News and Press for HBRL Research at Portland State
2025
Interviewed and quoted in National Public Radio for All Things Considered: Can't find an air filter amid the California fires? Here's how to build your own”. January 15th, 2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/01/15/nx-s1-5257523/cant-find-an-air-filter-amid-the-california-fires-heres-how-to-build-your-own
2024
Quoted in The Atlantic in article on energy saving modes for air conditioning systems: “Your Air Conditioner Is Lying to You” August 9th, 2024. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2024/08/air-conditioning-eco-mode-money-saver/679413/
Interviewed and research covered for Inside Climate News: “Canadian Wildfire Smoke Is Triggering Outdoor Air Quality Alerts Across the Midwestern U.S. It Could Pollute the Indoors, Too”, May 14th, 2024. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/14052024/todays-climate-canada-wildfires-smoke-america-indoor-air-quality/
Research covered by Washington State Department of Ecology: New budget air filters to hit market, March 29th, 2024. https://ecology.wa.gov/blog/march-2024/new-budget-air-filters-to-hit-market
Interviewed for Wall Street Journal article on indoor air quality as a feature in luxury homes. “The Newest Must-Have Home Amenity for the Rich: Purified Air”, March 5th, 2024. https://www.wsj.com/real-estate/luxury-homes/the-newest-must-have-home-amenity-for-the-rich-purified-air-7fb8b8de?st=fb63d8hkylp875n&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
Research covered by Oregon Public Broadcasting All Science No Fiction section, February 26th, 2024. “Why it’s important to clean up residue from wildfire smoke, tracking tsunamis with AI and more”. https://www.opb.org/article/2024/02/26/all-science-no-fiction-northwest-roundup-wildfire-smoke-tsunami-detection-steel-plants-alzheimers/
Research on PAHs and wildfires covered by The Guardian, February 6th, 2024, “Dust busters: what’s really in household dust and how to get rid of it”: https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2024/feb/06/what-is-dust-cleaning-fire-smoke
Interviewed for Boise State Public Radio segment and story on wildfire smoke and PAHs: Study: Wildfire smoke leaves behind toxic chemicals in your home, but simple steps can help, Jan. 11th, 2024. https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/environment/2024-01-11/wildfire-smoke-chemicals-home
Research on PAHs and wildfires covered by U.S. News and World Report, Jan 5th 2024, Cleaning Toxins From Your Home After a Wildfire: Experts Offer Tip : https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-01-05/cleaning-toxins-from-your-home-after-a-wildfire-experts-offer-tips
Interviewed for PBS Home Diagnosis, a production by the Home Performance team for the 2024 season for expertise in indoor air quality generally and research on building materials and pollutant penetration. Appeared in “The #1 Problem in Home Performance – Air Leakage: Episode 302, January 5th, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWPrjeFLyHU
Interviewed by Global TV on morning news program discussing work on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and post-smoke exposure events. January 4, 2024. https://globalnews.ca/video/10203804/exposure-to-toxic-chemicals-from-wildfire-smoke/
Interviewed for Vancouver Sun news article discussing work on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and post-smoke exposure events. January 3, 2024. https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/portland-study-wildfire-smoke-cleaning?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1704296855
Quoted and research covered in news article for Canada TV (CTV) on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and post-smoke exposure events. January 3, 2024. https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/wash-windows-change-air-filters-after-wildfires-to-prevent-harmful-smoke-chemicals-from-hanging-around-study-1.6711512
2023
Quoted in article published in the New York Post regarding re-emerging interest in houseplants and indoor air quality, “Houseplants promise to clean indoor air — but do they work?”, May 26th, 2023, https://nypost.com/2023/05/26/houseplants-promise-to-clean-indoor-air-but-do-they-work/
Interviewed and quoted for article published in Portland Monthly regarding research on wildfires and indoor air quality at Portland State: “How to Prepare a Portland Home for Earthquakes and Wildfire Smoke”, April 7th, 2023 https://www.pdxmonthly.com/home-and-real-estate/protect-prepare-portland-oregon-homes-earthquake-wildfire-smoke
Interviewed and quoted for article published in The Guardian: “Gas stove pollution: will air purifiers or even plants make your home safer?” , February 11th, 2023 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/11/gas-stove-pollution-air-purifiers-plants-air-quality?CMP=share_btn_tw
2022
Interviewed and quoted for KATU News special segment on “Wildfire Ready: Before the Burn” to discuss creating a cleaner air space in your home, June 30th, 2022. https://m.facebook.com/katunews/videos/5481946785160326/?refsrc=deprecated&_rdr
Interviewed and quoted in ABCNews article on ventilation, air cleaning and schools. “Despite White House guidance, aging school facilities still threaten kids’ health”, May 17, 2022. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/white-house-guidance-aging-school-facilities-threaten-kids/story?id=84692671
