Jeff Pratt
Staff Environmental Scientist
I have always been drawn toward the unendingly complex interactions between people and the environment. I am passionate about increasing our understanding of the natural world and our ability to improve the environment for everyone.
Hired
- 2021
Location
- Portland, OR
Expertise
Practices
As a member of our busy Portland environmental team, Jeff specializes in chemical analysis for industrial sites and other properties in need of remediation. On any given day, Jeff might be leading a field investigation, handling project management responsibilities, or performing intricate statistical analyses to guide clean-up plans and risk assessments. Regardless of the task or project, Jeff’s ultimate goal is clear—to repair the environment we share.
“I have always found peace and quiet in the natural world,” Jeff says. “As a collegiate athlete, I was lucky enough to spend almost every day on the water of Lake Whatcom, which further developed my connection to lakes, rivers, and streams.”
His fascination with the outdoors led Jeff to study environmental science at Western Washington University (WWU). While in school, Jeff encountered the world of professional consulting for the first time during a competition that challenged students to tackle real-world problems for mock clients.
“I enjoyed the search for the best solutions and knew that this is what I wanted to do as a career,” Jeff says.
Jeff was excited to launch his consulting career at GeoEngineers after graduating from WWU with a master’s degree in toxicology and chemistry in 2021. In addition to working on a variety of projects across the region, Jeff quickly became a key part of GeoEngineers’ ongoing and complex work within the Portland Harbor Superfund Site.
“Those are some of my favorite projects,” Jeff says. “They have all the interesting industrial complexities of the Willamette River, but I also enjoy the interpersonal and inter-organizational relationships with so many individuals and stakeholders who are all working together to make the region a better place.”
Jeff is actively engaged with the Oregon Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association, where he supports his profession and introduces students to the potential of an environmental career. Jeff is also devoted to spending as much of his free time outside as possible. He enjoys running his dog to Mt. Tabor for squirrel chasing, walking the beaches of the Willamette River, bouldering in his local gyms and crags, or just relaxing outdoors with a good book.
Awards
- Oregon Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA), Director, 2023-2025.
- Huxley College of the Environment, T.H. Huxley Award and College Commencement Speaker, 2018.
- AWMA, Environmental Challenge International First Place Winner, 2018.
- Pacific Northwest International Section AWMA, Environmental Challenge Regional, First Place Winner, 2017
Articles
- “Source Assessment Tools for Determining Relative Petrogenic and Pyrogenic PAH Contributions to a Mixed Sediment Environment,” 2023 PNWIS AWMA in Suquamish, Washington.
- “Using Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Clustering to Explore Trends in the Water Quality, Metal Concentrations, and Algal Taxa Richness of 68 Lakes in Northwest Washington,” 2021 Master’s Thesis at Western Washington University.
