Assistant Professor
Meteorology Department
University of Utah

B.S. in Meteorology, Deptartment of Geologic and Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 1990

Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 1995

Postdoctoral Researcher in Air Pollution, Crocker Nuclear Laboratory, University of California, Davis 1995-1998

My primary research interests are concerned with identifying the sources, sinks, transport, optical properties, and climatic effects of particulate matter in the atmosphere. The study of these topics requires detailed knowledge about the particle size, composition, and morphology that can only be obtained through in situ air sampling. As a result, I have extensive experience using both ground-based and airborne aerosol sampling techniques. I have also spent considerable time developing highly sensitive analytical techniques for analyzing the size- and time-resolved mass and chemical composition of aerosols.

I have recently turned my attention to the problem of mercury contamination in water bodies throughout the Intermountain West. At present, the sources of the gaseous and particulate mercury and the transport pathways into to water bodies are not well understood. In an attempt to address this important environmental pollution problem, I have assembled an interdisciplinary team of scientists. We are currently working on a project for the US Environmental Protection Agency to determine the transport pathways of mercury into Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir in southwestern Idaho. This project requires in situ measurements of gaseous and particulate mercury in both the air and surface waters. These observations will be combined with meteorological measurements, atmospheric transport/diffusion models, and receptor models to quantify the contributions of individual source types to the contamination problem.