William Roy Pierson, 69, died in Reno on January 1, 2000. Pierson was a research professor at the Desert Research Institute and former executive director of the institute's Energy and Environmental Engineering Center. In that capacity, he supervised a major program of air quality research which pioneered new approaches for air quality monitoring and management across the United States and in many foreign countries.
Pierson was born on October 21, 1930, in Charleston, West Virginia, the son of Roy Henderson Pierson and Gay Harris Pierson. Pierson received a B.S.E. degree in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University in 1952, a Ph.D. in Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry from MIT in 1959, and a post-doctoral appointment at the Enrico Fermi Institute for Nuclear Studies at the University of Chicago in 1962.
As a research scientist at the Scientific Laboratory of Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, he applied nuclear techniques to environmental problems, conducted research in vehicle emissions, air pollution, and atmospheric chemistry. While at Ford, he pioneered the use of vehicle roadway tunnels for measuring automotive emissions from in-use vehicles. From 1987 to 1995 Dr. Pierson served as executive director of the Energy and Environmental Engineering Center at Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nevada, and was a research professor at DRI at the time of his death.
The author of more than 100 publications, Pierson was a member of the Clean Air Science Advisory Committee to review the case for a new air pollution standard for PM2.5, as well as the health effects of diesel particulate matter. He was a Fellow of the Air and Waste Management Association and the recipient of that association's Franklin A. Chambers Award for major contributions to the science of air pollution control.
He was also appointed to the Board of Scientific Counselors for the EPA's Office of Research and Development. Professional memberships include Sigma Xi, Phi Lambda Upsilon, American Physical Society, American Chemical Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Association for Aerosol Research. Dr. Pierson was an avid musician, playing both the guitar and piano, and he served on the Board of Directors of the Reno Chamber Orchestra.
He is survived by his wife, Juliet S. Pierson; daughters Elizabeth T. Pierson of Pasadena, California, and Anne P. Veis of Saratoga, California; sister Patricia P. Peterson of Wilmette, Illinois; father Roy H. Pierson of Charleston, West Virginia; and grandchildren Jeremy Pierson Veis and Jennifer Pierson Veis. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Desert Research Institute or the Reno Chamber Orchestra.
A memorial service will be held at the Desert Research Institute, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, on January 21 at 4:00 p.m.