Job Title: President
Employer: Interactive Ecological Modelling, Ranking and Scientific
Visualization
Place of Birth: Tripoli, Lybia
Public School attended: Hebrew Public School Alessandro da Fano,
Milan, Italy
High School attended: Hebrew High School Alessandro da Fano, Milan,
Italy
Further Education: University of Milano, Italy (B.Sc. - Limnology), University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA (Ph.D. - Ecology).
Geographic focus of research: Ontario, Italy, Germany, USA, Japan
Brief synopsis of current research:
My research focuses on five main areas:
1) Mathematical modeling of the fate of toxic contaminants in aquatic environments,
mostly in the Great Lakes.
2) Ranking and environmental assessment of toxic contaminants in the environment.
3) Scientific Visualization of the dynamics of water quality parameters in two
and three dimensions.
4) Theoretical development of mathematical models, forecasting ability and model
uncertainty.
5) Development of multimedia CD-ROMs to inform the public about scientific activities.
Mailing address:
Interactive, 4481 Concord Place, Burlington, Ontario L7L 1J5
E-mail:
info@butx.com
Website:
www.butx.com/halfon/Halfon.html
Recent Publications:
Halfon, E. and Allan, R.J. 1995. Modelling the fate of PCBs and Mirex in aquatic ecosystems using the TOXFATE model. Environment International, 21: 557-569.
Halfon E., N. Schito and R. E. Ulanowicz. 1996. Energy flow through the Lake Ontario food web: Conceptual model and an attempt to mass balance, Ecological Modelling, 86:1-36.
Halfon, E. 1996. Volume visualization of temperature concentrations in Hamilton Harbour, Lake Ontario. J. Great Lakes Res., 22:15-25.
Halfon, E. 1996. Data Animator, software that visualizes data as computer generated animations on personal computers: an application to Hamilton Harbour. Water Poll. Res. J. Canada, 31: 609-622.
Halfon, E., Galassi, S., Brüggemann, R., and Provini, A. 1996. Selection of priority properties to assess environmental hazard of pesticides. Chemosphere 33:1543-1562
Comments:
I started my scientific career as an oceanographer at the University of
Georgia. However, after two
years of graduate studies I became interested in the theoretical aspects of
ecological research. Thus, I became a systems ecologist: an ecologist that
studies ecosystems using mathematical models. In 1975 Dr. T.J. Simons
invited me to spend a year at Environment Canada as a post-doc. Eventually
a research scientist position came open and I decided to stay. My research
in mathematical modelling eventually led me to methods of visualizing
scientific data and therefore I hired many co-op students to develop two and
three dimensional animations of the behaviour of water quality dynamics, for
example water temperature and oxygen concentrations. In 1995, Dr. John
Lawrence decided to cut the modeling program at Environment Canada and
together with several other scientists we were forced to accept early
retirement. Immediately I was offered a position in Germany but I decided
not to join the brain drain and opened my own consulting company in
Burlington. Thus, even if I was very fortunate to be able to pursue my
academic interests for over 20 years eventually Liberal government politics
interfered with them.
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