Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D., has been honored by the University of Southern California Alumni Association with the prestigious Alumni Merit Award. Knatz earned a Master of Science degree in environmental engineering and a doctorate in biological science from USC. โThe Alumni Merit Awards are given to individuals whose remarkable accomplishments speak well for the range and quality of a USC education,โ said Patrick E. Auerbach, the interim associate vice president for alumni relations. โDr.