Ramon Alvarez

Work

Ramón Alvarez, Ph.D. works with the Chief Scientist to guide EDF’s scientific priorities and ensure its work is on the cutting edge of scientific thought. Since 2008, he has worked to better characterize and reduce air emissions from oil and natural gas operations.

Previously, he promoted cleaner air in Texas cities, with an emphasis on reducing emissions from electric power plants and diesel vehicles. He led EDF’s campaign to establish the Texas Clean School Bus Program and assisted U.S.-Mexico border industries to find cost-effective methods to reduce waste.

Background

Dr. Alvarez obtained a B.S. degree in chemistry from Duke University and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley, where he carried out research on atmospheric and combustion processes. At UC Berkeley he was a National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellow and a lecturer in Environmental Chemistry.

Publications

• “Aerial Surveys of Elevated Hydrocarbon Emissions from Oil and Gas Production Sites,” D. R. Lyon, R. A. Alvarez, D. Zavala-Araiza, A. R. Brandt, R. B. Jackson, S. P. Hamburg, Environmental Sci. Technol. 50 (2016).
• “Reconciling divergent estimates of oil and gas methane emissions,” D. Zavala-Araiza, D. R. Lyon, R. A. Alvarez et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 112, 15597-15602 (2015).
• “Toward a functional definition of methane super-emitters: Application to natural gas production sites,” D. Zavala-Araiza, D. Lyon, R. A. Alvarez, V. Palacios, R. Harriss, X. Lan, R. Talbot, S. P. Hamburg, Environ. Sci. Technol. 49, 8167-8174 (2015).
• “Constructing a spatially resolved methane emission inventory for the Barnett Shale region,” D. R. Lyon, D. Zavala-Araiza, R. A. Alvarez, R. Harriss, V. Palacios, X. Lan, R. Talbot, T. Lavoie, P. Shepson, T. I. Yacovitch, S. C. Herndon, A. J. Marchese, D. Zimmerle, A. L. Robinson, S. P. Hamburg. Environ. Sci. Technol. 49, 8147-8157 (2015).
• “Using multi-scale measurements to improve methane emission estimates from oil and gas operations in the Barnett Shale region, Texas,” R. Harriss, R. A. Alvarez, D. Lyon, D. Zavala-Araiza, D. Nelson, S. P. Hamburg, Environ. Sci. Technol. 49, 7524–7526 (2015).
• “Influence of Methane Emissions and Vehicle Efficiency on the Climate Implications of Heavy-Duty Natural Gas Trucks,” J. R. Camuzeaux, R. A. Alvarez, S. A. Brooks, J. B. Browne, T. Sterner, Environ. Sci. Technol. 49, 6402–6410 (2015).
• “Greater focus needed on methane leakage from natural gas infrastructure,” R. A. Alvarez, S. W. Pacala, J. J. Winebrake, W. L. Chameides, S. P. Hamburg, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 109, 6435-6440 (2012).
• “Quantum Yield for Production of CH3NC in the Photolysis of CH3NCS,” R. A. Alvarez and C. B. Moore, Science 263, 205 (1994).
• “Absolute Yields of CO, CO2, and H2CO from the Reaction CH2(X 3B1) + O2 by IR Diode Laser Flash Kinetic Spectroscopy,” R. A. Alvarez and C. B. Moore, J. Phys. Chem. 98, 174 (1994).