Lynne Gratz

Lynne Gratz is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Environmental Studies at Reed College, affiliated with the Division of Mathematical and Natural Sciences. Her research focuses on atmospheric pollutants such as mercury and ozone, combining field measurements with statistical and meteorological models. She has conducted studies across diverse locations, including mountaintop observatories and NSF/NCAR C-130 aircraft missions.

Dr. Gratz holds a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, followed by postdoctoral research at CNR-IIA (Italy) and the University of Washington-Bothell. Prior to Reed, she was a professor at Colorado College’s Environmental Studies Program.

Her research interests include pollutant transport pathways, chemical reactions, and removal processes, with recent work emphasizing oxidized mercury in continental atmospheres and wildfire impacts on air quality. Teaching integrates atmospheric chemistry, meteorology, climate change, energy systems, public health, and environmental justice.

As lead PI on a 3-year NSF-funded project at Colorado’s Storm Peak Laboratory, she investigates mercury chemistry. Her work highlights interdisciplinary approaches to environmental challenges, blending fieldwork and computational modeling.