Imari Walker-Franklin

Imari Walker-Franklin is a Research Chemist with RTI’s Discovery Science Division. As an environmental engineer, she contributes to the development of suspect screening, non-targeted chemical analysis and other research interests of the Analytical Sciences group, including understanding the effects of PFAS chemicals. Dr. Walker-Franklin is a subject matter expert with practical experience with operating and maintaining liquid chromography with tandem/high-resolution accurate mass spectrometry systems (LC-MS/MS and LC-HRAMS). 

Previously, Dr. Walker-Franklin finished her environmental engineering Ph.D. at Duke University, where she investigated the fate, occurrence and transformation of polymer-associated chemicals within aquatic environments. In particular, her dissertation work focused on studying endocrine-disrupting chemicals like Bisphenol A (BPA). Dr. Walker-Franklin has shared these research findings on plastic pollution at national press conferences, panels, and lectures. Additionally, she has conducted an outreach research project characterizing chemical contaminants in North Carolina’s well water and septic tank systems. She received her engineer-in-training certification from the State of North Carolina Board of Examiners for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. Dr. Walker-Franklin’s research interests include environmental analytical chemistry, environmental justice, and non-target analysis workflow development.