About LAR
The Laboratory for Atmospheric Research (LAR) is a multidiscipli- nary group focused on air quality graduate education and research. The LAR emphasizes research related to Biosphere/Atmosphere Interactions and Regional Air Quality Measurements and Modeling. Specific areas of research include Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOC) in the Atmosphere, Regional Air Quality Modeling, Regional Particulate Matter (PM), Space-Based Air Pollution Measurements, Emissions of Global Greenhouse Gases, and Pollutant Transport & Dispersion. Research projects are conducted in these areas at locations extending from the Pacific Northwest across the U.S. and around the globe.
Faculty & Staff
LAR faculty and research staff bring a wide range of expertise to the Environmental Engineering program. Their cumulative experience includes numerical modeling and forecasting of air quality and global climate change, biosphere/atmosphere interactions, and instrument development -- just to name a few. To learn more, please visit our faculty page.
Students & Curriculum
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Currently 9 PhD and 2 MS students
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Student Awards: EPA STAR Fellowship, AWMA Graduate Fellowship, numerous Best Paper awards
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Undergraduate courses: meteorology, air pollution measurements, air pollution control, Tier III global climate change
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Graduate courses: meteorology, air pollution measurements, air pollution control, atmospheric chemistry, air quality modeling, radiative transfer, and atmospheric aerosols
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Participant in WSU Environmental Science Program (cross-listed courses, advisors to ESRP students)
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Participants in WSU IGERT Proposal and University of Michigan IGERT Proposal
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For more information, see Students
Multi-disciplinary & Collaborative Research
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Cooperative programs with the University of Michigan, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of New Hampshire, the Montana Institute of Technology, University of Washington, Purdue University, Aerodyne Research, Inc., and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (links to PROPHET page, Urban Respiration page, Montana Tech page)
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Founding participants of WSU Center for Environmental, Sediment and Aquatic Research (CESAR)
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Founding participants of WSU Center for Environmental Research, Education and Outreach (CEREO)
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Cooperative WSU programs with Animal Sciences, Botany, Crops and Soils, USDA-ARS
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Participant in the Pacific Northwest Modeling Consortium
External Research Funding
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National Science Foundation, NASA, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy
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Washington Department of Ecology, Washington Department of Transportation, SAPCA, SWAPCA
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4.5 million dollars over the past 5 years
Alumni
LAR alumni are excellent representatives of Washington State University with successful careers in academia, industry, and government agencies. Presently, our alumni hold faculty positions at the:
- University of Minnesota
- University of Alaska at Fairbanks
- Montana Institute for Technology
- New Mexico Institute for Technology
- South Dakota Institute for Mining and Technology
Our alumni serve as research scientists at the:
- National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA)
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
- Norwegian Institute for Air Research
Learn more about:
BAMS cover, Oct 2003 (view
pdf)
LAR researcher Shelley Pressley at the PNW feedlot
.gif)
LAR students installing monitor- ing equipment at the
WSU Dairy
Student researcher enjoys the view from a tower in
Oregon
PhD graduate Jack Chen standing
next to the LAR linux cluster