Megan He
I am a PhD student in Professor Daniel Jacob's Atmospheric Chemistry Modeling Group at Harvard.
My research uses models to explain the global rise in methane concentrations, and I'm also interested in connecting these findings to air quality and science policy.
Education
Harvard University, Ph.D., Environmental Science & Engineering 2023 - present
Advisor: Daniel J. Jacob
University of Cambridge, MPhil, Public Policy 2022 - 2023
Fully funded by the Kanders Churchill Scholarship in Science Policy
Advisor: Cristina Peñasco
Yale University, B.S., Environmental Engineering and Global Affairs 2018 - 2022
Magna cum laude with Distinction in both majors; Energy Studies certificate
Advisor: Drew R. Gentner
Publications
4. He, M., Ditto, J.C., Gardner, L., Machesky, J., Hass-Mitchell, T.M., Chen, C., Khare, P., Sahin, B., Fortner, J.D., Plata, D.L., Drollette, B.D., Hayden, K., Wentzell, J.B., Mittermeier, R.L., Leithead, A., Lee, P., Darlington, A., Wren, S.N., Zhang, J., Wolde, M., Moussa, S.G., Li, S.-M., Liggio, J., & Gentner, D.R. (2024). Total organic carbon measurements reveal major gaps in reported petrochemical emissions. Science, 383, 426-432, doi:10.1126/science.adj6233.
3. Hayden, K. L., Li, S.-M., Liggio, J., Wheeler, M. J., Wentzell, J.B., Leithead, A., Brickell, P., Mittermeier, R.L., Oldham, Z., Mihele, C.M., Staebler, R.M., Moussa, S.G., Darlington, A., Wolde, M., Thompson, D., Chen, J., Griffin, D., Eckert, E., Ditto, J.C., He, M., & Gentner, D.R. (2022). Reconciling the total carbon budget for boreal forest wildfire emissions using airborne observations, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12493–12523, doi:10.5194/acp-22-12493-2022.
2. Ditto, J.C., He, M., Hass-Mitchell, T.N., Moussa, S.G., Hayden, K., Li, S.-M., Liggio, J., Leithead, A., Lee, P., Wheeler, M.J., Wentzell, J.B., & Gentner, D.R. (2021). Atmospheric evolution of emissions from a boreal forest fire: the formation of highly functionalized oxygen-, nitrogen-, and sulfur-containing organic compounds, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 255–267. doi:10.5194/acp-21-255-2021.
1. Khare, P., Machesky, J., Soto, R., He, M., Presto, A.A., & Gentner, D.R. (2020). Asphalt-related emissions are a major missing nontraditional source of secondary organic aerosol precursors. Science Advances, 6(36). doi:10.1126/sciadv.abb9785.
Presentations
3. Total organic carbon measurements reveal major gaps in petrochemical emissions reporting. Air Quality and Research Division (AQRD) Expert Seminar Series, Environment and Climate Change Canada, remote, 30 November 2023. [Invited Talk]
2. He, M., Ditto, J., Gardner, L., Machesky, J., Hass-Mitchell, T., Chen, C., Khare, P., Sahin, B., Fortner, J., Hayden, K., Wentzell, J., Mittermeier, R., Leithead, A., Lee, P., Darlington, A., Zhang, J., Moussa, S., Li, S.-M., Liggio, J., and Gentner, D.: Total organic carbon measurements reveal large discrepancies in reported petrochemical emissions, GEIA Conference 2023, Brussels, Belgium, 21–23 June 2023. [Poster]
1. He, M., Ditto, J., Gardner, L., Machesky, J., Hass-Mitchell, T., Chen, C., Khare, P., Sahin, B., Fortner, J., Hayden, K., Wentzell, J., Mittermeier, R., Leithead, A., Lee, P., Darlington, A., Zhang, J., Moussa, S., Li, S.-M., Liggio, J., and Gentner, D.: Total organic carbon measurements reveal large discrepancies in reported petrochemical emissions, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 24–28 Apr 2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-2923. [Poster]
Awards
Global Emissions Initiative (GEIA) Conference Poster Prize - 2023
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship - 2022
Kanders Churchill Scholarship in Science Policy - 2022
Henry Prentiss Becton Prize - 2022
Yale Research Symposium 1st Place, Applied Sciences - 2022
Barry S. Goldwater Scholarship - 2021
Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society - 2021
Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society - 2020
Yale College Dean’s Research Fellowship - 2020
Yale College First-Year Research Fellowship - 2019
President’s Environmental Youth Award - 2018
Experience
World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Policy Intern , March – April 2023
Co-authored the “State of Climate Services” flagship publication on the global health impacts of climate change, to be launched at COP28.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ORISE Research Fellow
Office of Transportation and Air Quality: Assessment & Standards Division, June – September 2022
Modeled aviation emissions (CO2, NOx, PM) and aircraft fleet evolution trends in cooperation with the International Civil Aviation Organization.
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Research Intern
Laboratory of Atmospheric Processes and their Impacts, May – September 2021
Analyzed the impact of aerosol acidity on atmospheric deposition using field measurements and thermodynamic models. Advised by Prof. Athanasios Nenes.
Yale University, Undergraduate Researcher
Dept. of Chemical & Environmental Engineering: Gentner Lab, May 2019 – May 2022
Characterized and quantified reactive carbon emissions from nontraditional sources of air pollution using chemical data software and statistical packages; see publications. Advised by Prof. Drew Gentner.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Intern
Office of Transportation and Air Quality: SmartWay Program, July – August 2018
Assessed the scope of the freight sustainability program’s integration within its partners’ marketing and Corporate Social Responsibility plans.