Arshad Arjunan Nair
- PhD, Atmospheric Sciences, University at Albany, 2021
- BS & MS, Physics, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, India, 2015
About
I’m an interdisciplinary researcher passionate about exploring the intersections of climate, air quality and public health. I’m a Research Scientist at the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC) at the University at Albany, State University of New York.
My experiences have shaped my research into two broad directions:
- improving the accuracy of aerosols in chemistry and climate models
- understanding impacts of air quality and climate change on the health of humans and their built environment
This means addressing questions like, “How do these tiny particles in the air affect the weather or climate?” and “How does the air we breathe impact people’s health differently?” Toward figuring this out, I use powerful computer models, a wide variety of measurements, thankfully made by more enterprising folk, and machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence, to uncover patterns and make robust, trustworthy predictions.
View a presentation about my doctoral dissertation work:
Research
Arshad Arjunan Nair on Google Scholar
Research Interests
At the core of my research is a commitment to solving real-world issues aimed at bolstering our communities’ climate and health resilience.
You can also review my research on ORCID, ResearchGate or PubMed.
Publications
2024
- Qi, Q., Yu, F., Nair, A., Lau, S., Luo, G., Mithu, I., Zhang, W., Li, S., & Lin, S. (2024). Hidden danger: The long-term effect of ultrafine particles on mortality and its sociodemographic disparities in New York State. Journal of Hazardous Materials. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134317
- Yu, F., Anderson, B., Pierce, J., Wong, A., Nair, A., Luo, G., & Herb, J. (2024). On nucleation pathways and particle size distribution evolutions in stratospheric aircraft exhaust plumes with H₂SO₄ enhancement. Environmental Science & Technology. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c08408
- Yu, F., Nair, A., Lauper, U., Luo, G., Herb, J., Morse, M., Savage, B., Zartarian, M., Wang, M., & Lin, S. (2024). Mysteriously rapid rise in Legionnaires' disease incidence correlates with declining atmospheric sulfur dioxide. PNAS Nexus. Supplement https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae085
2023
- Nair, A., Lin, S., Luo, G., Ryan, I., Qi, Q., Deng, X., & Yu, F. (2023). Environmental exposure disparities in ultrafine particles and PM2.5 by urbanicity and socio-demographics in New York state, 2013-2020. Environmental Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.117246
- Nair, A., Yu, F., & Luo, G. (2023). The importance of ammonia for springtime atmospheric new particle formation and aerosol number abundance over the United States. Science of The Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160756
- Yu, F., Luo, G., Nair, A., Eastham, S., Williamson, C., Kupc, A., & Brock, C. (2023). Particle number concentrations and size distributions in the stratosphere: Implications of nucleation mechanisms and particle microphysics. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-487
2022
- Lin, S., Ryan, I., Paul, S., Deng, X., Zhang, W., Luo, G., Dong, G., Nair, A., & Yu, F. (2022). Particle surface area, ultrafine particle number concentration, and cardiovascular hospitalizations. Environmental Pollution. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119795
- Yu, F., Luo, G., Nair, A., Tsigaridis, K., & Bauer, S. (2022). Use of machine learning to reduce uncertainties in particle number concentration and aerosol indirect radiative forcing predicted by climate models. Geophysical Research Letters. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022gl098551
- Deng, X., Friedman, S., Ryan, I., Zhang, W., Dong, G., Rodriguez, H., Yu, F., Huang, W., Nair, A., Luo, G., & Lin, S. (2022). The independent and synergistic impacts of power outages and floods on hospital admissions for multiple diseases. Science of The Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154305
2021
- Nair, A., Yu, F., Campuzano-Jost, P., DeMott, P., Levin, E., Jimenez, J., Peischl, J., Pollack, I., Fredrickson, C., Beyersdorf, A., Nault, B., Park, M., Yum, S., Palm, B., Xu, L., Bourgeois, I., Anderson, B., Nenes, A., Ziemba, L., Moore, R., Lee, T., Park, T., Thompson, C., Flocke, F., Huey, L., Kim, M., & Peng, Q. (2021). Machine learning uncovers aerosol size information from chemistry and meteorology to quantify potential cloud-forming particles. Geophysical Research Letters. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021gl094133
- Mao, J., Zhang, Y., Yu, F., Nair, A., Yu, Q., Wang, L., Ma, W., & Chen, L. (2021). On the ship particle number emission index: Size-resolved microphysics and key controlling parameters. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020jd034427
2020
- Nair, A. & Yu, F. (2020). Using machine learning to derive cloud condensation nuclei number concentrations from commonly available measurements. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-12853-2020
- Nair, A. & Yu, F. (2020). Quantification of atmospheric ammonia concentrations: A review of its measurement and modeling. Atmosphere. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11101092
- Yu, F., Luo, G., Nair, A., Schwab, J., Sherman, J., & Zhang, Y. (2020). Wintertime new particle formation and its contribution to cloud condensation nuclei in the Northeastern United States. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-2591-2020
2019
- Nair, A., Yu, F., & Luo, G. (2019). Spatioseasonal variations of atmospheric ammonia concentrations over the United States: Comprehensive model-observation comparison. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018jd030057
2018
- Yu, F., Nair, A., & Luo, G. (2018). Long-term trend of gaseous ammonia over the United States: Modeling and comparison with observations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018jd028412
