Ms. Edwards has 7 years experience as a Statistician and 5 years of experience as a Data Manager. She is experienced in mathematical statistical theory and statistical computing, and has expertise in regression and ANOVA analyses. She has been trained in applied and theoretical statistics as well as advanced calculus, partial differential equations, and linear programming. Ms. Edwards’ focus is applying statistical analysis to environmental studies. She has particular expertise in applying appropriate statistical methods to industrial contaminant sources for environmental forensic projects.
Ms. Edwards has provided statistical support on a wide range of projects including regression, analysis of variance, non-linear models, factor analysis, non-parametric analyses, and sampling design and evaluation. She has also maintained all aspects of databases used for data validation, quality assurance report generation, final data report generation, data compilation, and data storage. She is experienced in manipulating data of all formats and structures from outside sources into formats compatible with databases; she has supported project managers’ data needs including summaries, statistics, and final presentation; and she has assisted in database structure design.
Lowney YW, Wester RC, Schoof RA, Cushing CA, Edwards MR, Ruby MV. Percutaneous absorption of arsenic from soils as measured in the Rhesus Monkey. Toxicological Sciences 2007; 100(2):381–392.
Benton, L, Shields, WJ, Edwards, MR. Commentary on O'Connor and Sabrsula (2005): Background dioxins in house dusts. Environmental Forensics 2007; 6(3):283–287.
Tsuji JS, Williams PRD, Edwards MR, Allamneni KP, Kelsh MA, Paustenbach DJ, Sheehan PJ. Evaluation of mercury in urine as an indicator of exposure to low levels of mercury vapor. Environ Health Perspect 2003; 111(4):623-630.
Book Chapters
Shields WJ, Tondeur Y, Benton L, Edwards MR. Dioxins and furans. Chapter 14. In: Environmental Forensics: Contaminant Specific Guide. Morrison R, Murphy B (eds), Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 2006.
Presentations
Edwards M, Maier E, Reeder D, Gard N, Shock S. Assessment of plant communities exposed to fugitive dust along a mine transportation corridor in Alaska. Poster presentation at the Annual Joint Statistical Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, 2007.
Benton L, Ginevan M, Edwards M. Chemical fingerprinting of dioxins using a similarity index. Poster presentation at the 16th Annual AEHS Meeting and West Cost Conference on Soils, Sediments and Water, San Diego, CA, 2006.
Kaetzel R., Edwards M, Lowney Y, Tsuji J. Patterns of urinary excretion of arsenic metabolites in a population with low arsenic exposure. Poster presentation at the 45th Annual SOT Meeting, San Diego, CA, 2006.
Ginevan M, Edwards M, Benton L. Statistical tools for the analysis of PCB and dioxin profile data. Platform presentation at the SETAC 26th Annual Meeting in North America, Baltimore, MD, 2005.
Pastorok R, Davis R, Salatas J, Edwards M. Identifying structural and functional indicators for habitat equivalency analysis (HEA) and restoration of submerged vegetation. Interactive platform presentation at the SETAC World Congress and 25th Annual Meeting in North America, Portland, OR, 2004.
Booth, P, Edwards M, Nielsen D. Spatial and temporal trends in PCBs in fish in response to natural recovery in sediments. Poster presentation at the SETAC World Congress and 25th Annual Meeting in North America, Portland, OR, 2004.
Used principal component analysis of dioxin and furan concentrations from multiple locations and sources to determine if historic releases from a wood treatment facility were the source of these compounds found in a nearby neighborhood in Mississippi. Used diagnostic ratio method to evaluate sources of PAHs. Assisted in preparation of expert report.
Used profile comparisons and principal component analysis to evaluate dioxin and furan fingerprints in water, sediment, and fish tissue samples downstream and upstream of a former pesticide manufacturing facility.
Used simulation methods to evaluate sources of variability in fish tissue PCB concentrations and evaluate state of Michigan’s current sample design for monitoring PCB and mercury concentrations in fish tissue throughout the state.
Evaluated the relationship between PCB congener concentrations and total PCB concentrations in sediment and several fish species from the Fox River, Wisconsin.
Evaluated and interpreted spatial and temporal trends in sediment PCB composition and concentration throughout a 25-mile stretch of river, in support of an NRDA for a
Superfund site in Wisconsin.
Assisted with developing a sampling program for metals in fugitive dust in multiple tundra environments. Conducted statistical analyses to evaluate the contribution of metals in fugitive dust to changes observed in plant communities near the road and facility areas. Analyses included hypothesis testing, regression analyses, cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and non-parametric methods to quantify spatial trends in the vicinity of a mine, haul road, and port; compared concentrations between potentially impacted and reference locations; and summarized berry, caribou tissue, invertebrate, soil, sediment, and water chemical concentrations for ecological and human health risk assessment. Factor analysis highlighted habitat differences within the vegetation community. Cluster analysis quantified location similarities in the benthic invertebrate community.
Analyzed chemical endpoint data from surrogate species for human and wildlife receptors to quantify the relative uptake of metals from environmental media, following exposure via dermal or oral contact. Final analyses quantified the relative bioavailability of various treatments against a control. Additionally the sample design was evaluated with respect to the minimum detectable uptake.
Used a generalized linear model (with Poisson link function) and regression analyses to model dose-response relationships for response endpoints for mink. The endpoints evaluated were percent mortality and percent decline in fecundity. Calculated cumulative PCB dose probability curves and exceedance probabilities for percent decline in litter size.
Developed an Access database and queries to calculate risk to ecological receptors using a generalized food web model. The database stores summarized exposure (chemical) data, receptor parameters (such as ingestion rates), and model control information such as spatial and temporal variation in habitat usage. The system provides users with point estimates of risk at the click of a mouse, and also exports and formats data for distributional analyses using Crystal Ball in Excel.
Calculated multiple benthic metrics (abundance, richness, diversity, and dominance) and assessed statistically significant differences between site stations and the reference area to support a weight-of-evidence approach to assessing biological effects, and to support the calculation of Apparent Effects Threshold values.
Compiled data from multiple studies of mercury in air and urine to assess common relationships using regression analysis. Adjustments of slopes and intercepts allowed for assessing similarity of sample design among studies. Confidence and prediction intervals were used to band the resulting relationships.
Developed regression analyses used to estimate concentration in worms from soil with confidence and prediction upper limits. Estimated worm concentrations were used in various scenarios for calculation of ecological risk to short-tailed shrew.
Used logistic regression to characterize the relationship between PAH concentration and average mortality of Hyalella azteca.
Analyzed mercury concentrations in homes using discriminant analysis to characterize and differentiate between different sources of mercury, including natural gas pressure regulators, thermometers, and other residential sources of mercury.
Evaluated temporal trends in landfill groundwater monitoring concentration data using summary statistics, boxplots, probability plots and distance weighted least squares regression. Standardized concentrations were used to equate the varying magnitude and variation of multiple chemicals.
Used regression analysis to evaluate the results of two analysis methods used to measure mercury concentration in sediment and soil. Results provided statistical support for using both methods, thereby increasing the quantity and precision of data used for site characterization.
Calculated the minimum number of samples necessary to meet statistical performance objectives of sampling plan in accordance with EPA guidance, including multiple levels of confidence, power, and minimum detectable differences.
Managed large environmental databases of chemistry, toxicity, and ecological data for multiple projects (Brunswick, Georgia; Saginaw River, Michigan; Onondaga Lake, New York; and Anaconda, Montana).