The impact of the Western Ghats on lightning activity on the western coast of India
A.K. Kamra, A.A. Nair, "The impact of the Western Ghats on lightning activity on the western coast of India." Atmospheric Research, 2015.
CV
Education
- Postdoctoral Training, University at Albany, State University of New York, NY, USA, 2024
- PhD in Atmospheric Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, NY, USA, 2021
- BS-MS in Physics, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, India, 2015
- All India Senior School Certificate, Christ Nagar Senior Secondary School, Trivandrum, India, 2009
- All India Secondary School Certificate, Christ Nagar Senior Secondary School, Trivandrum, India, 2007
Professional Appointments
- May 2024: Research Scientist, University at Albany, State University of New York, NY, USA
- Aug 2021: Postdoctoral Associate, University at Albany, State University of New York, NY, USA
- Aug 2017: Research Project Assistant, University at Albany, State University of New York, NY, USA
- Aug 2016: ASRC Graduate Fellow, University at Albany, State University of New York, NY, USA
- Jun 2015: Co-Guide, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, India
- Mar 2015: Research Assistant, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, India
Research Experience
Aug 2021 – present:
Physics-guided machine learning parameterizations of aerosol microphysics for climate models
Hybrid machine learning downscaling of air pollutant exposures to the individual level
Socioeconomic disparities in air quality and consequent impacts on morbidity & mortality
Potential impacts of climate intervention strategies on air-quality and public health
Postdoctoral Associate, Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC), Albany, NY, U.S.A.
Aug 2016 – Aug 2021:
The role of ammonia in atmospheric new particle formation and implications for cloud condensation nuclei
Research Project Assistant, Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC), Albany, NY, U.S.A.
Graduate Student, Dept. of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, University at Albany
- Developed a physicochemically explainable, robust, and computationally efficient machine learning representation for cloud condensation nuclei in GCMs, validated with the aid of DOE ARM data.
- Doctoral work resulted in 11 publications (1 under review) and 14 presentations.
- Led collaboration with 27 researchers supported by NSF, NASA, NOAA, and NRF (Korea).
Jun 2015 – May 2016:
Some observations on lightning over the Bay of Bengal
Co–guide, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, India
- Investigated the climatology of lightning over the Bay of Bengal which receives unusually high precipitation during the monsoon months, as well as displays high convective clouds - something peculiar for an oceanic region.
- Guided a Master’s student during his summer internship analyzing 18-year satellite data for lightning with sea surface temperature, CAPE, and salinity.
Aug 2014 – May 2016:
Lightning Distribution over South Asia during Active and Break Spells of the Monsoon
Mar 2015 – May 2016: Research Assistant, IITM Pune, India
Aug 2014 – Mar 2015: Masters Thesis Student, IITM Pune, India
- Studied the link between lightning activity and the axis of the monsoon trough using satellite (NASA TRMM LIS/OTD) and observational (in situ surface networks) data sets in context of intensity and duration of the active and break monsoon periods.
Aug 2013 – Dec 2013:
Synthesis and Analysis of Mesoporous SnO2 Nanoparticles
Project Student, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, India
- Optimized synthesis of hollow mesoporous graphene encapsulated SnO2 nanoparticles aimed at improved lithium ion batteries: charge capacity, number of recharge cycles, and durability.
Jan 2013 – Jul 2013:
Impacts of the Western Ghats on lightning
Project Student, IITM Pune, India
- Uncovered the strong orographic effect of the Western Ghats on lightning distribution, especially during the onset and withdrawal phases of the monsoon season using satellite data.
May 2012 – Jun 2012:
Understorey aves diversity and conservation along elevational gradients
Summer Project Student, IISER Pune, India
- Studied the elevational distribution of understorey birds at Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India.
May 2011 – Jul 2011:
Effect of anthropogenic aerosols from Mumbai on cloud electrification
IASc-INSA-NASI Summer Research Fellow, IITM Pune, India
- Studied the effect of aerosols from a metropolitan city on lightning activity.
Jun 2010 – Jul 2010:
Effect of Low Radiation Dose on Fenneropenaeus indicus
Summer Project Student, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Tirunelveli, India
- Optimized radiation doses for preservation of seafood and treatment of hospital wastes.
