Judith Chow

Dr. Judith Chow is a Research Professor and holds the Nazir and Mary Ansari Chair in Entrepreneurialism and Science at the Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Reno, Nevada. She is also a member of the graduate faculty in the Department of Environmental Science and Atmospheric Sciences Program within the Department of Physics at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), where she advises graduate students pursuing Masters and Doctoral degrees. With over 40 years of experience in atmospheric, air quality, and environmental health research, Dr. Chow leads DRI's Environmental Analysis Facility (EAF), directing a team of research scientists and technicians in developing and applying advanced analytical methods for characterizing atmospheric particles.

• Sc.D. in Environmental Science and Physiology from Harvard University (1985)
• M.S. in Environmental Health Sciences from Harvard University (1983)
• B.S. in Biology from Fu-Jen Catholic University, Taiwan (1974)

Dr. Chow's research spans multiple critical areas in atmospheric science, with particular focus on ambient air and source sampling, chemical and physical analysis of suspended particulate matter, field study design and management, and source apportionment modeling. Her work integrates chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, biostatistics, toxicology, epidemiology, and medicine to address complex air quality challenges. She has established international collaborations across Asia, the Americas, Europe, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica, demonstrating the global relevance of her research.

Analysis of Dr. Chow's most recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a continued emphasis on advanced particulate matter characterization, with growing attention to emerging pollution sources like battery fires, spacecraft materials, and industrial processes. Her work increasingly incorporates sensor technology and real-time monitoring approaches, reflecting the evolving nature of air quality research. There's also a noticeable expansion into environmental justice applications and health-focused studies, particularly examining the impacts of air pollution on vulnerable populations.

• ISI Highly Cited Researcher in ecology and environment with over 28,000 citations and an h-index of 83
• Recognized as one of Stanford University's Top 2% of the World's Most Cited Scientists
• Appointed to U.S. EPA's Clean Air Science Advisory Committee (2015-2018, re-appointed 2021)
• Member of U.S. National Academy of Sciences committees addressing airborne particulate matter research priorities
• Co-editor for Aerosol and Air Quality Research and Particuology journals

Dr. Chow advises numerous graduate students at UNR and has secured funding for over 50 large atmospheric studies throughout her career. She has led international projects assessing port operations' air quality impacts in southern California, measuring emissions in Canada's Oil Sands Region, designing air quality networks for the World Bank in developing countries, and evaluating photochemical aging effects on biomass burning emissions. Her Environmental Analysis Facility serves as a hub for advanced analytical methods development, particularly for characterizing suspended atmospheric particles and their effects on health, climate, visibility, ecosystems, and cultural artifacts.

As founder and leader of DRI's Environmental Analysis Facility, Dr. Chow heads a multidisciplinary team that develops and applies advanced analytical methods to characterize atmospheric particles. Her facility has expanded capabilities to obtain more information from archived samples using thermal and mass spectrometric technologies, with current priorities including improved detection of brown carbon, application of microsensors to human exposure estimates, and simulation of source profile changes using photochemical flow tube reactors.