Janet Hering

Hering grew up in New York City.{{Cite journal|url=https://cen.acs.org/articles/85/i31/Janet-G-Hering.html|title=Janet G. Hering|date=July 30, 2007 |volume=85 |issue=31 |journal=Chemical & Engineering News|publisher=cen.acs.org|access-date=2019-01-28}} She studied chemistry at Cornell University and graduated in 1979.{{Cite web|url=https://people.epfl.ch/janet.hering?lang=en|title=Janet Gordon Hering|website=people.epfl.ch|access-date=2019-01-28}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.usys.ethz.ch/en/people/profile.janet-hering.html|title=Hering, Janet, Prof. Dr. |website=www.usys.ethz.ch|language=en|access-date=2019-01-28}} She was a summer intern at Mobil. She joined Harvard University for her graduate studies, earning a master's in chemistry in 1981, and began graduate work in organic chemistry. Hering realized that she preferred environmental sciences and moved to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for her graduate studies. She completed her PhD thesis. "The Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Copper Complexation in Aquatic Systems" in 1988.{{Cite web|url=https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a218657.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601070750/https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a218657.pdf|url-status=live|archive-date=June 1, 2022|title=The Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Copper Complexation in Aquatic Systems|website=Defense Technical Information Center|access-date=2019-01-28}} Her supervisor, François Morel, described her research as "elegant work on the surprisingly slow kinetics of some reactions between trace metals and organic complexing agents in natural water".{{Cite web|url=http://www.nwri-usa.org/pdfs/05162018_NWRI_Clarke-Prize-PR-Hering_FINAL.pdf|title=Janet Hering to Receive 2018 NWRI Clarke Prize|website=NWRI|access-date=2019-01-28|archive-date=2018-09-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902092449/http://www.nwri-usa.org/pdfs/05162018_NWRI_Clarke-Prize-PR-Hering_FINAL.pdf|url-status=dead}} She described the aquatic chemistry associated with the preparation of Aquil, an artificial algal culture, and the coordination of transition metals in seawater.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/action/captchaChallenge?redirectUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tandfonline.com%2Fdoi%2Fabs%2F10.1080%2F01965581.1988.10749544&|journal=Biological Oceanography|doi=10.1080/01965581.1988.10749544|access-date=2019-01-28|title=Preparation and Chemistry of the Artificial Algal Culture Medium Aquil|year=1989|last1=Price|first1=Neil M.|last2=Harrison|first2=Gail I.|last3=Hering|first3=Janet G.|last4=Hudson|first4=Robert J.|last5=Nirel|first5=Pascale M. V.|last6=Palenik|first6=Brian|last7=Morel|first7=François M. M.|volume=6|issue=5–6|pages=443–461|doi-access=free}}{{Cite journal|last1=Hering|first1=Janet G.|last2=Morel|first2=François M. M.|date=1989-03-01|title=Slow coordination reactions in seawater|journal=Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta|volume=53|issue=3|pages=611–618|doi=10.1016/0016-7037(89)90004-5|issn=0016-7037|bibcode=1989GeCoA..53..611H}} At MIT, Hering met Werner Stumm, who offered her a postdoctoral position at EAWAG.

Hering joined the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG) as a research fellow. She coordinated several scientific exchanges and managed international conferences. She co-authored the textbook Principles and Applications of Aquatic Chemistry with François Morel in 1993.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rs31PfkeBaIC|title=Principles and Applications of Aquatic Chemistry|last1=Morel|first1=François M. M.|last2=Morel|last3=Hering|first3=Janet G.|last4=Hering|first4=Janet G.|date=1993-03-08|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=9780471548966|language=en}} The book was described by David Sedlak as a “a masterpiece that has influenced the way in which water chemistry is taught".