2015
- Kamra, A. K. & Nair, A. A. (2015). The impact of the Western Ghats on lightning activity on the western coast of India. Atmospheric Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2015.03.006
Talks & Presentations
- Effects of Ultrafine Particles and Extreme Temperature on Hospital Admissions of High Burden Diseases
46th Annual Meeting of the Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management (APPAM), National Harbor, MD, November 24, 2024 - GEOS-Chem-APM for (1) physics-guided machine learning parameterizations and (2) aerosol pollution exposure and health disparities
11th International GEOS-Chem Meeting, Harvard University, St. Louis, MO, June 11, 2024 - Mysteriously rapid rise in Legionnaires' Disease incidence correlates with declining atmospheric sulfur dioxide
NYSDEC BAQAR/NYSERDA Seminar Series, Albany, NY, May 09, 2024 - Mysteriously rapid rise in Legionnaires' Disease incidence correlates with declining atmospheric sulfur dioxide
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) Legionnaires' Disease Surveillance Workgroup Call, Atlanta, GA, April 22, 2024 - The long-term effect of ultrafine particles on mortality and its sociodemographic disparities
American Public Health Association (APHA) 2023 Annual Meeting and Expo, November 15, 2023 - Systematically assessing associations and disparities between ultra-fine particles and health outcomes, and the modifications by weather and greenness
NYSDEC BAQAR/NYSERDA Seminar Series, Albany, NY, June 27, 2023 - Global Atmospheric Ammonia: Insights from Modeling and Multi-Satellite Measurements
103rd American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting, January 12, 2023 - On Processes Controlling Size Distributions and Optical Properties of Stratospheric Particles: Long-Term Simulations and Comparisons with Measurements
103rd American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, January 11, 2023 - Socioeconomic disparities in aerosol pollutant exposure may be amplified by ultrafine particles despite declining PM2.5
34th Annual Conference of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE), September 01, 2022 - Race-ethnicity disparities in COVID-19 outcomes may be worsened by shorter- and long-term aerosol pollutants exposure
34th Annual Conference of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE), September 01, 2022 - Race-ethnicity disparities in COVID-19 outcomes may be worsened by shorter- and long-term aerosol pollutants exposure
International Conference on Environment and Human Health: Challenges and Opportunities in the 21st Century, August 01, 2022 - GEOS-Chem-APM for physics-informed machine learning emulators and parameterizations
10th International GEOS-Chem Meeting, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, June 01, 2022 - The Role of Ammonia in Atmospheric New Particle Formation and Aerosol Number Abundance at the Southern Great Plains Site
39th American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) Annual Conference, October 01, 2021 - Using Data from NASA Suborbital Campaigns to Validate a Machine Learning Algorithm for Predicting Cloud Condensation Nuclei
101st American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting, January 11, 2021 - Using machine learning to derive cloud condensation nuclei number concentrations from commonly available measurements
American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting 2020, December 09, 2020 - Use of machine learning to reduce uncertainty in anthropogenic radiative forcing associated with aerosol-cloud interactions
American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting 2020, December 09, 2020 - Predicting atmospheric particle number concentrations using machine learning
Atmospheric Sciences Research Center Friday Colloquy, Albany, NY, April 01, 2020 - Particle Number Concentrations and Their Controlling Parameters: Predictive analysis using machine learning
NYS DEC-DAR-BAQAR scientific meeting 2020, Albany, NY, January 31, 2020 - Particle Number Concentrations and Their Controlling Parameters: Predictive analysis using machine learning
100th American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, January 15, 2020 - Ammonium and Ammonia: Concentration Trends in the Northeast United States
37th American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) Annual Conference, Portland, OR, October 16, 2019 - Assessment of Model-Simulated Global Atmospheric Ammonia with Satellite Remote Sensing Measurements
37th American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) Annual Conference, Portland, OR, October 15, 2019 - Spatio-seasonal Variations of Atmospheric Ammonia: Comprehensive Model–Observation Comparisons
9th International GEOS-Chem Meeting, Harvard University, Boston, MA, May 06, 2019 - Atmospheric Ammonia over the United States: Comprehensive Model-Observation Comparisons
NYS DEC-DAR-BAQAR scientific meeting 2018, Albany, NY, December 17, 2018 - Atmospheric Ammonia over the United States: Comprehensive Model-Observation Comparisons
American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting 2018, Washington, DC, December 09, 2018 - Comparison of Model Simulated Ammonia with Observations: A Case for Implementation of Improved Gas/Aerosol Partitioning Schemes
36th American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) Annual Conference, Raleigh, NC, October 19, 2017 - Comparison of GEOS-Chem simulated ammonia concentration with observation
8th International GEOS-Chem Meeting, Harvard University, Boston, MA, May 02, 2017
Instruction & Advising
Courses
Aerosol exposure and COVID-19
Graduate course module, University at Albany, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, 2023
This was a one-hour module providing a quick look at aerosol exposure impacts on COVID-19 and its outcomes. Specifically, we looked at exposure disparities, health disparities, aerosol-health associations, and considered the implications under a changing climate.
