As a Ph.D. candidate in Atmospheric Sciences at Michigan Technological University, my journey began in Fall 2019. Growing up in Kathmandu, Nepal, a city with significant environmental challenges, inspired my passion for studying the complex interactions between humans and the environment. Early internships in Nepal working with meteorological and pollution monitoring instruments further fueled my curiosity in the field. My undergraduate projects at the National Institute of Technology Calicut in India introduced me to using optics to detect and study gasses and their atmospheric effects, combining my background in Physics Engineering with my environmental interests.
At Michigan Tech, my research focuses on the evolution of biomass burning aerosol particles and their role in cloud formation and atmospheric processes. Using Michigan Tech’s cloud chamber, I study how these particles evolve when they form clouds and re-enter the atmosphere. The dynamic challenges of this research, from the chamber’s large size to the particles’ minuteness, have made it an engaging and fulfilling endeavor.
I am deeply grateful to my advisor, Dr. Claudio Mazzoleni, for his unwavering support and wisdom. I also thank my department and everyone involved in the program who has made the cloud chamber experiments possible. Additionally, I extend my gratitude to the Henes Center for Quantum Phenomena and the Graduate Student Government for supporting conference travel, which facilitated interactions with experts and innovations in my project. Finally, I thank the Graduate School for providing this fellowship that will support me in this crucial final part of my graduate journey.