Professor Naomi Zimmerman
Principal Investigator (CV)
Canada Research Chair in Real-World Air Quality Sensing
🏢 CEME 2066
☎ (604) 822-9433
Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Associates
|
Bio: Anand is the Research and Operations Manager for the Rapid Air Improvement Network (RAIN) project which aims to integrate spatially-dense sensor networks, mobile monitoring and sophisticated instrumentation to map and characterize air pollutants with the detail needed to support effective interventions on short and long term timescales. Anand has a background in particulate matter measurement & instrumentation as well as aspects of heterogeneous ice nucleation in the atmosphere. His master’s research work was focussed on designing, developing and performing field evaluation of a multiple slit nozzle-based high volume PM2.5 inertial impactor assembly. An Indian patent was filed for the assembly design and is in final stage of approval. His Ph.D research focussed on heterogeneous ice nucleation on mineral dust and the impact of atmospherically relevant chemical species on the ice nucleation abilities of various mineral dusts. He further explored this topic in his postdoc by using Molecular Dynamics Simulation technique to elucidate physical behavior of mineral-solute-water systems at low temperatures on short time and length scales that are not directly accessible experimentally. In his free time, Anand enjoys cooking, baking, dancing and exploring restaurants and craft breweries. |
|
Bio: Laura is a postdoc at the Aerosol Physics Laboratory of Tampere University, visiting the University of British Columbia in 2025. She is currently working on air quality in urban areas, both indoors and outdoors as well as particle emissions. |
Dr. Laura SaloGraduate Students
|
Bio: Yasamin Sharifi is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UBC Vancouver. She has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Shahid Beheshti University and recently completed her master’s degree in energy systems engineering from the same University in Iran. Under the joint supervision of Dr. Amanda Giang and Dr. Naomi Zimmerman, she aims to contribute to sustainable urban planning and transportation policies. Yasamin’s research focuses on urban freight emissions mitigation and policy implications in Metro Vancouver, specifically marine, rail, and heavy-duty trucks. With a passion for interdisciplinary work, Yasamin strives to address the complex relationship between energy systems, environmental impact, and policymaking.
“iREACH to improve my skills to create emission inventory estimation models; to help policy-makers in crafting well-informed environmental policies.” |
|
Bio: Mina is pursuing a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering under the supervision of Dr. Naomi Zimmerman. Her research focuses on air pollutant emissions from vehicles in Vancouver. Through her work, she aims to survey the future of transportation in Vancouver by integrating agent-based traffic models with prevalent emission models. Prior to her Ph.D. study, she earned her master’s degree in Chemical and Environmental Engineering and bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Tabriz, Iran. Furthermore, she has actively engaged in research projects related to air pollution emission and dispersion studies, emission inventory development, and pollution reduction strategies.
iREACH to live up to my motto of “Our environment is the only crucial legacy we can leave to our children.” |
|
Bio: Yuetong Zhang is a PhD student in Dr. Naomi’s iREACH lab. She received her degrees in Material Science and Engineering from the Beijing University of Technology (China, Bachelors), and in Environmental Engineering from the University of Southern California (US, Masters) and the University of Florida (US, Masters). The primary focus of her research has been on investigating the health effects of airborne particles through the utilization of air-liquid interface exposure systems and animal models. Over the course of the past years, she actively participated in field sampling activities pertaining to SARS-CoV-2. She is also interested in doing field measurement to study the fate of particulate matters in transportation sector.
“iREACH for enhanced understanding of the mechanisms underlying toxicity to minimize harmful impacts of PM in marginalized communities.” |
|
Bio: Caroline is a PhD student in the Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences (EOAS) department at UBC Vancouver, studying under Dr. Naomi Zimmerman. Caroline graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2023 with a Bachelor’s of Science in environmental science. As an undergraduate, she conducted an honors thesis under a professor in UNC’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, studying the interannual variability of ambient particulate matter (PM2.5) and its potential contributions to marine secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation. Conducting this research through the lens of public health has highly motivated her interest in atmospheric chemistry, air pollution, and environmental policy. Outside of academics, Caroline enjoys playing piano, knitting, hiking, and swimming.
“iREACH to understand the factors creating air pollution so that we can minimize the negative effects on human and environmental health and inform effective environmental policy.” |
|
Bio: Coming soon! |
Undergraduate Students
|
Alumni
- Davi de Ferreyro Monticelli – Ph.D. University of British Columbia (2025), Next: Air Quality Consultant, ERM
- Mrinmoy Chakraborty – Ph.D. University of British Columbia (2025), Next: Senior Associate, Center for Study of Science, Technology, and Policy (CSTEP)
- Cynthia Pham – M.A.Sc. University of British Columbia (2025)
- Sakshi Jain – Ph.D University of British Columbia (2023), Next: Air Quality Meteorologist, BC Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy
- James Hindson – M.A.Sc. University of British Columbia (2022), Next: Air Quality Meteorologist, BC Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy
- Dr. Surya Venkatesh Dhulipala (2022), Next: Senior Sustainability Consultant – Emerging Markets, Telus Communications
- Project:
- Bingqi Liu – M.A.Sc. University of British Columbia (2020), Next: Policy Analyst, Metro Vancouver
- Elyse Truebridge, B.A.Sc. Researcher (2024-2025)
- Chris Kelly, B.A.Sc. Researcher (2021 – 2024)
- Ivan Orozco, B.Sc. Researcher (2023-2024)
- Alex Ge, B.A.Sc. Researcher (2023-2024)
- Simon Jang – B.A.Sc. Researcher (2022)
- Jessica Tran – B.A.Sc. Researcher (2022)
- Rachel Habermehl – B.Sc. Researcher (2022)
- Stefan Colbow – B.A.Sc. Researcher (2021)
- Nika Martinussen – B.A.Sc. Researcher (2021)
- Jacob Rose – B.A.Sc. Researcher (2020-2021)
- Julian Fawkes – B.A.Sc. Researcher (2020)
- Zoe Le Hong – B.A.Sc. Researcher (2019-2020)
- Katia Cantu – MITACS Globalink Intern (2019)