Group Members

Dr. Miska Olin (2023-Present)

Dr. Olin received Ph.D. from Tempere University focusing on atmospheric chemistry, aerosol dynamics, CFD, and CTM modelling, model development, planning, running, and data handling of aerosol, gas, and molecular cluster measurements, including chemical ionization mass spectrometers and several particle measurement instruments, both in laboratory and field environments (also mobile). He has more than 12 years of experience in atmospheric chemistry and physics. 

He is currently working on the Department of Energy project to examine aerosol-cloud interactions in the Southestern U.S., as well as emerging health-related gas phase pollutants in the Houston area. 

2. Sahir Gagan (2022-Present)

Sahir is interested in combining organic synthesis and mass spectrometry techniques to examine the formation and atmospheric processing of compelx organic aerosols. Sahir has a B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemistry from University of Delhi. He then studied and worked at the Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences. He joins the ACCI Zhang lab at Texas A&M University, aiming to syntheize key intermediate and final reaction products that will help answer the reaction mechanisms of organic aerosols. 

Sahir is currently working on the developing online measurement techniques and examining a type of emerging pollutants, per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) . 

3. Alana Dodero (2022-Present)

Alana's research interests include aerosol chemistry, aerosol-cloud interactions, and modeling the optical properties of aerosol particles. Alana received her B.S. degree in the department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to joining Dr. Zhang's lab, she worked as an undergradaute researcher in the Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering (JIFRESSE), UCLA’s Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Department, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 

She is currently working on A field camapign in Houston to understand a type of emerging pollutants, volatile organic compounds (VCPs). 

1. Mr. Kyle McCary (2022-Present)

Kyle McCary is pursuing an undergraduate degree in Meteorology with a minor in Mathematics. I enjoy studying atmospheric chemistry and air quality, as well as general forecasting and dynamics. I am a Christian, and outside of school, I enjoy weightlifting, chess (although I am not too great at it), and spending quality time with the people around me.

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-m-0aaa1425b

2. Mr. Vann Howard (2023-Present)

Vann Howard pursues B.S. degree in the Environmental Chemistry major at Texas A&M. He is  performing research on atmospheric pollutants and the reactions they participate in.

3. Ms. Alyssa Moon (2023-Present)

Alyssa Moon is a current undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Engineering. She enjoys learning about aerosol interactions in the atmosphere and relating it to her previously acquired knowledge of environmental regulation and air pollution. In her free time, Alyssa enjoys staying active, bodybuilding, cooking, baking, and having fun with friends and family. She looks forward to learning more in Dr. Zhang's lab and completing her degree at Texas A&M University. Thanks and Gig'em!

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-moon-0848a6214/

1. Ms. Jessica Allen (2022-2023)

Jessica Allen is from Houston, Texas. She graduated with a BS degree in Meteorology and double minors in Astrophysics and Math. She has completed research work in astrophysics. She conducted undergraduate research in the aging of micro-plastics and climate effects of aerosols with Dr. Yue Zhang. Jessica intends to apply to graduate school to further her knowledge in planetary sciences and progress towards a career in space exploration.

Jessica is now working at the NASA. 

LinkIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-allen-83b69616b/

2. Ruizhe Liu (2021-2022)

Ruizhe was a visiting student in Dr. Zhang’s group. He is originally from Tianjin, China. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a M.S. degree in enviornmental sciences and eingineering, and then visited Dr. Zhang's lab shortly after. He mainly used the AMS and the positive matrix factorization (PMF) and multilinear engine (ME-2) techniques to chemically characterize various groups of aerosol particles. His hobbies including watching science fiction movies and comedies, playing soccer and basketball, as well as traveling. Ruizhe is now a Ph.D. student at the Georgia Institute of Technology. 

3. Mr. Peyton Langford (2022-2023)

Howdy! My name is Peyton Langford, from Houston, Texas. Peyton received a bachelor's degree in meteorology and a minor in geographic information systems and technology. I enjoy looking at super convective systems and the details behind them, all the way down to the molecular level where I believe it's important to look at how all of these various chemical reactions affect the big picture. I also enjoy severe weather forecasting and analysis. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with friends, golfing, and learning new skills.

Peyton is now a meteroligist for KNWA TV Station. 

4. Mr. Geoffrey Roberts (2022-2023)

Howdy, I studied Meteorology at Texas A&M University with an interest in Air Pollution and coding. I am interested in the effects of air pollution on weather processes and the environment with a specific interest in the effects on convection. I am a native Houstonian and love to take weather photography, read and fish.  

Geoffrey is now pursuing a Ph.D. in the University of Houston. 

5. Yeaseul Kim (2022-2023)

Yeaseul graduated with a BS degree in Oceanography in South Korea. She had worked as an undergraduate researcher for 3 years, and have a strong research background in monitoring long-lived greenhouse gases and halogen compounds.  Yeaseul previously had mainly used Lagrangian transport models for identifying emission source regions and emission estimates. She is also familiar with instruments and in-situ measurements (GC-MS, CRDS, NDIR) for observing VOCs, halogen compounds, CO2, CH4 and 13C isotopes. At Texas A&M, she was a visiting student examining the chemical reactions of VOCs and aerosols in the atmosphere, and aerosol-cloud interactions. Yeaseul is now a Ph.D. student at the University of Michigan. 

6. Joy (Zhenli) Lai (2021-2023)

Joy is interested in combining analytical chemistry techniques with public health and toxicology knowledge to examine the chemical processes and the associated health implications of organic aerosols. She gradauted from the elite class with a B.S. degree in Atmospheric Sciences from the Chengdu University of Information Technology. Zhenli performed undergradaute research in assessing the risks of ambient particulate matter in the Chinese population. She also examined the earth-air-cloud process on the organized convective system in the Tibetan Plateau and studied weather forecasting and meterology. 

Joy worked on modeling the ice nucleation process of organic aerosol particles by working with collaborators from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). She is now doing internship at the PNNL.