Faculty

Profile

College / Department

Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences

Teaching areas

Sustainability, Environmental Science, Environmental Toxicology, Environmental Monitoring and Analysis, Environmental Management, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, LCA, CBA, EIA

Research areas

My research interests are very broad, encompassing environmental and sustainability management and monitoring.My current research projects involve monitoring local freshwater and marine ecosystems; environmental management and sustainability in industrial and academic systems.

Education

PhD, Environmental Toxicology, Clemson Institute of Environmental Toxicology, Clemson University, United States, 2004

MS, Environmental Toxicology, Clemson University, United States, 1999

BS, Biology, With Minor In Chemistry, University of WI-Whitewater, United States, 1997

Professional experience

Senior Lecturer Of Environmental Sciences, Department Of Biology, Chemistry, And Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, 2018 - Present

Lecturer Of Environmental Sciences, Department Of Biology, Chemistry, And Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, 2005 - 2018

Adjunct Professor, Biology Department, Wofford College, South Carolina, United States, 2005 - 2005

Memberships

Energy, Water, and Sustainable Environment Research Center, EWSERC, Local, AUS Research Center for Energy, Water, and Sustainable Environment, December 2023

Abu Dhabi Environmental Research Network, ADERN, State, Research Network in Abu Dhabi for environmental issues, 2021

Climate Change Research Network of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, CCRN, MoCCE, National, Research network for the development of collaborative research on issues of climate science in the UAE, 2020

Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, AASHE, International, An American organization to work on instilling sustainability within higher educational institutions., 2010

Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, EU Chapter (2005+), NA Chapter (1997-2005), November 1997

Contact

[email protected]

+971 6 515 2433

Dr. Sandra Knuteson

Senior Lecturer

PhD, Clemson Institute of Environmental Toxicology, Clemson University, United States

Sandra Knuteson focusses on environmental (ENV) sustainability through the management, monitoring and assessment of ENV impacts. This leads to teaching and research in a broad range of topics, from monitoring of pollutants and trends in local ecosystems of water sediment and organisms to the idea of ENV management and sustainability in industry, currently in education and tourism. She has taught basic ENV chemistry and science for non-STEM students, ENV sustainability, ENV toxicology, ENV monitoring and analysis (lab course), and ENV management and assessment. She has advised senior research projects, many interacting with local environmental agencies and NGOs, on monitoring of local freshwater and marine ecosystems.

Publications

Meera Al Hammadi, Sandra Knuteson, Sofian Kanan And Fatin Samara. Environmental Advances

Sandra Knuteson, Sana Sayed And Marie-france Waxin. Exploring the Challenges, Key Factors of Success, and Suggestions for Change to Implement Sustainable Education in Primary and Secondary Schools in Emerging Economies

Sandra Knuteson, Sana Sayed And Marie-france Waxin. Is Sustainability a Strategic Initiative in UAE Schools? An Exploratory, Empirical Study

Mahra Alnuami, Sandra Knuteson, Fatin Samara, Kazi Parvez And Tarig Ali. Management of Environmental Quality of Beaches in Northern Emirates of the UAE.

Ivonne Bejarano, Fatin Samara And Sandra Knuteson. Oyster Beds and Reefs of the United Arab Emirates, 2023

Marie-france Waxin, Aaron Bartholomew, Fang Zhao, Sandra Knuteson And Areej Makda. Environmental Management Systems in Public Sector, 16 November 2023

Ivonne Bejarano, Fatin Samara And Sandra Knuteson. Oyster beds and reefs of the United Arab Emirates, 1 November 2023

Baker Alserhan, Hala Al-falah, Jusuf Zeqiri, Kimberly Gleason And Sandra Knuteson. Student Awareness of Sustainable Environmental Development and the Intention to Participate in Eco-school Programs in Jordan, Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, July (3rd Quarter/Summer) 2023

Fatin Samara, Sandra Knuteson, Tala Abdulateef, Fadi Yaghmour, Brendan Whittington-jones, Sara Al Abdalla, B Khalil And N Ahmed. Assessment and Management of the Water Quality of a Protected Hypersaline Wetland in the United Arab Emirates, Water, May 2023

A Mohammed, Fatin Samara, A Alzaatreh And Sandra Knuteson. Statistical Analysis for Water Quality Assessment: A Case Study of Al Wasit Nature Reserve,, Water, October (4th Quarter/Autumn) 2022

Areej Mohammed, Fatin Samara, Ayman Alzaatreh And Sandra Knuteson. Statistical Analysis for Water Quality Assessment: A Case Study of Al Wasit Nature Reserve, Water (switzerland), 1 October (4th Quarter/Autumn) 2022

Paloma Leandro, Sandra Knuteson And Aaron Bartholomew. The vegetation of the United Arab Emirates Gulf coast: Description and analysis, Journal Of Coastal Research, July (3rd Quarter/Summer) 2022

Meera Hammadi, Sandra Knuteson, Sofian Kanan And Fatin Samara. Microplastic pollution in oyster bed ecosystems: An assessment of the northern shores of the United Arab Emirates, Environmental Advances, 1 May 2022

Marie-france Waxin, Sandra Knuteson And Aaron Bartholomew. Outcomes and Key Factors of Success for ISO 14001 Certification: Evidence from an Emerging Arab Gulf Country, Sustainability, 2020

Tham Hoang, Marsha Black, Sandra Knuteson And Aaron Roberts. Environmental Pollution, Management, and Sustainable Development: Strategies for Vietnam and Other Developing Countries, Environmental Management, April (2nd Quarter/Spring) 2019

