Everyone deserves clean air without any toxic chemicals.
For Will Rice, the effort to create clean air is personal. “My dad worked in environmental health and safety, and because of his exposure he lost one lung,” he explains. As Rice grew up, his father made-do with one lung, but his abilities were certainly compromised.
“That always mattered to me,” he says. “I want people to be protected while doing their job. Everyone deserves clean air without any toxic chemicals.”
Growing up in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California, Rice was always curious about why and how things worked. He went on to study earth sciences with a minor in jazz music studies. He essentially combined his passion for environmental ecosystems with the intricacies of jazz composition. Rice says he’s always had an appreciation for complex systems, planning, and pivoting.
Alleviating the struggles of field technicians.
This path led Rice and his creation and design partner, Jacob Hohn, to the VaporDeckTM. Enthalpy Analytics’ VaporDeckTM is a device used in vapor intrusion testing. It’s designed with Rice’s commitment to public health and integrity in mind.
“As we went into the fields with our clients,” explains Rice, “I began to see how soil vapor sampling was actually happening. I was hearing and seeing a lot of pain points.” The stakes were high and field technicians did not have access to the type of equipment needed to properly test that the land was safe. “That’s when we decided to get involved,” he says.
For one, using a modified disposable three-way manifold creates a system that is new re-usable and a predictable flat workspace. “A lot of people are at the mercy of how level the ground is or whether or not there is tall grass where they are working,” explains Rice. The VaporDeck™️ eliminates this problem.
The minimal intake points also help save helium, and it can simultaneously detect at three different levels. This saves so much time for Rice’s clients. He explains, “Ultimately, we’re getting people in and out of field twice as fast.”
Having a portable, reusable, and effective vapor intrusion testing device is a game changer.
The entire process of creating the VaporDeckTM was informed by the people who will actually use the product. “Every time we change something,” says Rice, “we talk to regulators before we put it into the client’s hands.” It is a product of input from all parties. The VaporDeckTM team relied on their listening skills – listening to the field technicians, the lab teams, the project leads, and the regulators. They took in all they were hearing to problem-solve and find a better way.
“VaporDeckTM is the invention of many hands and minds over the last 10 years, all with the intention of access to breathable air.”
Having a portable, reusable, and effective vapor intrusion testing device is a game changer, and Rice is excited and eager to get into the hands of those who will make a difference. “This is really meant to enable people to serve public health better.”
Will Schoonover Rice
Business Development, Enthalpy Analytical
Will Rice has worked as an environmental professional for over 15 years. In his current Business Development role with Enthalpy Analytical, he applies a technical emphasis on vapor intrusion. In his work supporting site investigations, he maintains open communication and collaboration with regulators as well as private and public entities to ensure policies are applied as intended. Will also shares his expertise with several collaborative work groups, including the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) Vapor Intrusion Committee team and the Education Committee of the Association of Vapor Intrusion Professionals (AVIP), allowing him to participate in public input on best practices and policy. He is part of a design and fabrication team for a patent-pending vapor sampling technology with a unique leak check system. He regularly presents his on work across the country and hopes to aid in nationwide standardization and optimization.