Hering moved to the University of California, Los Angeles in 1991 and was named Associate Professor in 1995. Around that time, Arsenic in water supplies became a worldwide concern.{{Cite book|title=Environmental chemistry of arsenic|last=Frankenberger|first=W. T.|date=2002|publisher=Marcel Dekker|isbn=978-0824706760|oclc=48626483}} The World Health Organization recommended a value of only 10 μg per litre; as it can cause skin disease and cancer.{{Cite web|url=http://calteches.library.caltech.edu/668/2/Arsenic.pdf|title=Chinatown Revisited: Arsenic and the Los Angeles Water Supply|last=Hering|first=Janet G.|website=Caltech|access-date=2019-01-28}} Hering joined the California Institute of Technology in 1996, where she worked until 2006. Her work was supported by the National Science Foundation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1998/nsf9843/nsf9843.htm|title=Report on the Fiscal Year 1997 Activities of the POWRE Program|website=www.nsf.gov|access-date=2019-01-28}} She looked at the oxidation of arsenic in the Los Angeles Aqueduct, in particular at Hot Creek.{{Cite journal|last1=Wilkie|first1=Jennifer A.|last2=Hering|first2=Janet G.|date=1998-03-01|title=Rapid Oxidation of Geothermal Arsenic(III) in Streamwaters of the Eastern Sierra Nevada|journal=Environmental Science & Technology|volume=32|issue=5|pages=657–662|doi=10.1021/es970637r|issn=0013-936X|bibcode=1998EnST...32..657W}} Hot Creek is a geothermal area, where arsenic occurs at high concentrations as it degases from magma. The oxidation state of arsenic impacts its toxicity and mobility, as well as how easily it can be removed with treatment.{{Cite journal|last1=Dixit|first1=Suvasis|last2=Hering|first2=Janet G.|date=2003-09-01|title=Comparison of Arsenic(V) and Arsenic(III) Sorption onto Iron Oxide Minerals: Implications for Arsenic Mobility|journal=Environmental Science & Technology|volume=37|issue=18|pages=4182–4189|doi=10.1021/es030309t|pmid=14524451|issn=0013-936X|bibcode=2003EnST...37.4182D}} By monitoring the amount of arsenic at various positions downstream, Hering found that the concentration remained constant, but the oxidation state changed. Hering found that arsenic was being oxidized into Arsenic(V) by a biological agent known as a macrophyte. She monitored Owens Lake, which is once of the largest in California but has dried up since the Los Angeles Aqueduct was constructed. The dusty lake bed results in large (> 10 μm) particles of high arsenic content airborne dust that can travel far and be inhaled. Hering worked closely with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to mitigate the arsenic in their watershed. She has continued to study arsenic contamination of water and ways to remove arsenic from drinking water.{{Cite journal|title=Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water: Experiences with Technologies and Constraints in Practice |journal=Journal of Environmental Engineering|volume=143|issue=5|pages=03117002|doi=10.1061/(asce)ee.1943-7870.0001225|year = 2017|last1 = Hering|first1 = Janet G.|last2=Katsoyiannis|first2=Ioannis A.|last3=Theoduloz|first3=Gerardo Ahumada|last4=Berg|first4=Michael|last5=Hug|first5=Stephan J.|doi-access=free|hdl=20.500.11850/130544|hdl-access=free}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BiUJgDK3KnQC&q=janet+hering+epa&pg=PA95|title=Arsenic Contamination of Groundwater: Mechanism, Analysis, and Remediation|last=Ahuja|first=Satinder|date=2008-10-03|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=9780470369265|language=en}} She identified that it was possible to remove arsenic from water using coagulation with ferric oxide and alum.{{Cite journal|doi=10.1061/(asce)0733-9372(1997)123:8(800) |title=Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water during Coagulation |journal=Journal of Environmental Engineering |volume=123 |issue=8 |pages=800–807 |year = 1997|last1 = Hering|first1 = Janet G.|last2=Chen |first2=Pen-Yuan |last3=Wilkie |first3=Jennifer A. |last4=Elimelech |first4=Menachem }}{{Cite journal|last1=Hering|first1=Janet G.|last2=Chen|first2=Pen-Yuan|last3=Wilkie|first3=Jennifer A.|last4=Elimelech|first4=Menachem|last5=Liang|first5=Sun|date=1996|title=Arsenic removal by ferric chloride|journal=Journal - American Water Works Association|language=en|volume=88|issue=4|pages=155–167|doi=10.1002/j.1551-8833.1996.tb06541.x|issn=1551-8833}} Complete removal of Arsenic(V) oxide could be achieved after doses of 5 mg/L Ferric oxide.{{Cite book|title=Technologies and costs for removal of arsenic from drinking water.|date=2000|publisher=United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, Standards and Risk Management Division, Targeting and Analysis Branch|oclc=56417266}} She has also investigated reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes, as well as on manganite surfaces.{{Cite journal|last1=Waypa|first1=John J.|last2=Elimelech|first2=Menachem|last3=Hering|first3=Janet G.|date=1997|title=Arsenic removal by RO and NF membranes|journal=Journal - American Water Works Association|language=en|volume=89|issue=10|pages=102–114|doi=10.1002/j.1551-8833.1997.tb08309.x|issn=1551-8833}}{{Cite journal|last1=Chiu|first1=Van Q.|last2=Hering|first2=Janet G.|date=2000-05-01|title=Arsenic Adsorption and Oxidation at Manganite Surfaces. 1. Method for Simultaneous Determination of Adsorbed and Dissolved Arsenic Species|journal=Environmental Science & Technology|volume=34|issue=10|pages=2029–2034|doi=10.1021/es990788p|issn=0013-936X|bibcode=2000EnST...34.2029C}} She gave evidence to the United States Environmental Protection Agency Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Arsenic Research and served on the Science Advisory Board.{{Cite web|url=https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/30003N3Q.TXT?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&Client=EPA&Index=1995+Thru+1999&Docs=&Query=&Time=&EndTime=&SearchMethod=1&TocRestrict=n&Toc=&TocEntry=&QField=&QFieldYear=&QFieldMonth=&QFieldDay=&IntQFieldOp=0&ExtQFieldOp=0&XmlQuery=&File=D:%5Czyfiles%5CIndex%20Data%5C95thru99%5CTxt%5C00000012%5C30003N3Q.txt&User=ANONYMOUS&Password=anonymous&SortMethod=h%7C-&MaximumDocuments=1&FuzzyDegree=0&ImageQuality=r75g8/r75g8/x150y150g16/i425&Display=hpfr&DefSeekPage=x&SearchBack=ZyActionL&Back=ZyActionS&BackDesc=Results%20page&MaximumPages=1&ZyEntry=1&SeekPage=x&ZyPURL|title=Document Display|website=nepis.epa.gov|language=en|access-date=2019-01-28}}{{Cite web|url=https://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/WebSABSO/FY2002AnnualReport/$File/SAB03011.pdf|title=EPA Science Advisory Board FY 2002 Annual Staff Report|website=EPA|access-date=2019-01-28}}{{Cite web|url=https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/display.investigatorInfo/investigator/1077|title=Janet G. Hering {{!}} Investigator Information {{!}} Research Project Database {{!}} Grantee Research Project {{!}} ORD {{!}} US EPA|website=cfpub.epa.gov|language=en|access-date=2019-01-28}} She was elected to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://nae.edu/MediaRoom/20095/130169/130172.aspx|title=National Academy of Engineering Elects 67 Members and 12 Foreign Members|website=NAE Website|access-date=2019-01-28}}

