RICK D. SAYLOR, Ph.D.
Duties:
Physical Scientist and
ATDD Website Manager
Programs:
Atmospheric Modeling and
Surface-Layer Meteorology
Contact:
rick.saylor@noaa.gov
Office: (865) 220-1730
Current Research
I’m focused on improving computer models of the emission, transport, chemical transformation, surface exchange and removal of atmospheric air pollutants. These computer models simulate the distribution and fate of air pollutants and are used for regulatory demonstrations of pollution reduction implementation plans, air quality forecasting, atmospheric chemistry scientific investigations and advanced weather and climate predictive modeling.
For more information on my research click here.
A listing of publications is available in pdf format here.
Education
University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, 1989
M.S., Chemical Engineering, 1985
B.S., Chemical Engineering, 1981
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Certificate of Unix Systems Programming,
College of Computing, 1999
Professional Experience
Research Associate Professor, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Knoxville, TN
November 2012 to present
Physical Scientist, NOAA Air Resources Laboratory, Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division, Oak Ridge, TN
July 2009 to present
Senior Scientist, Atmospheric Research and Analysis, Inc., Snellville, GA
April 2004 to April 2009
Software Engineer, Radiant Systems, Inc./Quantum Corp./Connex Inc., Atlanta, GA
September 2000 to March 2004
Senior Research Scientist, Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Atlanta, GA
July 1995 to August 2000
Senior Research Scientist, Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Environmental Sciences Division,
Richland, WA
July 1992 to June 1995
Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky, Department of Chemical Engineering, Lexington, KY
October 1989 to June 1992
Assistant Scientist, University of Kentucky, Center for Applied Energy Research, Lexington, KY
August 1989 to June 1992
Sources of PM2.5 include cars and trucks, wildfires, agriculture, power plants and industry, windblown dust and particles formed through chemical reactions in the atmosphere.
More about my research
In particular, my research focuses on improving simulations of atmospheric fine particles (PM2.5) and the representation of surface-atmosphere exchange processes.
Air pollution has significant health, ecological and economic consequences. In fact, air pollution is the fourth-leading risk factor for deaths worldwide, with more than 2.5 million deaths occurring per year as a result of outdoor exposure to poor air quality. Closer to home, more than 40% of people in the U. S. live in areas that do not meet the health-based air quality standards established by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. Accurate air quality computer models increase our ability to forecast air pollution episodes and provide susceptible individuals the opportunity to alter daily routines to limit their exposure. Models that can accurately simulate atmospheric fine particle distributions and their radiative- and cloud microphysical-interactions will also be a critical component in next-generation, advanced weather and climate models.