C. Arden Pope
Encyclopedia
C. Arden Pope III is an American
professor of economics
at Brigham Young University
and one of the world's foremost experts in environmental science
. He received his B.S. from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1978 and his Ph.D. in Economics and statistics
from Iowa State University
in 1981. Although his research includes many papers on topics in the fields in which he was trained—environmental economics
, resource economics, and agricultural economics
—he is better known for his cross-disciplinary work in environmental epidemiology
and public health
. He is world renowned for his seminal work on the effects of particulate air pollution
on mortality and health
. His articles have helped establish the connection between air pollution and health problems, including cancer
, cardiovascular, and pulmonary disease. These research findings have influenced environmental policy
in the United States and Europe
, contributing to the establishment of emission standard
s for particulate matter pollution.
Early in Pope's career he published a paper that made him an academic cornerstone of environmental science and policy called "Respiratory hospital admissions associated with PM10 pollution in Utah, Salt Lake, and Cache Valleys". In Utah Valley
the Geneva Steel
Mill generated large quantities of particulate matter which is a byproduct of fossil fuel
consumption. The mill was shut down temporarily. Pope compiled hospital admissions data for the time before, during, and after the temporary closing of the mill and was the first to convincingly show the immediate health harms associated with particulate matter. Asthma
, mortality, and respiratory admissions generally were twice as high while the plant was operating than the year in which it was closed. Utah
made a particularly suitable natural experiment
as the valley traps pollution in the winter months when temperature inversions
stifle the escape of pollution. His abstract states:
Pope came under hostile political pressure and his findings became a firestorm of controversy. Intense scrutiny revealed that his results were accurate. In 2004 Pope was awarded the Utah
Governor's Medal in Science and Technology. In 2007 Dr. Pope was recognized as BYU's distinguished faculty through reception of the Karl G. Maeser
award.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professor of economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
and one of the world's foremost experts in environmental science
Environmental science
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical and biological sciences, to the study of the environment, and the solution of environmental problems...
. He received his B.S. from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1978 and his Ph.D. in Economics and statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
from Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
in 1981. Although his research includes many papers on topics in the fields in which he was trained—environmental economics
Environmental economics
Environmental economics is a subfield of economics concerned with environmental issues. Quoting from the National Bureau of Economic Research Environmental Economics program:...
, resource economics, and agricultural economics
Agricultural economics
Agricultural economics originally applied the principles of economics to the production of crops and livestock — a discipline known as agronomics. Agronomics was a branch of economics that specifically dealt with land usage. It focused on maximizing the crop yield while maintaining a good soil...
—he is better known for his cross-disciplinary work in environmental epidemiology
Environmental epidemiology
Environmental epidemiology is the branch of epidemiology concerned with discovery of the environmental exposures that contribute to or protect against injuries, illnesses, developmental conditions, disabilities, and deaths; and identification of public health and health care actions to avoid,...
and public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
. He is world renowned for his seminal work on the effects of particulate air pollution
Air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
on mortality and health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
. His articles have helped establish the connection between air pollution and health problems, including cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, cardiovascular, and pulmonary disease. These research findings have influenced environmental policy
Environmental policy
Environmental policy is any [course of] action deliberately taken [or not taken] to manage human activities with a view to prevent, reduce, or mitigate harmful effects on nature and natural resources, and ensuring that man-made changes to the environment do not have harmful effects on...
in the United States and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, contributing to the establishment of emission standard
Emission standard
Emission standards are requirements that set specific limits to the amount of pollutants that can be released into the environment. Many emissions standards focus on regulating pollutants released by automobiles and other powered vehicles but they can also regulate emissions from industry, power...
s for particulate matter pollution.
"Respiratory hospital admissions associated with PM10 pollution in Utah"
Utah Valley
Utah Valley is a valley in North Central Utah located in Utah County, and is considered part of the Wasatch Front. It contains Provo, Orem, and their suburbs, including Highland, Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, Mapleton, Spanish Fork, Lindon, Pleasant Grove, Springville, Lehi, Payson, and...
the Geneva Steel
Geneva Steel
Geneva Steel was a steel mill located in Vineyard, Utah, founded during World War II to enhance national steel output. It operated from December 1944 to November 2001...
Mill generated large quantities of particulate matter which is a byproduct of fossil fuel
Fossil fuel
Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years...
consumption. The mill was shut down temporarily. Pope compiled hospital admissions data for the time before, during, and after the temporary closing of the mill and was the first to convincingly show the immediate health harms associated with particulate matter. Asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
, mortality, and respiratory admissions generally were twice as high while the plant was operating than the year in which it was closed. Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
made a particularly suitable natural experiment
Natural experiment
A natural experiment is an observational study in which the assignment of treatments to subjects has been haphazard: That is, the assignment of treatments has been made "by nature", but not by experimenters. Thus, a natural experiment is not a controlled experiment...
as the valley traps pollution in the winter months when temperature inversions
Inversions
Inversions is a science fiction novel by Scottish writer Iain M. Banks, first published in 1998. It is implied to be set in his Culture universe...
stifle the escape of pollution. His abstract states:
Pope came under hostile political pressure and his findings became a firestorm of controversy. Intense scrutiny revealed that his results were accurate. In 2004 Pope was awarded the Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
Governor's Medal in Science and Technology. In 2007 Dr. Pope was recognized as BYU's distinguished faculty through reception of the Karl G. Maeser
Karl G. Maeser
-Brigham Young Academy:When Maeser arrived at Brigham Young Academy in 1876 it was dying. Enrollment had declined since Warren N. Dusenberry had started the school a few months before. There were only 29 students at the time of Maeser's arrival....
award.