Grants, Honors, & Awards
Mar 2023: Narayan R. Gokhale Distinguished Research Scholarship Award 2022/2023
Department of Atmospheric And Environmental Sciences, UAlbany, NY
Dec 2022: First Place, SUNY Chancellor Distinguished PhD Graduate Dissertation Awards
State University of New York System, Albany, NY
May 2022: Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation Award 2021–2022
State University of New York at Albany, NY
Aug 2017: 2017 AAAR Annual Conference Travel Grant
The American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR), Raleigh, NC
Feb 2016: Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC) Graduate Fellowship
ASRC, State University of New York at Albany, NY
Sep 2014: Writing Science workshop: 1 of 14 (and only undergraduate) selected nation-wide
National Council for Science & Technology Communication, Govt. of India
May 2011: INSA-IASc-NASI Summer Research Fellowship (IAS-SRFP)
The Science Academies, India
Jun 2010: Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Summer Research Internship
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Govt. of India
Oct 2009: Vigyan Jyoti Shibir (Selected for National Science Camp)
Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India
Aug 2009: Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) Fellowship in Basic Sciences
Top ∼0.004% of nation-wide senior secondary school leaving students
Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India
Feb 2008: Bank of India Gold Medal (AISSE Topper)
Awarded by R. L. Bhatia, Governor of Kerala State
Aug 2007: Dr. K. M. Munshi Memorial Ever Rolling Trophy
Sameeksha 2007 (All Kerala Science Quiz Competition)
Jun 2007: National Talent Search Scholarship (NTSE)
Top ∼0.01% of nation-wide secondary school leaving students
National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), Govt. of India
May 2007: Rev. Dr. John Britto Educational Endowment
Province of St. Joseph, Thiruvananthapuram
Publications
Long-Term Trend of Gaseous Ammonia Over the United States: Modeling and Comparison With Observations
Fangqun Yu, Arshad Nair, Gan Luo, "Long-Term Trend of Gaseous Ammonia Over the United States: Modeling and Comparison With Observations." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 2018.
Spatioseasonal Variations of Atmospheric Ammonia Concentrations Over the United States: Comprehensive Model-Observation Comparison
Arshad Nair, Fangqun Yu, Gan Luo, "Spatioseasonal Variations of Atmospheric Ammonia Concentrations Over the United States: Comprehensive Model-Observation Comparison." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 2019.
Wintertime new particle formation and its contribution to cloud condensation nuclei in the Northeastern United States
Fangqun Yu, Gan Luo, Arshad Nair, James Schwab, James Sherman, Yanda Zhang, "Wintertime new particle formation and its contribution to cloud condensation nuclei in the Northeastern United States." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2020.
Quantification of Atmospheric Ammonia Concentrations: A Review of Its Measurement and Modeling
Arshad Nair, Fangqun Yu, "Quantification of Atmospheric Ammonia Concentrations: A Review of Its Measurement and Modeling." Atmosphere, 2020.
Using machine learning to derive cloud condensation nuclei number concentrations from commonly available measurements
Arshad Nair, Fangqun Yu, "Using machine learning to derive cloud condensation nuclei number concentrations from commonly available measurements." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2020.
On the Ship Particle Number Emission Index: Size-Resolved Microphysics and Key Controlling Parameters
Jingbo Mao, Yan Zhang, Fangqun Yu, Arshad Nair, Qi Yu, Lin Wang, Weichun Ma, Limin Chen, "On the Ship Particle Number Emission Index: Size-Resolved Microphysics and Key Controlling Parameters." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 2021.
Machine Learning Uncovers Aerosol Size Information From Chemistry and Meteorology to Quantify Potential Cloud-Forming Particles
Arshad Nair, Fangqun Yu, Pedro Campuzano-Jost, Paul DeMott, Ezra Levin, Jose Jimenez, Jeff Peischl, Ilana Pollack, Carley Fredrickson, Andreas Beyersdorf, Benjamin Nault, Minsu Park, Seong Yum, Brett Palm, Lu Xu, Ilann Bourgeois, Bruce Anderson, Athanasios Nenes, Luke Ziemba, Richard Moore, Taehyoung Lee, Taehyun Park, Chelsea Thompson, Frank Flocke, Lewis Huey, Michelle Kim, Qiaoyun Peng, "Machine Learning Uncovers Aerosol Size Information From Chemistry and Meteorology to Quantify Potential Cloud-Forming Particles." Geophysical Research Letters, 2021.
The independent and synergistic impacts of power outages and floods on hospital admissions for multiple diseases
Xinlei Deng, Samantha Friedman, Ian Ryan, Wangjian Zhang, Guanghui Dong, Havidan Rodriguez, Fangqun Yu, Wenzhong Huang, Arshad Nair, Gan Luo, Shao Lin, "The independent and synergistic impacts of power outages and floods on hospital admissions for multiple diseases." Science of The Total Environment, 2022.
