CAREER: Understanding Chemistry, Transport and Fate of Mercury and Persistent Organic Pollutants through Global Atmospheric Modeling

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This research will improve understanding about and better quantify the atmospheric chemistry of the toxic atmospheric constituents mercury (Hg) and persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Though both Hg and POPs pose substantial environmental risks, their atmospheric behavior, including chemical reactions, sources and sinks, and gas-particle partitioning, is not well-understood. A global, three-dimensional atmospheric model, GEOS-Chem, will be used in combination with analysis of global observational datasets, to gain insights into these contaminants.The educational and outreach component of the project is focused on (1) training graduate-level scientists and engineers to participate effectively in international politics, and (2) informing global negotiators, specifically those engaged in negotiating a global mercury treaty, of the latest scientific developments in atmospheric mercury research. To accomplish these educational goals, graduate students will be involved in a research seminar series focused on science-policy, develop a negotiation simulation focused on mercury, and design and implement a "side event" to be conducted by graduate students during global mercury negotiations.