Education:
Sc.D., Industrial Hygiene, University of Massachusetts (Lowell), 1995.
M.S., Industrial Hygiene, Harvard School of Public Health (Boston), 1980.
M.S., Physics, University of Arkansas (Fayetteville), 1975.
B.S., Physics, University of Arkansas (Fayetteville), 1970.
Research/Teaching Interest
I am interested in all aspects of occupational and environmental hazard evaluation and control, especially of the ways that fundamental knowledge of control principles is actually applied in the workplace. In particular, I have focused on the control of occupational noise exposure which leads to accelerated hearing loss, possibly the most common occupational illness. Although noise exposure is completely manageable in principle, in practice there are many difficulties to be overcome. Hearing protection devices like earplugs and earmuffs can be very effective in hearing loss prevention, but their use in actual workplaces is often sporadic and ineffective. Developing methods for overcoming these problems has been the focus of my research interest. My teaching interest in recent years has centered on distance learning and the attempt to use the power and flexibility of the Internet to improve the teaching-learning process.
Selected Publications/Presentations:
Rimmer, T.W. and Ellenbecker, M.J.: “Feasibility Assessment of a New Method for Measurement of Hearing Protector Attenuation - Bone Conduction Loudness Balance,” Applied Occupational and Environmental Health , 12(1) January 1997. Rimmer, T.W. and Ellenbecker, M.J.: “Hearing Protector Attenuation Measurement by Bone Conduction Loudness Balance Compared with Real Ear Attenuation at Threshold in a Sound Field,” Applied Occupational and Environmental Health , 12(1) January 1997.
Rimmer, T.W. and Ording, L.K.: “Field Evaluation of the Bone Conduction Loudness Balance Method for Measuring Hearing Protector Attenuation,” American Industrial Hygiene Conference, New Orleans , LA , June 7, 2001.
Rimmer, T.W.: “A New Psychoacoustic Method for Measuring Hearing Protection Device Attenuation,” Conference Proceedings, National Hearing Conservation Conference, Albuquerque , New Mexico , February 21, 1998.
Rimmer, T.W.: “Attenuation Measurement by Bone Conduction Loudness Balance Compared to Threshold Difference Method for Four Hearing Protector Types,” American Industrial Hygiene Conference, Dallas , Texas , May 20, 1997.
Rimmer, T.W.: “Hearing Protector Attenuation Measurement by Bone Conduction Loudness Balance Compared with the Threshold Difference Method in a Sound Field,” American Industrial Hygiene Conference, Washington , D.C. May 20, 1996.
Woods, B.G. and Rimmer, T.W.: “Hearing Protector Utilization by Employees of Small Lawn Maintenance Businesses,” American Industrial Hygiene Conference, Washington , D.C. May 19, 1996.
Martin, M. and Rimmer, T.W.: “Evaluation of an Improved Face Velocity Method for Prediction of Laboratory Fume Hood Performance”, American Industrial Hygiene Conference, Washington , D.C. May 20, 1996.
Rimmer, T.W.: “A New Method for Measurement of Hearing Protector Attenuation,” American Industrial Hygiene Conference, Kansas City , Missouri , May 22, 1995.
Rimmer, T.W., Tennal, K.B. and Kirtley, K.: “Aerodynamic Particle Calibration of an Optical Particle Counter,” American Industrial Hygiene Conference, New Orleans , Louisiana , May 17, 1993.
Rimmer, T.W. and Anderson, R.J.: In-duct Measurement of Centrifugal fan Sound Power, ASHRAE Journal , p. 52-56, September 1976.
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