LOS ANGELES – August 18, 2014: Dr. Geraldine Knatz, former executive director for the Port of Los Angeles, has been appointed as Professor of the Practice of Policy and Engineering at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.
“I am looking forward to taking my real-world experiences working in the maritime field to students in the classroom,” said Knatz. “They’ll be able to learn from a practitioner’s point of view and I’m excited to get to know students and see their careers advance.”
Knatz will teach one graduate-level course, Seaport Policy and Management, in Fall 2014 as well as conduct research for the Price School. She is also teaching Environmental and Regulatory Compliance in Spring 2015 and conducting research on port governance and sustainability for USC Viterbi.
“The Price School welcomes Knatz's considerable contributions not only to our students interested in transportation policy and environmental policy, but also her anticipated contributions to our extensive research in each of these areas,” said Jack H. Knott, Dean of the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. “Her hands-on experience exemplifies the bridge between professional expertise and theoretical knowledge that is a hallmark of the Price School.”
Knatz was the first woman to serve as the executive director for the Port of Los Angeles, the top port by container volume in the United States. Serving from 2006 to 2013, she made many improvements to the port, including implementing the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan, the Green Port Policy, and the Truck Trip Reduction Program. In 2007, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed her to the California Ocean Protection Council, which oversees and coordinates statewide policy for the protection and management of the state’s ocean and coastal resources. Knatz was also appointed to the National Sea Grant College Program Review Panel by the Secretary of Commerce, and served as Chair of the Marine Board of the National Academy of Sciences.
She received numerous honors, including the 2009 Leadership Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners-Los Angeles (NAWBO-LA) and an honorary Ph.D. from the Maine Maritime Academy in 2009. Earlier this year, she was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the highest professional distinction accorded to an engineer.
Knatz received her Master of Science in environmental engineering and her Ph.D. in biological sciences from the University of Southern California. USC Viterbi Dean Yannis C. Yortsos looks forward to her joining the university in her new capacity.
“We are very pleased that Dr. Knatz has returned to join our faculty in both USC Price and USC Viterbi. Her immense experience in sociotechnical management and in environmental engineering will be of tremendous help as she teaches and mentors our students to understand the intersection of engineering, the environment, management and policy ” said Yortsos.
About the USC Viterbi School of Engineering


Engineering Studies began at the University of Southern California in 1905. Nearly a century later, the Viterbi School of Engineering received a naming gift in 2004 from alumnus Andrew J. Viterbi, inventor of the Viterbi algorithm now key to cell phone technology and numerous data applications. Consistently ranked among the top graduate programs in the world, the school enrolls more than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students, taught by 174 tenured and tenure-track faculty, with 60 endowed chairs and professorships. http://viterbi.usc.edu
About the USC Price School of Public Policy
The USC Price School of Public Policy, established in 1929, is one of the premier schools of its kind in the nation. Through a time-honored commitment to public service, a legacy of strong connections to professional leaders and a world-renowned research portfolio, the school’s faculty, students and alumni work to improve the quality of life for people and their communities worldwide. The USC Price School of Public Policy is at the forefront of research and teaching on today’s major issues, including: housing and real estate markets, environmental sustainability, health care, economic development, transportation and infrastructure, governance and leadership, nonprofits and philanthropy, civic engagement, immigration and the impact of terrorism.
Contact
Megan Hazle – 213-821-1887 or hazle@usc.edu
