Perspectives From a Career in Ice Nucleation Research at Colorado State University
September 08, 2023
Paul DeMott
Hosted by Sonia Kreidenweis
Abstract
I will share some personal and scientific perspectives on a career and field of study that is the only one I have known in 44 years since leaving the state of my birth. Atmospheric ice nucleation was an enigma when I arrived at Colorado State University, and in many ways it remains so. However, because of its reach and implications for climate and water resources, it has our full attention now and progress is occurring within a large global community of researchers using new instrumentation. This seminar will have four basic parts covering aspects of studies I helped pursue, around (1) novel ice nucleation research on cloud seeding aerosols; (2) developing understanding of cirrus ice nucleation processes; (3) rejuvenating measurements (and confidence therein) of natural and anthropogenic ice nucleating aerosols; and (4) vigorous pursuits to define and quantify atmospheric ice nucleating particle (new terminology) sources and explore their implications. I will end with a few words on the frontier topics and outlook for the future.Biosketch, Paul DeMott:
Paul DeMott is an internationally-recognized authority on cloud physics, specializing in the study of atmospheric ice nucleating particles and the climate implications of their interactions with clouds. Paul joined the CSU Department of Atmospheric Science as a graduate student in 1979, after receiving his B.S. in Atmospheric Science from the State University of New York at Albany. After earning his M.S. and Ph.D. in the Department, he moved into a Research Scientist position and was promoted to Senior Research Scientist in 2002. Paul is the codeveloper of the CSU Continuous Flow Diffusion Chamber for the measurement of atmospheric ice nucleating particles, which helped launch a new era of exploration into the nature and abundance of atmospheric ice nucleating particles. Paul has published over 260 peer-reviewed articles (H-index 76) and has been recognized multiple times as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher. Paul has held many leadership positions in the scientific community, including service on Science Teams for large multi-investigator field studies, most recently in a series of Southern Ocean studies to explore the sources of ice nucleating particles to this remote region. Paul’s excellence in mentoring is also well known, and he has served as coadvisor and committee member for numerous ATS and international students and postdocs. The many honors Paul has received for his scientific and professional contributions include Fellow of the American Geophysical Union, Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, ATS Outstanding Alumnus, Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering Researcher of the Year, and Honorary (Lifetime) Member of the IAMAS International Committee on Nucleation and Atmospheric Aerosols, an honor bestowed on fewer than 10 individuals world-wide.