Interviewed and quoted in The Oregonian article on ventilation, air cleaning, and schools in the greater Portland metropolitan area: What suburban Portland school districts say about their ventilation rates. May 16th, 2022. https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2022/05/what-suburban-portland-school-districts-say-about-their-ventilation-rates.html
Interviewed and quoted in The Oregonian article on ventilation, air cleaning, and schools in Portland, OR: “Below the bare minimum”, May 15th, 2022. https://www.oregonlive.com/education/2022/05/below-the-bare-minimum.html
Interviewed for IAQRadio podcast, a long-running show featuring practitioners and researchers in the indoor air quality fields. The interview can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWlo_XO5-g8&t=2683s and a blog summarizing the interview was written as well: https://www.iaqradio.com/blogs/662.pdf
Quoted and research featured in story by the Roanoke Rambler on ionization air cleaners used in schools, “Roanoke City Schools Spent $1.5 Million on Covid-Killing Air Cleaners. But Do They Work?” March 1st, 2022 https://www.roanokerambler.com/roanoke-city-schools-spent-1-5-million-on-covid-killing-air-filter-machines-but-do-they-work/
Research featured in the New York Times, “6 Questions to Ask About Covid and Air Quality at Work”, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/13/well/covid-indoor-air-quality.html?smid=tw-share
Interviewed for KGW8 news segment concerning air quality and wildfires, “When wildfires erupt in the west, their impacts can be felt far and wide” https://www.kgw.com/article/news/regional/scorched-earth/western-wildfires-impact-nationwide/283-e8200baa-af73-4c47-b8c5-79703301f5d8
Interviewed and appeared on KGW8 local news segment concerning ionizing air cleaners, “Air quality experts say schools should not install certain types of air purifiers” https://www.kgw.com/video/news/local/air-quality-experts-say-schools-should-not-install-certain-types-of-air-purifiers/283-0e19f8d9-de5f-4367-a9c0-9366607d1407
Interviewed and appeared on KGW8 local news segment concerning ionizing air cleaners, “Study finds some air purifiers have negative impacts” https://www.kgw.com/video/news/local/study-finds-some-air-purifiers-have-negative-impacts/283-6500c8df-0036-4e66-bc2e-319c84290726
Interviewed and appeared on KATU local news segment for research on ionizing air cleaners, https://www.pdx.edu/news/new-research-uncovers-safety-concerns-some-air-purifiers-marketed-covid-19
2021
Research featured in The Daily Beast, “Redfield Joins Big Ass Fans, Promoter of Controversial COVID-Killing Technology”, published April 12th, 2021. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-cdc-director-robert-redfield-joins-big-ass-fans-promoter-of-controversial-covid-killing-technology
Research featured in Wired, “The Ionizer in Your School May Not Do Much to Fight Covid”, published March 26th, 2021. https://www.wired.com/story/ionizer-school-not-fight-covid/
Research featured in Singapore Berkeley Building Efficiency and Sustainability in the Tropics (SinBerBEST) periodical, Winter 2021, Volume 3 Impact of Cognitive Tasks on Human Carbon Dioxide and Isoprene Emissions.
Research study mentioned in Fast Company articles, “Why you might want to rethink your air purifier”. https://www.fastcompany.com/90617745/why-you-might-want-to-rethink-your-air-purifier
Sherwood Gazette, Portland, OR USA. Opinion: Our children deserve a breath of fresh air. Published March 20, 2021. Rashelle Chase, Mary Peveto and Elliott Gall. https://pamplinmedia.com/sg/78-opinion/501429-401864-opinion-our-children-deserve-a-breath-of-fresh-air
Coverage of presentation for Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield presentation on transmission of SARS-Cov-2. https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/jan/22/in-the-air/
Interviewed for podcast “Air Health Our Health”, a podcast on air quality hosted by a lung and intensive care unit medical doctor. “The Air Inside when Smoke is Outside”. https://open.spotify.com/episode/37U6F6NCz64tJecUnVsZjI
2020
Interviewed and quoted for ACHRnews, trade magazine reporting on the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning industry regarding work with Harriet Tubman Middle School. https://www.achrnews.com/articles/143619-schools-look-to-invest-in-hvac-as-officials-mull-reopening
Interviewed and created video for Multnomah County Dept. of Health regarding steps to reduce exposure to woodsmoke during 2020 wildfire season. “Block dangerous air from your home with a roll of weatherization tape” https://multco.us/air-quality-public-health-problem/news/block-dangerous-air-your-home-roll-weatherization-tape
Interviewed by KGW8, Portland NBC affiliate, on air quality monitoring and building renovation recommendations at Harriet Tubman Middle School: “The HVAC system at Harriet Tubman is what all schools could use right now” https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/the-hvac-system-at-harriet-tubman-is-what-all-schools-could-use-about-now/283-de9d96ec-2ae1-4f38-82f5-71f1eaabc485
2019
Research featured, interviewed and quoted for article in The Atlantic: “The Human Brain Evolved When Carbon Dioxide Was Lower”, December 20th, 2019. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/12/carbon-dioxide-pollution-making-people-dumber-heres-what-we-know/603826/
Research featured and interviewed for Singapore-Berkeley Building Efficiency and Sustainability in the Tropics Quarterly Newsletter, Fall 2019 Issue.
