Mandy Holden
My research involves analyzing source filters and liquid extracts from the FLAME (Fire Lab at Missoula Experiment) studies for carbohydrates, including levoglucosan, using High Performance Anion Exchange Chromatography with Pulsed Amperometric Detection, and potassium, using Ion Chromatography. I am using this data to create source profiles to determine the contributions of primary biomass combustion in ambient samples from IMPROVE (Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments) sampling sites. I anticipate graduating in the Spring or Summer of 2008, after which I will begin my Ph.D. work, also at CSU.
Stephen Holcomb
My undergraduate research under Dr. Gary Morris for the NASA INTEX Ozonesonde Network Study (IONS) led me to pursue graduate work at Colorado State. By combining my meteorology and chemistry background, I plan to develop methods of applying lab-on-a-chip technology-for the continuous measurement of ambient inorganic (and maybe organic) aerosols. If implemented, microchip capillary electrophoresis could significantly shrink the time, bulk, and cost associated with traditional aerosol measurement techniques.
Kelly Wells
My research involves determining aerosol optical properties using remote sensing data from ground- and space-based sensors. Presently, I am focusing on improving estimates of aerosol absorption over North Africa using a combination of spectral reflectances from MODIS and lidar profiles from the CALIPSO space-borne lidar. The goal of this work will be to improve estimates of the aerosol direct radiative effect over land, which is currently one of the largest uncertainties in the global energy budget.