AirUCI faculty Jim Randerson, along with three other UCI professors, is a major contributor to a groundbreaking report entitled “Microbes in Models: Integrating Microbes into Earth System Models for Understanding Climate Change,” published by the American Academy of Microbiology. The study describes the effects of a previously overlooked aspect of climate change: microorganisms. Through their consumption and production of greenhouse gases, they drive essential biogeochemical cycles and therefore play a significant role in influencing climate change. Read the article
News
Here's the latest news from AirUCI — our events, our people, our science.
2023
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
In a June 7th article in Wired, AirUCI Research Scientist Shahir Masri (Wu group) is quoted on the health effects of the smoke generated by massive wildfires in Canada, which in the first week of June has blanketed much of Eastern Canada and the U.S. Wildfire smoke can cause immediate health effects, like heart attacks, stroke, and bronchitis, particularly in vulnerable populations, and can be threatening to pregnant women. “These single-exposure events can be really devastating to people with preexisting conditions,” says Shahir. Read the article
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
AirUCI faculty Jane Baldwin has led a study that focuses on the effects of humidity combined with high temperatures, and their combined effects on human health. The paper is published in the May 31, 2023 edition of Environmental Health Perspectives, Heat extremes obviously increase the risk of illness and death, and humidity increases heat stress by making it harder for bodies to cool. However, medical and public health experts disagree about the extent of humidity's health and mortality impacts. Read the article
Monday, June 5, 2023
On June 5, 2023, AirUCI founder and Co-Director Barbara Finlayson-Pitts was awarded an honorary doctorate from McGill University in Toronto, Canada. The degree is Doctor of Science, honoris causa (D.Sc.) and is described as follows: "Honorary doctorates are McGill University’s highest honours, and are awarded to people who have shown exceptional dedication to improving the lives of others, whether through research, art, public service, or philanthropy." Congratulations, Barb!
Monday, May 22, 2023
In a May 22nd article in the New York Times on the health effects of heat waves and the effectiveness of mitigation efforts, AirUCI faculty Jane Baldwin is quoted . Major U.S. cities are vulnerable to heat waves and blackouts, with Phoenix projected to be hardest hit. According to Jane, these findings should underscore the importance of investing in a stronger electrical grid. That would “help prevent this terrifying compound risk in the present and will continue to pay dividends in the future as heat waves continue to worsen,” she said. Read the article
Thursday, May 18, 2023
AirUCI faculty Kim Fortun is quoted in a May 18th Voice of OC article on air pollution in Santa Ana. Also named in the article are Leonel Flores of our partner organization GREEN-MPNA and AirUCI undergrad student Aiden Brown, both part of AirUCI's Beyond the Tailpipe research team. “Part of what we’re doing is working to build an environmental justice archive, one that helps communities document the history of harms that they’re facing,” said Kim. Read the article
Friday, May 12, 2023
AirUCI faculty Jane Baldwin was the guest on Third Pod from the Sun, a podcast of the American Geophysical Union. The topic was modeling hurricanes, a field where Jane is known as an expert, with discussions about algorhythms and how she uses them to model extreme weather as well as her background. You can listen to the podcast -- Jane's section starts at the 4 minute 15 second mark with their introduction.
Thursday, May 11, 2023
AirUCI faculty Mike Kleinman is co-author on a new paper describing a study that links air pollution to Alzheimer's Disease. The team conducted tests of memory and cognitive functions and found that both benchmarks were impaired by exposure to particulate matter. “Air pollution is one of the very few prominent, modifiable environmental risk factors in Alzheimer’s disease,” said Mike. “Public and environmental regulatory agencies need to accelerate efforts to reduce particulate matter levels in order to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other serious health conditions.” Read the article
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
EcoGovLab anthropologist, videographer, and archivist Tim Schutz, an AirUCI grad student, was part of an interdisciplinary team that was awarded 1st place in an U.S. EPA video competition for work showing initiatives responding to environmental injustice in a particular community. Their winning video, entitled "Civic Bioremediation: Building a Network of Soil Practitioners," focused on lead remediation in Santa Ana. Congratulations, Tim!
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Seven students in UCI's School of Physical Sciences are recipients of the prestigious National Science Foundation graduate research fellowship, and among these are Lena Gerritz. Lena is a grad student in AirUCI's Shiraiwa research team and is currently focused on the effect of wildfire air particles on long-term air quality. Congratulations, Lena! Read the article.
