Ian Ross, Ph.D.

Ian Ross ,  one of the world’s most accomplished PFAS experts,  serves as  the global PFAS practic e  leader  at  CDM  Smith .  For  three decades ,  Ian has  specialize d  in the delivery of  management strategies  and treatment  approaches for multiple  xenobiotics . With a strong technical background, he focuses on developing cost-effective solutions for conventional and emerging  contaminants.

Ian says he is just as passionate about solving contamination issues today as he was when he started his scientific explorationson the shores of Wales in 1992. “I was throwing contaminated soil in flasks to see if bacteria could be isolated as they had adapted to biodegrade anthropogenic chemicals,” Ian says of his early years.

Since then, he has published more than 100 articles, book chapters, conference posters, guidance documents and peer-reviewed journal articles, many of which include groundbreaking research into PFAS. Hebegan researching and designing PFAS treatment solutions as early as 2005, first encountering these chemicalswhen a major fire tore through an oil storage facility in Hertfordshire, England. It was then that he realized these extremely persistent chemicals would be widely distributed in water bodies as they were present in firefighting foams.

“One thing you can say about PFAS is that they’re not going away,” he says. “I don’t see the concerns over PFAS slowing down.” 

Ian helps ensure that CDM Smith performs at the leading edge when developing risk management strategies and remediation for the assessment and restoration of contaminated sites. He has established treatability and research and development facilities and worked with academic institutions to supervise multiple research projects. He has international experience with contaminated management projects in multiple regulatory settings from working across Europe, US, Canada, China, the Middle East, South Africa and Australia. As a result of these activities, he has won several national / international innovation awards for contaminated site management.