American Association for Aerosol Research - Abstract Submission

AAAR 37th Annual Conference
October 14 - October 18, 2019
Oregon Convention Center
Portland, Oregon, USA

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Alison Fankhauser, Ph.D. Student and Desired Post Doc or Industry Research Position

ALISON FANKHAUSER, Columbia University

Abstract Number: 142
Working Group: Meet the Job Seekers

Abstract
Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is a significant component of ambient tropospheric aerosol and a comprehensive understanding of its sources and sinks is imperative for determining the effect on atmospheric processes, air quality and climate. SOA formation and growth involve complex and varied chemical and physical processes, and despite substantial advancements over the past decade, the SOA budget has not been closed. This work explores four distinct projects to address the sources and sinks of SOA in aqueous aerosol particles: 1) the photochemical aging of an isoprene SOA tracer, 2-methyltetrols; 2) the detailed speciation and formation rates of IEPOX-derived SOA using GAMMA; 3) the extent of photoactivator chemistry under ambient conditions, a potential source of organic aerosol mass via direct oxidation of volatile organic compounds or generation of oxidants in the particle phase; and 4) the effect of bacterial metabolism on organic aerosol content. The results of this work will yield an improved understanding of atmospheric aerosol chemistry with implications for air quality and climate.

I am a Chemical Engineering Ph.D. student at Columbia University with substantial laboratory experience as well as a modeling background. With an anticipated defense by the end of 2019, I seek a post doc or industry position to broaden my knowledge in the field of atmospheric aerosols. In particular, I would like my future work to have more direct policy relevance and to apply either my instrumental experience to fieldwork or my coding skills to a multidimensional model. Ideally, I want to relocate to the West Coast or remain on the East Coast. I hope to continue growing as a diligent scientist within our aerosol research community.