In 2007, she returned to the ETH Zurich, where she was appointed Professor of Environmental Biogeochemistry, and became Director of EAWAG.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eawag.ch/en/aboutus/portrait/organisation/staff/profile/janet-hering/show/|title=Staff - Eawag|website=www.eawag.ch|access-date=2019-01-28}} At EAWAG Hering is responsible for a $48 million annual budget, 300 staff and 100 graduate students. She was the first woman to be made Director of a Swiss federal research institute. She was made a Professor of Environmental Chemistry at EPFL in 2010. Since her return to Switzerland, Hering has worked on water quality and management, as well as promoting collaboration between academics.{{Cite web|url=https://irgc.org/about/organisation-structure/scientific-and-technical-council/prof-janet-hering/|title=Prof. Janet Hering|website=IRGC|access-date=2019-01-28}} She is an investigator of the National Science Foundation’s Engineering Research Center for Re-inventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt).{{Cite web|url=https://renuwit.org/our-people/investigators/|title=Investigators|website=renuwit.org|access-date=2019-01-28}} Hering has written about the need for more knowledge brokering and ways to use interdisciplinary science to address challenges in society.{{Cite journal|last=Hering|first=Janet G.|date=2016-03-01|title=Do we need "more research" or better implementation through knowledge brokering?|journal=Sustainability Science|language=en|volume=11|issue=2|pages=363–369|doi=10.1007/s11625-015-0314-8|pmid=30174733|pmc=6106375|issn=1862-4057}}{{Cite journal|last1=Hering|first1=Janet G.|last2=Eggen|first2=Rik I. L.|date=2013-07-02|title=Interdisciplinary Research to Address Societal Issues|journal=Environmental Science & Technology|volume=47|issue=13|pages=6730–6731|doi=10.1021/es402161g|pmid=23815616|issn=0013-936X|url=https://www.dora.lib4ri.ch/eawag/islandora/object/eawag%3A7299|bibcode=2013EnST...47.6730H}} In particular, Hering has offered that if water research were synthesized, it would be possible to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.{{Cite journal|last1=Hering|first1=Janet G.|last2=Maag|first2=Simon|last3=Schnoor|first3=Jerald L.|date=2016-06-21|title=A Call for Synthesis of Water Research to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030|journal=Environmental Science & Technology|volume=50|issue=12|pages=6122–6123|doi=10.1021/acs.est.6b02598|pmid=27269899|issn=0013-936X|bibcode=2016EnST...50.6122H|doi-access=free}}

She was made an honorary fellow of IHE Delft Institute for Water Education in 2017 and a fellow of the Geochemical Society in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.un-ihe.org/news/prof-janet-hering-awarded-honorary-fellowship|title=Prof. Janet Hering awarded the Honorary Fellowship {{!}} IHE Delft Institute for Water Education|website=www.un-ihe.org|access-date=2019-01-28}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ethz.ch/en/the-eth-zurich/portrait/aktuelle-ehrungen-und-preise/2018/02/janet-hering-2018-geochemical-fellow.html|title=Janet Hering is Geochemical Fellow 2018|website=www.ethz.ch|language=en|access-date=2019-01-28}} She was awarded the Clarke Prize from the National Water Research Institute in 2018. She served as chairwoman of the ETH Zurich Women Professors forum.{{Cite web|url=https://eth-wpf.ch/portrait/executive-board/|title=Executive Board – ETH Women Professors Forum|website=eth-wpf.ch|access-date=2019-01-28}}

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Category:American environmental scientists

Category:Scientists from New York City

Category:Academic staff of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Category:Academic staff of ETH Zurich

Category:Cornell University alumni

Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni

Category:Harvard University alumni

Category:California Institute of Technology faculty

Category:University of California, Los Angeles faculty

Category:1958 births

Category:Living people