I am a Senior Research Scientist at Colorado State University studying tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere, known as aerosols, that originate from sources such as the ocean, soils, plants, wildfires, and other natural and human activities. My research focuses on a special subset of these particles called ice nucleating particles (INPs), which have the remarkable ability to trigger the formation of ice in clouds.

Many clouds are made up of a mixture of tiny liquid droplets and ice crystals. Without INPs, ice would rarely form in clouds at temperatures warmer than about −40 °F (−40 °C). Because ice plays a critical role in cloud lifetime, precipitation, and Earth's energy balance, understanding where INPs come from and how they behave is essential for improving weather forecasts and climate predictions.

My research investigates the abundance, composition, and sources of INPs through laboratory studies and field campaigns around the world. While much of my work is centered in the Arctic and Antarctic, I also conduct measurements in high-altitude environments, including the California Sierra Nevada, the Colorado Rockies, and the Swiss Alps, to better understand how aerosols influence clouds and climate across diverse environments.