Allison Steiner

Allison Steiner is a Professor of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering in the College of Engineering and Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan. She serves as Chair of her department and leads a research group focused on biosphere-atmosphere interactions. Her work bridges climate science, atmospheric chemistry, and environmental health with significant contributions to understanding how vegetation affects atmospheric processes.

• Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science from Georgia Institute of Technology
• B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University

Dr. Steiner's research spans multiple interconnected domains including regional climate modeling, chemistry-climate interactions, atmospheric aerosols, biogenic trace gas emissions, and boundary layer meteorology. Her work has increasingly focused on atmospheric pollen and its impacts on climate and human health. She has developed innovative models like the Prognostic Pollen Emissions Model for Climate Models (PECM) and the FORCAsT canopy exchange model. Her research often integrates field measurements with advanced modeling approaches to address complex environmental questions related to climate change impacts.

Her recent publications show a strong trend toward interdisciplinary research connecting atmospheric science with public health, particularly examining how climate change affects pollen dynamics and associated health outcomes. She also maintains active research in Great Lakes hydrology, soil-atmosphere interactions, and the impacts of land use changes on regional climate.

• American Meteorological Society Walter Orr Roberts Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Sciences (2022)
• Sarah Goddard Power Award, University of Michigan (2020)
• Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award, University of Michigan (2018)
• American Geophysical Union Atmospheric Sciences Ascent Award (2016)
• Henry Russel Award, University of Michigan (2013)
• NSF CAREER Award (2010-2015)

Dr. Steiner actively mentors graduate students and has served in significant leadership roles including as President of the Atmospheric Sciences section of the American Geophysical Union (2023-present) and as a member of the National Academy of Sciences Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (2016-2022). Her research group has secured substantial funding for projects examining climate-pollen-health connections, Great Lakes water budget dynamics, and land-atmosphere interactions. She leads a team that has installed pollen monitoring equipment at the University of Michigan Biological Station and maintains strong collaborations with public health researchers examining respiratory impacts of atmospheric conditions.

Her laboratory focuses on integrating observational data with modeling approaches, particularly examining how biosphere processes influence atmospheric chemistry and climate. Current projects include examining how climate change affects pollen season length and intensity, how vegetation influences regional climate patterns, and how atmospheric particles affect precipitation processes.