Machine Learning and Aerosol Microphysics
Graduate course module, University at Albany, Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, 2022
This was a four-hour module providing an overview of Machine Learning and its use in atmospheric and aerosol science, where we reviewed literature and also worked through a hands-on practical example.
Additional Information
Awards & Honors
Narayan R. Gokhale Distinguished Research Scholarship Award 2022/2023
Department of Atmospheric And Environmental Sciences, University at Albany, March 2023
First Place, SUNY Chancellor Distinguished PhD Graduate Dissertation Awards
State University of New York System, December 2022
Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation Award 2021–2022
University at Albany, May 2022
2017 AAAR Annual Conference Travel Grant
The American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR), Raleigh, NC, August 2017
Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC) Graduate Fellowship
ASRC, University at Albany, February 2016
Writing Science workshop: 1 of 14 (and only undergraduate) selected nation-wide
National Council for Science & Technology Communication, Govt. of India, September 2014
INSA-IASc-NASI Summer Research Fellowship (IAS-SRFP)
The Science Academies, India, May 2011
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Summer Research Internship
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Govt. of India, June 2010
Vigyan Jyoti Shibir (Selected for National Science Camp)
Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, October 2009
Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) Fellowship in Basic Sciences
Top 0.004% of nation-wide senior secondary school leaving students
Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, August 2009
Bank of India Gold Medal (AISSE Topper)
Awarded by R. L. Bhatia, Governor of Kerala State, February 2008
Dr. K. M. Munshi Memorial Ever Rolling Trophy
Sameeksha 2007 (All Kerala Science Quiz Competition), August 2007
National Talent Search Scholarship (NTSE)
Top 0.01% of nation-wide secondary school leaving students
National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), Govt. of India, June 2007
Rev. Dr. John Britto Educational Endowment
Province of St. Joseph, Thiruvananthapuram, May 2007
Service & Outreach
University-level
- University at Albany Senate Council on Research (CoR), Member 2024–26
- Member of The Committee on Centers, Institutes and Specialized Research Laboratories
- Member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Faculty Research Award Program - Category A
- 2024 Search Committee for Research Faculty at the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center
Reviewer
- Agencies
National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO) - Journals
Science, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Environmental Science & Technology, ES&T Letters, Environmental Research Letters, Science of the Total Environment, Environment Systems and Decisions, Environment International, Atmosphere, Atmospheric Research, ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, Journal of Environmental Sciences, Remote Sensing of the Environment, Journal of Applied Remote Sensing, Advances in Space Research, Tellus Series B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology, Applied Sciences, Science Bulletin, Sustainability, Toxics, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH), Hygiene and Health Advances. - University
Faculty Research Awards Programs (FRAP) that provide seed funding for faculty members’ research, scholarship and creative activities. - Conference
American Meteorological Society 2023 Atmospheric Chemistry Symposium Student Presentation Competition Judge
Working Groups
- Subscriber
DOE Atmospheric System Research Aerosol Processes WG, NCAR Geoengineering Modeling Research Consortium.
Mentor
- Science and Technology Entry Program College Overview and Research Experience (STEP/CORE New York State Education Department)
- Project SHORT, and Wonderland Literacy Center (Indian NGO)
Member
- Non-selective
American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR), American Geophysical Union (AGU), American Physical Society (APS), American Meteorological Society (AMS), International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) and the American Public Health Association (APHA). - Previously
The New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS), National Postdoctoral Association (NPA), and the Capital District Postdoc Association (CDPA)