Marie-france Waxin, Sandra Knuteson And Aaron Bartholomew. Drivers and challenges for implementing ISO 14001 environmental management systems in an emerging Gulf Arab country, Environmental Management, April (2nd Quarter/Spring) 2019

Fatin Samara, Tarig Ali, Jennifer Haverila And Sandra Knuteson. Investigation of Fecal Contamination of Groundwater and Surface Water at Al Wasit Nature Reserve, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, Asian Journal Of Microbiology, Biotechnology & Environmental Sciences, 2016

Conference Presentations

Environmental quality of coastal beaches of the Northern Emirates of the UAE: microplastic identification, macro debris analysis and heavy metals in sands, Aus Innovation Expo: Future Of Research And Technology In The Uae, 6 May 2024

Management of Environmental Quality of Beaches in Northern Emirates of the UAE, 4th International Conference On Environmental Pollution, Restoration, And Management, Quy Nohn Vietnam, March 2024

Methods for the Analysis of Microplastics in the Digestive Tract of Stranded Organisms on the Coast of Sharjah, UAE, Sharjah International Conservation Forum For Arabia’s Biodiversity (sicfab), February 2024

Exploring the Challenges, Key Factors of Success, and Suggestions for Change to Implement Sustainable Education in UAE Primary and Secondary Schools, 12th World Environmental Education Congress (weec), January 2024

Life on Land: Wildlife Conservation and Biodiversity, The First Nature Series Panel Discussion, February 2023

Assessing Sustainability: An Empirical, Exploratory Study of UAE Schools, Hct International General Education Conference, 5 October 2022

Assessing Sustainability in UAE Schools, The 10th European Conference On Education (ece2022), July 2022

Microplastics Pollution in Oyster Bed Ecosystems: An Assessment of the Northern Shores of the United Arab Emirates, Society Of Environmental Toxicology And Chemistry (setac) Setac Europe 32nd Annual Meeting, 18 May 2022

The Sharjah Strandings Response Program: Insights on Marine Turtle Threats and Mortality Factors, Sharjah International Conservation Forum For Arabian Biodiversity (sicfab), 3 February 2020

The Sharjah Strandings Response Program: Insights on Marine Turtle Threats and Mortality Factors, Technical Workshop On Marine Turtle Research And Conservation, 19 December 2019

Using Undergraduate Students to Monitor Environmental Quality in the UAE, Dnhg Monthly Meeting, March 2019

Outcomes and Key Factors of Success of Implementing ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems in UAE Public and Private Organizations., The Asian Conference On Sustainability, Energy & The Environment, June 2018

Grants and sponsorships

Grant, FRG24-C-S11: Toxicological Assessment of Stranded Marine Organisms from UAE Coasts for Environmental Monitoring., American University of Sharjah, June 2024 - May 2026

Grant, FRG24-C-S30: Potential impacts of polluted airborne particulate matter and desert dust storms: A characterization and health risk assessment from chemical and biological perspectives, American University of Sharjah, June 2024 - May 2026

Grant, PDFA24-S54: Characterization of atmospheric air pollution: A Public Health Risk Assessment, American University of Sharjah, 1 November 2023 - 31 January 2025

Grant, Qasim_F_CAS-URG24: Environmental quality of coastal beaches of the Northern Emirates of the UAE, cont’d for microplastic identification, macro debris analysis & HM in sands, American University of Sharjah, February 2024 - June 2024

Grant, BenDaya_O_CAS-URG24: Assessment of Heavy Metals in Sugar and Sweeteners available in the UAE market, using ICP-OES, American University of Sharjah, October 2023 - December 2023

Grant, AUS FRG 2019-Medium: Sustainable Development in Higher Education: Drivers, Challenges, Practices, Outcomes, and Key Factors of Success Related to Program Implementation, American University of Sharjah, May 2019 - December 2023

Grant, Extension for the project “A Multidisciplinary Study of Oyster Beds as Bioindicators of Current Environmental and Societal Challenges in Coastal Areas of the UAE”, Sharjah Research Foundation Award FRA., 2020 - 2022

Grant, Microplastics in the digestive tracks of sea snakes from the Gulf of Oman, Third Forum for Women in Research "QUWA: Women Empowerment for Global Impact", Sharjah University

Grant, Sustainability in Schools: is it a strategic initiative? An empirical, exploratory study of UAE schools, Third Forum for Women in Research "QUWA: Women Empowerment for Global Impact", Sharjah University

Awards and Honors

Best Green Campus Audit 2015-2022, by the AUS Green Team, Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency’s Sustainable Campus Initiative, The AUS Green Team was recognized as having turned in the Best Green Campus Audit Reports from 2015-2022, of the 24 SCI universities in the UAE., November 2022

Green Campus Audit, by the AUS Green Team, Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency’s Sustainable Campus Initiative, The AUS Green Team was recognized for it's Green Campus Audit, one of the two recognized of the 24 universities., November 2020

Sustainable Action Project, by the AUS Green Team, Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency’s Sustainable Campus Initiative, The AUS Green Team was recognized for it's Sustainable Action Project, one of the two recognized of the 14 universities., November 2017

2nd Place, Green Campus Audit, by the AUS Green Team, Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency’s Sustainable Campus Initiative, The AUS Green Team was recognized for it's Green Campus Audit, 2nd place of the 14 universities., November 2016