Susan Wierman is a planner, manager, and author with extensive experience in air pollution control. She was the Executive Director of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association (MARAMA) from 1996 until 2017. Before joining MARAMA, Wierman was employed by Maryland’s Air and Radiation Management Administration (from 1981 – 1996) and was deputy director of the administration from 1988- 1996. Wierman began working in air pollution control in 1977, when she was an air quality planner for the State of Minnesota. Prior to that she worked for the Snohomish County, Washington Planning Department from 1974 – 1976.
Wierman earned Bachelor of Arts (1972) and Master of Urban Planning (1974) degrees from the University of Washington in Seattle. While working for Maryland, she was awarded an EPA fellowship and earned a Certificate in Continuing Engineering Studies from Johns Hopkins University (1987). She is a long-time member of the Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA) and serves on their Publications Committee, on the Editorial Advisory Committee for AWMA’s Environmental Manager magazine, and for 2023-2026 she is the Chair of AWMA’s Critical Review Committee. She is also active in the American Association of University Women (AAUW) where she served as state Co-President from 2018 – 2020 and is Co-Vice President for Communications from 2020-2024.
Education History
- B.A., Urban Planning, University of Washington
- MUP, Urban Planning, University of Washington
- Certificate, Continuing Engineering Studies, Johns Hopkins University
Work Experience
Lecturer, JHU Whiting School of Engineering, Engineering for Professionals
Publications
Wierman, S. 2025. Introduction to the 2025 A&WMA Critical Review: Satellite data to support air quality assessment and management. Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association, 75(6) 426-428. doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2025.2485608.
Wierman, S. 2025. A Retrospective on Air Quality Management during the Biden Administration. EM Magazine, December 2025.
Wierman, S. and Bret Schichtel. 2024. Introduction to the 2024 Critical Review: Atmospheric reduced nitrogen: Sources, transformations, effects, and management. Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association, 74(6) 359-361. https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2024.2342767.
Wierman, S. 2023. The 2023 Good Neighbor Plan to Mitigate Interstate Ozone Pollution: Context and a Brief Introduction, EM Magazine, December 2023
Wierman, S. 2022. The Challenging Context of EPA’s Review of the Secondary Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur, EM Magazine, September 2022.
Wierman, S. 2021. Challenges related to Implementing the U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards. EM Magazine, November 2021.
Wierman, S., Leiran Biton, and Joel Dreessen. 2020. Recent Advances in Understanding Ozone Pollution near Large Water Bodies. EM Magazine, October 2020.
Wierman, S. and William J. O’Sullivan. 2019. A Perspective on the Development of Programs to Control Stationary Source Nitrogen Oxide Emissions in the Eastern United States. Proceedings, Air and Waste Management Association 112th Annual Conference and Exhibition, Quebec City, Quebec, June 25-28, 2019, Paper # 592932.
“What’s Next for the U.S. Ambient Air Quality Standards? Perspectives of Scientists and the Regulated Community,” EM Magazine, December 2018
“Air Quality in the Western States,” by John Kinsman and Susan Wierman, EM Magazine, January 2017
“Making the Most of New Air Quality Monitoring Technology,” EM Magazine, November, 2016
“Introduction to EM’s 20th Anniversary Issue,” EM Magazine, January 2015
“U.S. SO2 Air Quality Standard Requires new Approaches,” EM Magazine, December 2014, pp. 6-11.
“Meeting the Challenge—Achieving Compliance with the New 1-hr SO2 and NO2 Standards,” (co-author with Jesse Thé and Gary Bramble), EM Magazine, December 2014, pp. 4-5.
“Lessons from the Mid-Atlantic Dray Truck Replacement Program,” Proceedings 2014 AWMA Annual Conference (co-author with Deborah L. Thomas and Medessa S. Burian)
“State and Local Experiences Establishing Air Monitoring Sites Near U.S. Roadways: A Conversation,” AWMA’s EM Magazine, July 2013. (Co-author with Jennifer Hains, David Krask, Bruce Louks, Harlan Quan, Darrell Stern, and Kenneth Stroud)
Solomon, Paul A., Maria Costantini, Thomas J. Grahame, Miriam E. Gerlofs-Nijland, Flemming R. Cassee, Armistead G. Russell, Jeffrey R. Brook, Philip K. Hopke, George Hidy, Robert F. Phalen, Paulo Saldiva, Stefanie Ebelt Sarnat, John R. Balmes, Ira B. Tager, Halûk Özkaynak, Sverre Vedal, Susan S. G. Wierman, and Daniel L. Costa. 2012. Air Pollution and Health: Bridging the Gap from Sources to Health Outcomes: Conference Summary.” Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health 5 9-62. This article summarizes an international specialty conference of the American Association for Aerosol Research held in March 2010. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-011-0161-4
Wierman, S. 2012. EPA’s 2011 Transport Rule: Context and Major Provisions of CSAPR. EM Magazine. February 2012.
Contributing author, 2011. Technical Challenges of Multipollutant Air Quality Management, edited by George M. Hidy, Jeffrey R. Brook, Kenneth L. Demerjian, Luisa T. Molina, William T. Pennell, and Richard D. Scheffe, 2011, Springer
W. Pennell, E. Burkhard, and S. Wierman, editors. 2010. Improving Estimates of Air Pollutant Emissions in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States: A Workshop Report and Summary, March 2010 (NARSTO 10-001) (130 pp.)
Bachmann, J. and S. Wierman. 2008. Urgent CAIR Needed. EM Magazine, December 2008,
Wierman, S. 2003. Will the 8-hr Ozone Standard Finally Get Off the Ground? EM Magazine, September 2003.
J.C. Chow, J.D. Bachmann, S.S.G. Wierman, C.V. Mathai, W.C. Malm, W.H. White, P.K. Mueller, N. Kumar, J.G. Watson. 2002. Visibility: Science and Regulation, Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association 52:973-999. DOI: 10.1080/10473289.2002.10470844. (Invited Critical Review Discussant)
M. Zaw-Mon and S. Wierman. 1996. Developing Strategies to Reduce Ozone Transport in the Eastern United States. Proceedings, Annual Conference of the Air and Waste Management Association.
Aburn, Jr., G. S., G. P. Ferreri, and S. Wierman. 1986. Developing an Air Toxics Control Program for the State of Maryland. Proceedings of the 1996 Annual Conference of the Air and Waste Management Association.
Contributing author to Tomlinson, R.F., H.W. Calkins, and D.F. Marble. 1976, Computer Handling of Geographical Data. The UNESCO Press.
Honors and Awards
- S. Smith Griswold Outstanding Air Pollution Control Official (2012)
- Fellow Member, Air and Waste Management Association (2006)
- Phi Beta Kappa (1972)
Professional Organizations
Air and Waste Management Association