Use of Machine Learning to Reduce Uncertainties in Particle Number Concentration and Aerosol Indirect Radiative Forcing Predicted by Climate Models
Fangqun Yu, Gan Luo, Arshad Nair, Kostas Tsigaridis, Susanne Bauer, "Use of Machine Learning to Reduce Uncertainties in Particle Number Concentration and Aerosol Indirect Radiative Forcing Predicted by Climate Models." Geophysical Research Letters, 2022.
Particle surface area, ultrafine particle number concentration, and cardiovascular hospitalizations
Shao Lin, Ian Ryan, Sanchita Paul, Xinlei Deng, Wangjian Zhang, Gan Luo, Guang-Hui Dong, Arshad Nair, Fangqun Yu, "Particle surface area, ultrafine particle number concentration, and cardiovascular hospitalizations." Environmental Pollution, 2022.
Particle number concentrations and size distributions in the stratosphere: Implications of nucleation mechanisms and particle microphysics
Fangqun Yu, Gan Luo, Arshad Nair, Sebastian Eastham, Christina Williamson, Agnieszka Kupc, Charles Brock, "Particle number concentrations and size distributions in the stratosphere: Implications of nucleation mechanisms and particle microphysics." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2023.
The importance of ammonia for springtime atmospheric new particle formation and aerosol number abundance over the United States
Arshad Nair, Fangqun Yu, Gan Luo, "The importance of ammonia for springtime atmospheric new particle formation and aerosol number abundance over the United States." Science of The Total Environment, 2023.
Environmental exposure disparities in ultrafine particles and PM2.5 by urbanicity and socio-demographics in New York state, 2013-2020
Arshad Nair, Shao Lin, Gan Luo, Ian Ryan, Quan Qi, Xinlei Deng, Fangqun Yu, "Environmental exposure disparities in ultrafine particles and PM2.5 by urbanicity and socio-demographics in New York state, 2013-2020." Environmental Research, 2023.
Mysteriously rapid rise in Legionnaires' disease incidence correlates with declining atmospheric sulfur dioxide
Fangqun Yu, Arshad Nair, Ursula Lauper, Gan Luo, Jason Herb, Matthew Morse, Braden Savage, Martin Zartarian, Meng Wang, Shao Lin, "Mysteriously rapid rise in Legionnaires' disease incidence correlates with declining atmospheric sulfur dioxide." PNAS Nexus, 2024.
On Nucleation Pathways and Particle Size Distribution Evolutions in Stratospheric Aircraft Exhaust Plumes with H2SO4 Enhancement
Fangqun Yu, Bruce Anderson, Jeffrey Pierce, Alex Wong, Arshad Nair, Gan Luo, Jason Herb, "On Nucleation Pathways and Particle Size Distribution Evolutions in Stratospheric Aircraft Exhaust Plumes with H2SO4 Enhancement." Environmental Science & Technology, 2024.
Hidden danger: The long-term effect of ultrafine particles on mortality and its sociodemographic disparities in New York State
Quan Qi, Fangqun Yu, Arshad Nair, Sam Lau, Gan Luo, Imran Mithu, Wangjian Zhang, Sean Li, Shao Lin, "Hidden danger: The long-term effect of ultrafine particles on mortality and its sociodemographic disparities in New York State." Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2024.
Talks
Comparison of GEOS-Chem simulated ammonia concentration with observation
at Poster presented at the 8th International GEOS-Chem Meeting, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA,
Comparison of Model Simulated Ammonia with Observations: A Case for Implementation of Improved Gas/Aerosol Partitioning Schemes
at Talk presented at the 36th American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) Annual Conference, Raleigh, NC, USA,
Atmospheric Ammonia over the United States: Comprehensive Model-Observation Comparisons
at Paper presented at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting 2018, Washington, DC, USA,
Atmospheric Ammonia over the United States: Comprehensive Model-Observation Comparisons
at Paper presented at the NYSDEC DAR BAQAR scientific meeting 2018, Albany, NY, USA,
Spatio-seasonal Variations of Atmospheric Ammonia: Comprehensive Model–Observation Comparisons
at Poster presented at the 9th International GEOS-Chem Meeting, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA,
Assessment of Model-Simulated Global Atmospheric Ammonia with Satellite Remote Sensing Measurements
at Poster presented at the 37th American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) Annual Conference, Portland, OR, USA,
Ammonium and Ammonia: Concentration Trends in the Northeast United States
at Poster presented (Schwab) at the 37th American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) Annual Conference, Portland, OR, USA,
Particle Number Concentrations and Their Controlling Parameters: Predictive analysis using machine learning
at Poster presented at the 100th American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, USA,
Particle Number Concentrations and Their Controlling Parameters: Predictive analysis using machine learning
at Paper presented at the NYS DEC-DAR-BAQAR scientific meeting 2020, Albany, NY, USA,
Predicting atmospheric particle number concentrations using machine learning
at Paper presented at the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center Friday Colloquy, Albany, NY, USA,
Use of machine learning to reduce uncertainty in anthropogenic radiative forcing associated with aerosol-cloud interactions
at Paper presented (Yu) at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting 2020, Virtual,
