About

Research website: https://ranzhaoualberta.com/

BSc., PhD - University of Toronto 

Postdoc (NSERC PDF Fellow) - California Institute of Technology

Research

Our research group is broadly interested in Environmental Chemistry, with a specific focus on Atmospheric Chemistry. Air pollution has become an imminent environmental problem, affecting the health of people across the globe. Atmospheric Chemistry is playing a pivotal role in the formation and evolution of harmful air pollutants. The primary goal of our research group is to understand how chemistry affects the air we breathe. We perform laboratory experiments to reveal fundamental chemical information, including reaction kinetics, mechanisms, and yields of pollutants. We are also planning to perform ambient measurements to compare our results from laboratory experiments to the real atmosphere. 

Teaching

Current

CHEM 305 (Winter) - Environmental Chemistry II

CHEM 401/403 (Fall, Winter, Coordinator) - Introduction to Chemical Research

Past

CHEM 101 - Introductory University Chemistry

My group is always recruiting graduate student and undergraduate research assistance. Positions are limited. Please contact myself directly.

CHEM 305 - Environmental Chemistry II

The lecture and laboratory portions of this course will highlight sorption and phase partitioning; hydrolysis reactions; convective/diffusive transport; properties and behaviour of particles, including sedimentation, coagulation, and light scattering; and the significance of particulate matter in the atmosphere. Quantitative calculations will be emphasized. The lecture component will provide theoretical background for experiments and instrumentation used for chemical measurements. The course also includes an independent, student-designed air quality monitoring project. Prerequisites: CHEM 263 or 265; CHEM 213; CHEM 303 or 373. Note: Restricted to students in concentration in Chemistry programs or by consent of instructor.

CHEM 515 - Environmental Analytical Chemistry

Six week course on the methods and strategies used to measure trace levels of contaminants in complex environmental matrices, including air, water, soil, and biota. Topics may include sample handling and quality control, sample preparation and matrix effects, modern analytical instrumentation, measurement of reactive species, and online analysis techniques. Not open to students with credit in CHEM 419.

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