A major research theme in the Applied Interdisciplinary Research on Flow Systems (AIRFlowS) Lab is to advance understanding of how matter—ranging from microplastics and tire wear particles to pollen, pathogens, and chemical aerosols—emits, transforms, and moves through the atmosphere and across environmental interfaces.
Our work is inherently interdisciplinary, integrating fluid dynamics, atmospheric and air-quality science, computational modeling, and aerosol physics and chemistry to link micro-scale processes with environmental and human-health outcomes.
Through a synergistic blend of numerical simulation, theory, laboratory experiments, field observations, and satellite data, we address core scientific questions such as:
- What environmental and physicochemical factors govern the emission and aerosolization of emerging pollutants?
- How do particles and reactive species evolve and travel once released into the atmosphere?
- What are the implications of these cross-interface fluxes for ecosystems, climate, and human health?
