Vicki Grassian Explained

Vicki Grassian
Workplaces:University of Iowa
University of California, San Diego
Alma Mater:University of New York at Albany
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
University of California, Berkeley
Doctoral Advisor:George C. Pimentel
Doctoral Students:Hind Al-Abadleh

Vicki H. Grassian is a distinguished professor in the department of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of California, San Diego. She also holds the distinguished chair in physical chemistry.

Education

Grassian studied chemistry at the University of New York at Albany, graduating in 1981.[1] She moved to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for her master's degree, which she completed in 1982.[2] She earned her PhD at the University of California, Berkeley in 1987. Her PhD supervisor was George C. Pimentel.[3] [4] [5]

Career

In 1990 Grassian joined the faculty of the University of Iowa, where she earned a General Electric Foundation Faculty Fellowship. She began to research the reactions between trace atmospheric gases (i.e. nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds) and mineral dust.[6] She has since established herself as one of the world's leading scientists studying the environmental reactions on oxide and carbonate surfaces. She was appointed full professor and won the Distinguished Achievement Award in 2002.[7] There are several particles in the Earth's atmosphere, mostly consisting of mineral dust and sea spray, and their surfaces have the ability to influence the Earth's climate.[8] She demonstrated that during the daytime, mineral dust aerosols can convert nitrogen dioxide into nitrous acid.[9] Aerosols can be generated in volcanoes, wildfires, coal-fired power plants and vehicles.[10]

She was named the F. Wendell Miller Chair in Chemistry and Director Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute in 2010.[11] She was appointed co-director of the National Science Foundation Center for Aerosol Impacts on Chemistry of the Environment (CAICE). She was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2010 and the American Chemical Society in 2011.

From 2013-2017, Grassian was the inaugural Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Science: Nano a new journal from the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Publishing and held that appointment for five years.[12] She also served as an editor of Surface Science Reports.[13] She won the University of Iowa Scholar of the Year Award in 2014.[14] She mentored over 300 students in her laboratory.[15] She became a Chartered Chemist in 2015.

In 2016 moved to the University of California San Diego.[16] Here she leads the Grassian Research Group.[17] Her research group focuses on the chemistry and impacts of environmental interfaces including atmospheric aerosols (mineral dust, sea spray), aqueous microdroplets, geochemical and engineered nanomaterials and indoor surfaces. They examine the applications, implications, and toxicity of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles.[18] Her team researches the chemistry of indoor surfaces, including the interactions of indoor gases with components of paints (titanium dioxide), glass, concrete, and drywall.[19] Grassian collaborates with scientists at the Scripps Hydraulics Lab to study particles generated in sea spray.[20] By researching the properties of sea spray aerosol, such as hygroscopicity and chemical reactivity, Grassian looks to develop an understanding of our atmosphere that will help improve current climate models.[21] In 2017 she helped identify that the bubbles that appear on the surface of breaking waves forms particulate matter that depends on molecules secreted by phytoplankton and floor dwelling bacteria for its overall composition.[22] She gave a TEDTalk What's Really in the Air We Breathe at TEDxSan Diego in 2018.[23]

