MICHAEL A. ROBERT
Civil & Environmental Engineering
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1994
M.E., Environmental Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 2001
Research Focus:
"Identification of Organic Tracers in Atmospheric Nanoparticles" is the title of my NEAT-IGERT research project. This project is part of my broader PhD dissertation topic of the source apportionment of fine and ultrafine urban aerosols. Fine and ultrafine atmospheric particulate matter (aerosols) have been implicated in adverse environmental affects as well as increased human mortality and morbidity. However, it is unclear the specific sources of aerosols in this size range (less than 100 nanometers in aerodynamic diameter). Contributing to this uncertainty are the complications of atmospheric transport and deposition and chemical transformation. The goal of my research is to first identify organic tracers in fine and ultrafine aerosols, then to use statistical techniques to build a source library for these particles. My PhD research will also include experimental (i.e. source and ambient sampling) as well as computational (computer modeling) aspects of this subject. This data can ultimately be used in support of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) abatement strategies.
Personal Statement:
A primary reason I chose to attend UCD was the interdisciplinary nature and focus of the NEAT program. As expected, the IGERT program is providing me a broad but detailed introduction and appreciation to nanoparticles and nano-research. This perspective is very beneficial as I am now able to identify interrelationships between my research and related research outside of my field (such as the epidemiological effects of nanoparticles) and am using this knowledge to contextualize my work. To date I have participated in three IGERT classes, an IGERT short course in ‘Nanoparticles in the Environment" and a NEAT outreach program. I plan to use my IGERT support to attend several professional conferences and perhaps a research rotation, and to support my research project with needed equipment/supplies. It is my belief that through these various avenues my participation in the IGERT program will result in a heightened understanding of the interplay between my research and the greater scientific and political communities.
