The use of statistical analysis to evaluate environmental data may be necessary to comply with regulations or for application of technical guidance. The use of statistics may also hold the key to unlocking important information that is otherwise hidden in a set of data. However, identifying appropriate statistical tests and knowing how to apply them can be perplexing, and reviewing statistical data analysis completed by others can be just as challenging.
As many Licensed Site Remediation Professionals (LSRPs) and non-LSRPs supporting site remediation projects may not be proficient in the use of statistics in evaluating data, a rudimentary discussion regarding the value and application of statistical analysis for interpretation of data associated with site remediation will be presented. The goal of this course is to familiarize LSRPs and environmental professionals who are not comfortable using statistics, and to enhance statistical methods and interpretation skills for those who may already be using statistics.
Robert J. Lippencott, Ph.D., LSRP, CHMM
is a Senior Principal Consultant for TRC Environmental Corporation (TRC) and the Technical Director for TRC's New Providence, NJ office, with over 30 years of continuous experience and progressive responsibility in environmental science testing, investigations, statistical analysis, remediation and project management. Dr. Lippencott has developed an advanced data management database system and has conducted statistical analysis for numerous projects involving regulatory compliance, data evaluation, risk assessment and site remediation. As the TRC Group Lead for Ecological Evaluation, Risk Assessment and Data Management, Dr. Lippencott oversees numerous ecological evaluations, including risk assessments and remediation in environmentally sensitive areas. Dr. Lippencott has a B.S. degree in Biology from Montana State University, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Environmental Science from NJIT and Rutgers. His Doctoral Dissertation evaluated phytoremediation of petroleum and PAH-contaminated sediments in New Jersey's coastal wetlands at a petroleum refinery using advanced analytical and molecular biology methods. Dr. Lippencott previously served as an adjunct professor in the NJIT Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, and is an appointed member of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Science Advisory Board.