reviewer: Journal of Geoscience Education: 2018.