The Stanier research group is interested in both aerosol and gas-phase problems in air pollution, atmospheric science, and energy. We are based jointly in the University of Iowa's Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering and IIHR Hydroscience and Engineering Institute. We also work closely with the Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research (CGRER) and are affiliated with numerous University of Iowa research centers.

Tying into the the Ph.D. programs in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering and IIHR, we try to take on cutting edge problems while training graduate students in research methodologies and critical thinking.

Current research projects fall into the following broad areas.

• Ultrafine aerosol particles (UFPs) from both photochemical nucleation and from combustion. We develop models, data analysis techniques, and field/laboratory experiments to understand their health and climate impacts.

• Cycling of carbon dioxide and related gases and isotopes in the environment, especially the midwest agricultural system. We assist with a long term NOAA monitoring station for long-lived gases in West Branch, Iowa, and conduct carbon budget modeling and measurement at regional and local scales.

• Fine aerosol (a.k.a. particulate matter) -- especially understanding its composition, sources, and health effects.

Our sponsors for this work include the National Science Foundation, the NASA Iowa Space Grant Consortium, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Health Effects Institute, the Lake Michigan Air Directors Consortium, the Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, Dow Corning, and the Bi-State Regional Commission.

For more information on these research and other topics, please explore this website and contact Charles Stanier directly.

Featured research image. See more here.

Preliminary Output from the CGRER High Resolution Midwestern CO2 Simulation. All panels for July 8, 2008. Panels show the progression from high CO2 levels in the early morning (from accumulation of respiration CO2 in the stable nocturnal boundary layer), followed by decreases in the CO2 concentrations from boundary layer ventilation and photosynthetic uptake.

By Aditsuda Jamroensan, Charles Stanier, and Greg Carmichael

Simulation at 4 km using WRF-VPRM (Ahmadov, 2007). VPRM preprocessor codes by Roberto Kretschmer (http://www.bgc-jena.mpg.de/~rkretsch/vprmpreproc/), and Anthropogenic Fluxes from Vulcan (Gurney, 2009)