

Lindsey Klinge

Lindsey Klinge

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Honorable Mention 2011

Chemistry PhD Candidate

I am a transfer student from the University of Pennsylvania to Drexel University. I earned a BA in Chemistry and Mathematics from the State University of New York at Purchase College in 2011, and I was a SULI Intern at Brookhaven National Laboratory for several years during my undergraduate career. Presently, I study both physical and analytical chemistry, and I work for Dr. Peter DeCarlo in the Drexel  Air Resources Research Laboratory (DARRL).

My primary research interest is in characterizing aerosol particulate matter harmful to human respiratory health. Diesel soot has a fractal-like morphology that is much harder to model than spherical particulate. Additionally, diesel soot is quite hygroscopic, which means the particles readily adsorb water. The size of diesel soot particles can vary depending on humidity, which in turn may increase or decrease the health risk posed by the particles. Predicting the morphology of aerosol soot particles and the effect of hygroscopicity on particle size and composition can lead to a greater understanding of the health risks of diesel soot and a more informed scientific basis for policy decisions.

The supercomputing resources of an NSF GRFP Honorable Mention will allow me to better model large gaseous systems. I am honored to receive the HonorableMention and I am thankful for the opportunity to gain experience and valuable feedback in writing scientific proposals.