Quantifying the sources and sinks of environmental contaminants
In our environmental chemistry lab at ÈËÆÞÓÕ»ó College in Portland, Oregon, we study the origins, transport, and fate of air pollutants such as mercury, ozone, and aerosols. Our work is centered around atmospheric emissions and motivated by the negative impacts these emissions have on sensitive ecosystems and human health. We focus on questions regarding gas-phase and multiphase atmospheric chemistry, aerosols and particulate matter, air quality and pollutant formation, wildfire smoke and urban emissions, and interactions between atmospheric chemistry and climate. We are also interested in contaminants in water and soil, such as heavy metals and 6ppd-q.
To study these questions, we combine field-based chemical and meteorological measurements with statistical and meteorological models to investigate the transport pathways, chemical reactions, and removal processes that pollutants undergo in the atmosphere or broader environment. Our lab emphasizes collaborative, hands-on research and provides undergraduate students with opportunities to engage deeply in all stages of the scientific process.