Expertise

Research Scientist, US Environmental Protection Agency, Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division

Dr Kay Ho is an environmental research scientist at the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division located in Narragansett, RI. She is the subject matter expert for microplastic research performed under the EPA’s Office of Research and Development, and a co-lead for the EPA Regional projects on microplastic methodology. Her work on microplastics is a part of her emerging contaminant research which includes microplastics, pharmaceuticals and engineered nanomaterials.  Prior to her focus on emerging contaminants, she developed methods for assessing sediment toxicity and identification of the causes of toxicity in complex natural sediments. She has authored or co-authored over 100 publications in the areas of sediment assessment, method development and emerging contaminants. She holds a BS from UC Davis, and a MS from Cornell University, both in Environmental Toxicology, and a Ph.D. from the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography in Chemical Oceanography.