Diana Lin's picture

Diana Lin, PhD

Senior Scientist
Clean Water Program
Bay Regional Monitoring Program
Contaminants of Emerging Concern
Microplastics
Sources, Pathways, & Loadings
510-746-7385

Dr. Diana Lin leads the RMP’s Microplastics Workgroup and a team of scientists investigating microplastics in the San Francisco Bay and other regions of California. In addition, Diana leads a wide range of other studies, including monitoring of contaminants of emerging concern and PCBs in the Bay using both traditional and novel analytical techniques. Diana has served as an expert advisor on microplastic reports for the state and federal policymakers.

Diana Lin has a broad range of experience working in industry, policymaking, and science. She received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology. She gained experience in environmental compliance working at a major environmental consulting company. She then earned a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering and Science from Stanford University. Her dissertation investigated natural attenuation processes from DDT-contaminated sediment in an alpine lake and engineering methods to amend contaminated sediment with activated carbon for remediation. After completing her Ph.D., Dr. Lin served as a legislative staff for a California Assemblymember, where she managed two bills that were signed into law, and reviewed legislation on water, natural resources, and public health issues.

Related Projects, News, and Events

Medicating the Bay: RMP Science featured in Estuary News (News)

Highlighted in the December 2018 issue of Estuary News, a new report from the Bay’s Regional Monitoring Program documents the presence of numerous medications in the region’s wastewater. In 2016 and 2017, seven wastewater treatment facilities located throughout the Bay Area voluntarily collected wastewater samples and funded analyses for 104 pharmaceutical compounds.

The Latest RMP Emerging Contaminant Strategic Plans (News)

The SFEI Emerging Contaminant team, led by Dr.

RMP Completes Major Revision of its Strategy to Monitor Emerging Contaminants (News)

Global leaders in the study of emerging contaminants, the stakeholders that make up the Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP) believe that preventing a pollution problem is safer and more cost-effective than cleaning one up. For this reason, the RMP focuses on monitoring contaminants of emerging concern, or CECs.

Local News: Scientists launch major study of microplastics pollution in San Francisco Bay (News)

SFEI and The 5 Gyres Institute have launched an ambitious two-year research project to monitor San Francisco Bay for pollution in the form of tiny particles of plastic pollution, reports ABC7 News. These microplastic particles are eaten by local fish, according to previous studies, which can expose them to harmful contaminants.