Environmental Engineer, Team Leader
Environmental Engineer, Team Leader

Biography

Julia Flaherty is an environmental engineer and team leader in the Earth System Measurements and Modeling Group in the Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division.

Julia studied atmospheric dispersion in Oklahoma City for her Master’s degree, participating in a large, multi-institution field study called Joint Urban 2003 by collecting sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer concentrations in a vertical profile. She subsequently performed data analysis and computational fluid dynamics modeling.

Since joining PNNL, Julia has contributed to a number of applied atmospheric sciences projects. She spent several years continuing urban dispersion studies through field deployment, data analysis, and modeling, leveraging New York City’s Madison Square Garden 2005 and Midtown Manhattan 2005 experiments. She has also studied boundary layer meteorology for wind energy applications and investigated operational instrumentation, meteorological data collection, and dispersion modeling strategy for the Hanford Tank Farms. An additional project is helping the Hanford Site assess stack monitoring locations for stacks that have the potential to emit radiological emissions at the Waste Treatment Plant. Julia also applies her meteorology and dispersion modeling expertise with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to support environmental impact statements and modeling products.

Julia has been a team leader since 2020, working to help staff at various levels grow their career, perform work safely, and remain engaged and informed.

Research Interest

  • Boundary layer meteorology and dispersion modeling
  • Field measurements and field data analyses
  • Emergency response to atmospheric releases
  • Project management involving large procurements and multiple collaborators

Education

  • MS, Environmental Engineering, Washington State University
  • BS, Civil Engineering, Washington State University

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • American Meteorological Society
  • Tau Beta Pi, Engineering Honor Society
  • Washington State Engineer in Training

Awards and Recognitions

  • Outstanding Performance Award for Contributions to advance R&D to address challenges of SARS-CoV-2 transport, transmission, and fate – October 2020
  • Outstanding Performance Award for Support of Hanford Health and Safety Expo – October 2017
  • Waste Management Conference 2014, Best Poster Award for Track #9, Air Sample Conditioner Helps the Waste Treatment Plant Meet Emissions Standards – March 2014
  • 2011 “Of The Year” Award from the Energy and Environment Directorate for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission New Reactor Licensing Program project – December 2011
  • Outstanding Performance Award for Hanford Dust Deposition Study– July 2011
  • Outstanding Performance Award for efforts in EVENT Sampling – April 2009
  • Outstanding Performance Award for Assisting in the Move Out of 622C – March 2007
  • Outstanding Performance Award for UDP Analysis of Manhattan Field Data– November 2006

Publications

2022

  • Pease L.F., T. Salsbury, K.K. Anderson, R.M. Underhill, J.E. Flaherty, E. Vlachokostas, and C. Burns, et al. 2022. "Size Dependent Infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 via Respiratory Droplets Spread through Central Ventilation Systems." International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 132. PNNL-SA-161825. doi:10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2021.105748
  • Sheridan L.M., C. Phillips, A.C. Orrell, L.K. Berg, H. Tinnesand, R.K. Rai, and S. Zisman, et al. 2022. "Validation of Wind Resource and Energy Production Simulations for Small Wind Turbines in the United States." Wind Energy Science 7, no. 2:659-676. PNNL-SA-166869. doi:10.5194/wes-7-659-2022
  • Vlachokostas E., C. Burns, T. Salsbury, R.C. Daniel, D.P. James, J.E. Flaherty, and N. Wang, et al. 2022. "Experimental Evaluation of Respiratory Droplet Spread to Rooms Connected by a Central Ventilation System." Indoor Air 32, no. 1:Art. No. e12940. PNNL-SA-162537. doi:10.1111/ina.12940

2021

2020

2018

  • Yu X., J.M. Barnett, B.G. Amidan, K.P. Recknagle, J.E. Flaherty, E.J. Antonio, and J.A. Glissmeyer. 2018. "Evaluation of Nitrous Oxide as a Substitute for Sulfur Hexafluoride to Reduce Global Warming Impacts of ANSI/HPS N13.1 Gaseous Uniformity Testing." Atmospheric Environment 176. PNNL-SA-128014. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2017.12.015

