Air pollution is a significant problem with several negative effects on society. Our current research focuses on one important class of pollutants known as aerosols and in particular the organic portion of aerosols. Aerosols are extremely small solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere. They have many detrimental consequences on human health, visibility reduction, climate change as well as effects on Earth's climate as they scatter and absorb solar radiation and ultimately impact the radiative properties of clouds.

El-Sayed Research Group utilizes various techniques, including: laboratory studies, field measurements, and modeling methods.