Special Interview with Prof. Andrew S. Hursthouse
On May 11, 2024, the editorial team of Journal of Environmental Exposure Assessment (JEEA) had the pleasure of interviewing Prof. Andrew S. Hursthouse, a distinguished environmental geochemist whose research integrates environmental contamination, ecosystem integrity, and human exposure science through an "earth-systems" perspective. His work explores the transport and behavior of pollutants across air, land, and water systems, emphasizing their impacts on ecosystems and human health. By applying rigorous analytical methods and robust QA/QC practices, Prof. Hursthouse provides both scientific insights and practical frameworks for environmental risk assessment and sustainable management.
Prof. Hursthouse's research focuses on emerging environmental substances and their impacts on human and ecosystem health. His work includes assessing the sources, pathways, and exposure risks of rare earth elements (REEs), developing screening techniques for hazardous plastics in electronic waste, and investigating the links between environmental contamination and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Confronted with poorly understood substances and the limitations of conventional testing, his team integrates advanced analytical methods and interdisciplinary approaches to trace contaminant pathways and assess exposure risks.
Looking ahead, Prof. Hursthouse aims to further explore the toxicological effects and environmental behavior of REEs, refine screening for hazardous materials in electronic devices, and examine environmental factors influencing AMR. Regarding his engagement with JEEA, he emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, adherence to rigorous scientific standards, and active participation from the research community to foster high-quality, impactful publications.
Watch the video for Prof. Andrew S. Hursthouse's expert insights:
Interview questions:
1. Could you summarize recent findings and their significance in your research areas, such as air quality, land degradation, and aquatic biogeochemistry, and their implications for human health? What exciting discoveries or advancements can we anticipate from your ongoing work?
2. What are the main challenges you face in your research? Have you developed any innovative methodologies or approaches to address these challenges?
3. What emerging trends or areas of interest in environmental exposure science do you believe will shape the future of the field?
4. As a member of the interdisciplinary Protracted Crisis Research Centre, how do you approach environmental dimensions of major issues such as waste, water, climate, and potentially harmful substance exposures in sensitive populations?
5. Could you discuss your involvement with Editorial Boards of various journals and how this engagement contributes to your research?
6. We warmly welcome you as a member of our Editorial Board. Your participation will undoubtedly enrich our publication. With JEEA now indexed in Scopus and under evaluation for inclusion in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), do you have any suggestions for the continued development of our journal?
Interviewee Profile:
Prof. Andrew S. Hursthouse is a Professor of Environmental Geochemistry at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), within the School of Computing, Engineering & Physical Sciences. He is affiliated with the Centre for Environmental Research and the Institute of Biomedical & Environmental Health Research at UWS. He is also an Editorial Board member of JEEA.
Prof. Hursthouse adopts an "earth-systems" approach to investigate the transport and behavior of pollutants in the environment. His work encompasses air quality, land degradation and remediation, and aquatic biogeochemistry, with an emphasis on evaluating impacts on ecosystems and human health. A critical aspect of his research involves ensuring data quality and employing robust analytical methods, including validation, quality assurance, and quality control (QA/QC), to produce reliable information.
Editor: Tracy Sun
Language Editor: Catherine Yang
Production Editor: Ting Xu
Respectfully Submitted by the Editorial Office of Journal of Environmental Exposure Assessment