2016

2015

2014

  • Glissmeyer J.A., E.J. Antonio, J.E. Flaherty, and B.G. Amidan. 2014. Assessment of the LV-S2 & LV-S3 Stack Sampling Probe Locations for Compliance with ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999. PNNL-23386. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Assessment of the LV-S2 & LV-S3 Stack Sampling Probe Locations for Compliance with ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999
  • Glissmeyer J.A., J.E. Flaherty, and M.S. Pekour. 2014. "Air Sample Conditioner Helps the Waste Treatment Plant Meet Emissions Standards." In WM Symposia (WM2014): 40 Years of Meeting Global Radioactive Waste Management Challenges, March 2-6, 2015, Phoenix, Arizona, Paper No. 14646. Tempe, Arizona:Waste Management Symposia. PNNL-SA-99376.
  • Newsom R.K., L.K. Berg, M.S. Pekour, J.D. Fast, Q. Xu, P. Zhang, and Q. Yang, et al. 2014. "Evaluation of Single-Doppler Radar Wind Retrievals in Flat and Complex Terrain." Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 53, no. 8:1920-1931. PNNL-SA-97861. doi:10.1175/JAMC-D-13-0297.1

2013

2011

2010

2008

  • Hanna S.R., E. Baja, J.E. Flaherty, and K.J. Allwine. 2008. "USE OF TRACER DATA FROM THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN 2005 FIELD EXPERIMENT TO TEST A SIMPLE URBAN DISPERSION MODEL." In 15th Joint Conference on the Applications of Air Pollution Meteorology with the Air & Waste Management Association, Paper No. 4.1. Boston, Massachusetts:American Meteorological Society. PNNL-SA-58750.

2007

  • Allwine K.J., and J.E. Flaherty. 2007. Asian Tracer Experiment and Atmospheric Modeling (TEAM) Project: Draft Field Work Plan for the Asian Long-Range Tracer Experiment. PNNL-16774. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Asian Tracer Experiment and Atmospheric Modeling (TEAM) Project: Draft Field Work Plan for the Asian Long-Range Tracer Experiment
  • Allwine K.J., and J.E. Flaherty. 2007. Urban Dispersion Program Overview and MID05 Field Study Summary. PNNL-16696. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Urban Dispersion Program Overview and MID05 Field Study Summary
  • Allwine K.J., K.L. Clawson, J.E. Flaherty, J.H. Heiser, R.P. Hosker, M.J. Leach, and L.W. Stockham. 2007. "Urban Dispersion Program: Urban Measurements Applied to Emergency Response." In American Meteorological Society's Seventh Symposium on the Urban Environment, 10-13 September 2007, San Diego, CA. Boston, Massachusetts:American Meteorological Society. PNNL-SA-56902. Urban Dispersion Program: Urban Measurements Applied to Emergency Response
  • Doran J.C., K.J. Allwine, J.E. Flaherty, K.L. Clawson, and R.G. Carter. 2007. "Characteristics of Puff Dispersion in an Urban Environment." Atmospheric Environment 41, no. 16:3440-3452. PNNL-SA-50920. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.12.029
  • Flaherty J.E., B.K. Lamb, K.J. Allwine, and E.J. Allwine. 2007. "Vertical Tracer Concentration Profiles Measured During the Joint Urban 2003 Dispersion Study." Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 46, no. 12:2019-2037. PNNL-SA-46442. doi:10.1175/2006JAMC1305.1
  • Flaherty J.E., D.E. Stock, and B.K. Lamb. 2007. "Computational Fluid Dynamic Simulations of Plume Dispersion in Urban Oklahoma City." Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 46, no. 12:2110-2126. PNNL-SA-46440. doi:10.1175/2006JAMC1306.1
  • Flaherty J.E., K.J. Allwine, M.J. Brown, W.J. Coirier, W.J. Coirier, S.C. Ericson, and O.R. Hansen, et al. 2007. "Evaluation study of building-resolved urban dispersion models." In 7th Symposium on the Urban Environment, 10-13 September 2007, San Diego, CA. Boston, Massachusetts:American Meteorological Society. PNNL-SA-56788. Evaluation study of building-resolved urban dispersion models

2006

  • Allwine K.J., and J.E. Flaherty. 2006. Joint Urban 2003: Study Overview And Instrument Locations. PNNL-15967. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Joint Urban 2003: Study Overview And Instrument Locations
  • Allwine K.J., and J.E. Flaherty. 2006. Urban Dispersion Program MSG05 Field Study: Summary of Tracer and Meteorological Measurements. PNNL-15969. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Urban Dispersion Program MSG05 Field Study: Summary of Tracer and Meteorological Measurements
  • Sullivan T.M., J.H. Heiser, T. Watson, K.J. Allwine, and J.E. Flaherty. 2006. "Perfluorocarbon Gas Tracer Studies to Support Risk Assessment Modeling of Critical Infrastructure Subjected to Terrorist Attacks." In NATO Advanced Research Workshop, Computational Models of Risks to Infrastructure: NATO Science for Peace and Security Series - D: Information and Communication Security, edited by D. Skanata and D.M. Byrd, 13, 98-110. Amsterdam:IOS Press. PNNL-SA-49898.