Using machine learning to derive cloud condensation nuclei number concentrations from commonly available measurements
at Paper presented at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting 2020, Virtual,
Using Data from NASA Suborbital Campaigns to Validate a Machine Learning Algorithm for Predicting Cloud Condensation Nuclei
at Paper presented at the 101st American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting, Virtual,
The Role of Ammonia in Atmospheric New Particle Formation and Aerosol Number Abundance at the Southern Great Plains Site
at Paper presented at the 39th American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) Annual Conference, Virtual,
GEOS-Chem-APM for physics-informed machine learning emulators and parameterizations
at Oral presentation at the 10th International GEOS-Chem Meeting, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA,
Race-ethnicity disparities in COVID-19 outcomes may be worsened by shorter- and long-term aerosol pollutants exposure
at Oral presentation at the International Conference on Environment and Human Health: Challenges and Opportunities in the 21st Century, Virtual,
Race-ethnicity disparities in COVID-19 outcomes may be worsened by shorter- and long-term aerosol pollutants exposure
at Oral presentation at the 34th Annual Conference of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE), Virtual,
Socioeconomic disparities in aerosol pollutant exposure may be amplified by ultrafine particles despite declining PM$_2.5$
at Oral presentation at the 34th Annual Conference of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE), Virtual,
On Processes Controlling Size Distributions and Optical Properties of Stratospheric Particles: Long-Term Simulations and Comparisons with Measurements
at Oral presentation (Yu) at the 103rd American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, USA,
Global Atmospheric Ammonia: Insights from Modeling and Multi-Satellite Measurements
at Oral presentation at the 103rd American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting, Virtual* - COVID-19 got me in 2023,
Systematically assessing associations and disparities between ultra-fine particles and health outcomes, and the modifications by weather and greenness
at Oral presentation at the NYSDEC BAQAR/NYSERDA Seminar Series, Albany, NY, USA,
The long-term effect of ultrafine particles on mortality and its sociodemographic disparities
at Paper presented (Qi) at the American Public Health Association (APHA) 2023 Annual Meeting and Expo,
Mysteriously rapid rise in Legionnaires' Disease incidence correlates with declining atmospheric sulfur dioxide
at Oral presentation at the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) Legionnaires' Disease Surveillance Workgroup Call, Atlanta, GA, USA,
Mysteriously rapid rise in Legionnaires' Disease incidence correlates with declining atmospheric sulfur dioxide
at Oral presentation at the NYSDEC BAQAR/NYSERDA Seminar Series, Albany, NY, USA,
GEOS-Chem-APM for (1) physics-guided machine learning parameterizations and (2) aerosol pollution exposure and health disparities
at Poster presented at the 11th International GEOS-Chem Meeting, Harvard University, St. Louis, MO, USA,
Effects of Ultrafine Particles and Extreme Temperature on Hospital Admissions of High Burden Diseases
at Oral presentation (Qi) at the 46th Annual Meeting of the Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management (APPAM), National Harbor, MD, USA,
Service and leadership
University-level: University at Albany Senate Council on Research (CoR) Member 2024–26; Member of The Committee on Centers, Institutes and Specialized Research Laboratories; Member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Faculty Research Award Program - Category A; 2024 Search Committee for Research Faculty at the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center.
Reviewer: (Agencies) National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO) and (Journals) Science, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Environmental Science & Technology, ES&T Letters, Environmental Research Letters, Science of the Total Environment, Environment Systems and Decisions, Environment International, Atmosphere, Atmospheric Research, ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, Journal of Environmental Sciences, Remote Sensing of the Environment, Journal of Applied Remote Sensing, Advances in Space Research, Tellus Series B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology, Applied Sciences, Science Bulletin, Sustainability, Toxics, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH), Hygiene and Health Advances.
Working Groups: (Subscriber) DOE Atmospheric System Research Aerosol Processes WG, NCAR Geoengineering Modeling Research Consortium.
Mentor: Science and Technology Entry Program College Overview and Research Experience (STEP/CORE; New York State Education Dept.), Project SHORT, and Wonderland Literacy Center (Indian NGO).
Member: (Non-selective) American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR), American Geophysical Union (AGU), American Physical Society (APS), American Meteorological Society (AMS), International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE), American Public Health Association (APHA), (previously) The New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS), National Postdoctoral Association (NPA), and Capital District Postdoc Association (CDPA).