Quoted in National Geographic article, “Which houseplants should you buy to purify air? None of them.”. November 15, 2019. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2019/11/houseplants-dont-purify-indoor-air/
Quoted in article for GritDaily, “Google’s ambitious air quality study raises even more questions than it started with”. June 6, 2019 https://gritdaily.com/google-air-quality-study/
Quoted in article for Thrive Global, “The Air We Breathe – It Might Not Be What You Think”. June 4, 2019, https://thriveglobal.com/stories/the-air-we-breathe-it-might-not-be-what-you-think/
Interviewed in nationally syndicated radio program, BYURadio Top of Mind: “That Houseplant isn’t Making Your Air any Cleaner”, March 25, 2019 http://www.byuradio.org/episode/aac0f132-db0e-46d0-af7a-72a468d799bc/top-of-mind-with-julie-rose-gender-quotas-in-politics-research-bias-air-cleaning-plants?playhead=2395&autoplay=true
Quoted in article in Coveteur (a fashion and lifestyle magazine): “Sorry, but plants do not purify the air in your apartment”. March 19, 2019 http://coveteur.com/2019/03/19/indoor-houseplants-do-not-purify-air/
Interviewed and quoted for article in the Seattle Times: “Take a common houseplant, add a little rabbit DNA and voilà! You get a super air purifier” March 18, 2019 https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/science/take-a-common-houseplant-add-a-little-rabbit-dna-and-voila-you-get-a-super-air-purifier/
Quoted in article for New York Magazine’s The Cut, Science of Us section: “My Tiny Green Servants Aren’t Even Doing Their One Job?” March, 2019. https://www.thecut.com/2019/03/do-house-plants-actually-clean-the-air-no.html
Research featured, interviewed and quoted for article in The Atlantic: “A popular benefit of houseplants is a myth”. March 9, 2019 https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/03/indoor-plants-clean-air-best-none-them/584509/
2018
Cited in video from nomorefreewayspdx.com regarding work conducted on air pollution and Portland Public School’s Harriet Tubman Middle School, November 2018: https://vimeo.com/284544611?fbclid=IwAR1ApObXDwKATFwnRsFOh6e8U1gAthQiFL5zsrDcyUOEoHYvFHt9G0hLn24
August 2018, Oregon Public Broadcasting, PPS Clears the Air for New Middle School at Harriet Tubman Building. August 30, 2018 https://www.opb.org/news/article/tubman-middle-school-air-quality-fixes-portland/?utm_campaign=Crushin5&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=social
Oregon Public Broadcasting, Air Quality Report Says Portland Middle School Should 'Limit' Outdoor Activities. July 5th, 2018 https://www.opb.org/news/article/harriet-tubman-school-portland-air-quality/
Willamette Week, A Middle School Prized by Portland’s Black Community Would See Its Poor Air Quality Worsen with a Rose Quarter Highway Expansion, July 4, 2018. http://www.wweek.com/news/2018/07/04/a-middle-school-prized-by-portlands-black-community-would-see-its-poor-air-quality-worsen-with-a-rose-quarter-highway-expansion/
2018 Harriet Tubman Middle School Air Monitoring Project. Press release on Portland Public School’s webpage, Middle schools progress report, Feb. 27, 2018
2016
Media feature at BuildingGreen.com. Clean, Fresh Air: Getting What We Need. Interviewed and quoted for article on ventilation, indoor air quality, and health. November, 2016. https://www.buildinggreen.com/feature/clean-fresh-air-getting-what-we-need