Located in western Massachusetts, UMass Amherst is the flagship campus of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' five-campus University of Massachusetts system. UMass Amherst is a nationally recognized teaching and research institution with a current enrollment of about 28,500 students.

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There’s no reason not to wear a mask — and still plenty of reasons to wear one

Richard Peltier heads the Aerosol Lab at UMass Amherst which investigates the chemical components of ambient particulate matter that have a significant effect on human health. His findings on the protective properties of face masks as protection against air pollution have been widely reported.

His urgent research at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic testing whether health care workers could safely reuse face masks designed for one-time use was noted around the world. 

He is also known for his research on the properties of face masks as protection against air pollution. 

Peltier’s expertise is often sought by national media outlets, government agencies and NGOs, including the  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency He currently serves on the World Health Organization's Global Air Pollution and Health Technical Advisory Group.

Air Pollution and Health

Environmental Health

Face Masks

Aerosol filtration

Air Quality

Global Health

UMass Amherst Faculty Profile

Peltier Aerosol Lab @ UMass

Profile at Institute for Global Health

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Professor of Environmental Health Sciences

Richard Peltier heads the Aerosol Lab at UMass Amherst which investigates the chemical components of ambient particulate matter that have a significant effect on human health. 

Peltier’s expertise is often sought by national media outlets, government agencies and NGOs, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency He currently serves on the World Health Organization's Global Air Pollution and Health Technical Advisory Group.

Richard Peltier: Improving air quality in India

Urgent research by environmental health sciences professor Richard Peltier may help ease hospital equipment shortage during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

UMass Amherst, the flagship campus of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the largest public research university in New England, distinguished by the excellence and breadth of its academic, research and community programs. Founded in 1863 and home to nearly 30,000 total undergraduate and graduate students, UMass ranks no. 27 in a field of more than 700 public, four-year colleges across the nation, according to the U.S. News & World Report's latest annual college guide.

UMass Amherst stretches across more than 1,400 acres of land in the historic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, providing a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers - campus sits 90 miles from Boston and 175 miles from New York City. The idyllic college town of Amherst is home to hiking, biking, museums, music, theater, history, food, farms and much more. UMass Amherst also joins a local consortium of five nationally recognized colleges, including Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and Smith colleges.

For more information on UMass Amherst, visit: https://umass.edu

Professor Richard Peltier Explains Mask Research

Richard Peltier, professor of environmental health sciences at UMass Amherst, describes his urgent research aimed at slowing the COVID-19 pandemic and easing the global shortage of medical face masks worn by health care providers caring for people with the coronavirus.

News Release: https://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/article/can-medical-workers-safely-reuse-face

Richard Peltier, a UMass Amherst Scientist, Works to Test Medical Face Masks for Reuse

Outdoor air pollution was responsible for an estimated 4.2 million deaths worldwide in 2015, according to medical journal The Lancet medical journal. That fine pollution, according to the New York Times often comes from burning things like coal, gasoline, woody materials and other materials that burn during wildfires. Richard Peltier is an associate professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the UMass Amherst. Peltier focuses on how air pollution impacts human health. Carrie Saldo asked him for his reaction to the Times reporting and what it means for western Mass air quality.

Richard Peltier on WGBY

Richard Peltier talks about Air Pollution on WGBY | Connecting Point 

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