Professor Faye McNeill was awarded a major research grant through the EPA Star Program

Professor Faye McNeill was awarded a major research grant through the EPA Star Program to develop tools that will improve the computational efficiency of chemical mechanisms for use in air quality models. 

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $5,959,842 million in research funding to nine institutions to improve air quality models used to simulate ozone, particulate matter (PM), regional haze, air toxics, and emerging pollutants.

“Under President Trump, Americans are breathing the cleanest air ever recorded and we are committed to continuing this progress for decades to come,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “This EPA-funded research will further our understanding of air quality and help us continue providing clean air for all Americans, regardless of their zip code.”

Research supported by these grants will improve air quality models, specifically the component of models that represent how chemicals react in the atmosphere (known as “chemical mechanisms”). This research will advance our understanding of the sources and chemistry of air pollutants and how they move in the atmosphere. It will also inform the development of strategies for improving air quality.