Dr. Chen is now an Associate Research Professor and leader of the Aerosol Applications Laboratory at DRI's DAS and has 12 years of experience in atmospheric aerosol research. His research focuses on: 1) characteristics of trace gas pollutants and particulate matter (PM) from combustion sources (e.g., fossil fuel and biomass burning) and in ambient air; 2) source apportionment by receptor or hybrid models; 3) optical modeling; 4) novel techniques for quantifying aerosol light absorption; and 5) environmental and climate effects of PM. Dr. Chen is a known expert in the field of carbon analysis and PM source apportionment, with more than 20 peer-reviewed publications in these areas, which have been cited more than 400 times. He has participated in several federally and state-funded projects, including biomass burning studies sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service through the Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) and Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA). From 1999 to 2002, Dr. Chen conducted the Maryland Aerosol Regional Characterization (MARCH-Atlantic) study to analyze regional haze, and develop a source apportionment technique coupling factor and ensemble air parcel back trajectory analyses. From 2008 to 2009, he organized the El Paso Air Toxics Study, using an In-Plume system to assess cross-border transport of pollutants between the U.S. and Mexico. Dr. Chen has worked on visibility, PM, and volatile organic compound (VOC) source apportionment projects in the California central valley (California Regional PM Air Quality Study [CRPAQS]), as well as Minnesota, Hong Kong, and China. He was also co-PI for an EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) project to evaluate large-scale receptor models. He has assisted in the QA/QC process for carbon analysis as part of the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network since 2005. Dr. Chen has hands-on experience in modeling, field and laboratory measurement, method development, and instrumentation. His research interests include studying sources, evolution, and environmental impacts of atmospheric trace gases and aerosols, through field/laboratory experiments and receptor modeling. The focus of his research is on improving techniques for the quantification of light-absorbing carbonaceous aerosol, and on investigating various thermal evolution methods, and in-situ or time-integrated optical measurements which provide insights into the current emission inventories and radiative forcing estimates.

Characteristics of trace gas and particle emissions from combustion sources with a focus on carbonaceous material