Researchers in the Environmental Chemistry Laboratory study the analytical chemistry and fate of contamination in the environment. The lab has state-of –the-art chromatography and spectroscopy instrumentation for measurement of organic and inorganic contaminants. Laboratory personnel examine physical and chemical processes that control the distribution of chemicals in air, soil, and water.
This laboratory develops and uses mathematical models and computer simulations for the assessment of impacts of natural and anthropogenic stressors on environmental and ecological systems. Research interests span the local, landscape, regional and global scales. The main research themes are: landscape and regional dynamics; global climate change and variability impacts on ecosystems; watershed and reservoir modeling; coupled human-natural dynamics; forest management and sustainability; integration of modeling with other technologies, such as remote sensing and geographic information systems, real-time data acquisition from biological and optical sensors and dissemination for public awareness of environmental changes.