Awards

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Vicki Grassian UCD. www-chem.ucsd.edu. en. July 29, 2018.
  2. Web site: Vicki H. Grassian Department of Chemistry College of Liberal Arts and Sciences The University of Iowa. chem.uiowa.edu. en. July 30, 2018.
  3. Grassian. Vicki H.. Pimentel. George C.. April 1988. The structures of cis- and trans-dichloroethenes adsorbed on Pt(111). The Journal of Chemical Physics. en. 88. 7. 4478–4483. 10.1063/1.453806. 1988JChPh..88.4478G . 0021-9606. free.
  4. Grassian. Vicki H.. Pimentel. George C.. April 1988. Photochemical reactions of cis- and trans-1,2-dichloroethene adsorbed on Pd(111) and Pt(111). The Journal of Chemical Physics. en. 88. 7. 4484–4491. 10.1063/1.453807. 0021-9606. 1988JChPh..88.4484G.
  5. Web site: Students and Research Collaborators at UC Berkeley. georgecpimentel.tripod.com. July 30, 2018.
  6. Web site: ACS Award for Creative Advances in Environmental Science & Technology Chemical & Engineering News. Guterman. Lila. cen.acs.org. July 30, 2018.
  7. Usher. Courtney R.. Michel. Amy E.. Grassian. Vicki H.. December 2003. Reactions on Mineral Dust. Chemical Reviews. en. 103. 12. 4883–4940. 10.1021/cr020657y. 14664636. 0009-2665.
  8. Web site: Jacobs School Faculty. UCSD. July 30, 2018.
  9. Grassian. V. H.. February 2002. Chemical Reactions of Nitrogen Oxides on the Surface of Oxide, Carbonate, Soot, and Mineral Dust Particles: Implications for the Chemical Balance of the Troposphere. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A. en. 106. 6. 860–877. 10.1021/jp012139h. 2002JPCA..106..860G . 1089-5639.
  10. Web site: Chemists develop new approaches to understanding disturbing trends near Earth's surface - American Chemical Society. American Chemical Society. en. July 30, 2018.
  11. News: Vicki H. Grassian - CAICE. CAICE. July 30, 2018. en-US.
  12. Grassian. Vicki H.. 2014. Environmental Science: Nano – a journal is born : A new journal with a large scope that focuses on small materials. Environmental Science: Nano. en. 1. 1. 8. 10.1039/C3EN90001K. 2051-8153.
  13. Web site: Vicki Grassian. www.journals.elsevier.com. July 30, 2018.
  14. News: Faculty, staff, and students recognized for research excellence. April 4, 2014. Iowa Now. July 30, 2018. en.
  15. Web site: People Grassian Research Group Department of Chemistry College of Liberal Arts and Sciences The University of Iowa. chem.uiowa.edu. en. July 30, 2018.
  16. Web site: Vicki Grassian moves to UC San Diego – Environmental Science: Nano Blog. blogs.rsc.org. en-US. July 30, 2018.
  17. Web site: Grassian Group at UCSD. sites.google.com. en-US. July 29, 2018.
  18. Web site: Grassian Group at UCSD - Research Topics. sites.google.com. en-US. July 29, 2018.
  19. Web site: University of California, San Diego. sloan.org. July 30, 2018.
  20. Web site: Faculty Profile: Vicki Grassian Joins UC San Diego Community Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego. scripps.ucsd.edu. en. July 30, 2018. 2016-03-21.
  21. Web site: Biological activity found to affect aerosols produced from sea spray. EurekAlert!. en. July 30, 2018.
  22. News: How plankton and bacteria shape sea spray. May 25, 2017. Science Media Centre of Canada. July 30, 2018. en-CA.
  23. Web site: 2017 Created Futures – Welcome to TEDxSanDiego. www.tedxsandiego.com. en-US. July 30, 2018.
  24. Web site: Award Recipients . 2024-03-15 . Pittcon Conference + Expo . en-US.
  25. Web site: 2024-02-27 . Vicki H. Grassian Wins Pittsburgh Spectroscopy Award . 2024-03-15 . Spectroscopy Online . en.
  26. Web site: Congratulations 2023 GEOC Medal Winner Vicki Grassian. acs.geo.org/. March 5, 2023. en-US.
  27. Web site: ACS 2021 national award winners. cen.acs.org/. November 22, 2020. en-US.
  28. Web site: American Academy of Arts and Sciences Class of 2020 Elected Members. www.amacad.org/. November 22, 2020. en-US.
  29. Web site: 2020 HONORARY MEMBER AWARD - Dr. Vicki H. Grassian, University of California - San Diego. www.iotasigmapi.info. January 9, 2020. en-US.
  30. Web site: Awardees of the IUPAC 2019 Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering Award - Dr. Vicki H. Grassian, University of California - San Diego. www.iupac.org/. 7 February 2019 . January 9, 2020. en-US.
  31. Web site: Winner of the 113th NICHOLS MEDAL. www.newyorkacs.org/. January 9, 2020. en-US.
  32. Web site: Chemical Pioneer Award. www.theaic.org. July 29, 2018.
  33. News: Professor Vicki H. Grassian has been selected to receive the 2018 Chemical Pioneer Award by the American Institute of Chemists! http://. May 8, 2018. UCSD Chemistry & Biochemistry. July 30, 2018. en-US.
  34. Web site: 2018 Awardees for ACS-CEI Incorporation of Sustainability into Chemistry Education - American Chemical Society. American Chemical Society. en. July 29, 2018.
  35. Web site: John Jeyes Award 2014 Winner. www.rsc.org. en. July 29, 2018.
  36. Web site: St. Louis Section–American Chemical Society » Vicki Grassian is 2014 Midwest Awardee. www.stlacs.org. en-US. July 29, 2018.
  37. Web site: ACS Award for Creative Advances in Environmental Science and Technology - American Chemical Society. American Chemical Society. en. July 30, 2018.