Mei Tessum

Mei Tessum serves as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Illinois' College of Engineering. Her work bridges agricultural engineering with environmental health science, focusing on innovative monitoring techniques for air quality assessment and agricultural safety applications.

• Position: Research Assistant Professor
• Institution: University of Illinois
• Department: Agricultural and Biological Engineering
• Research Focus: Air pollution monitoring, aerosol science, environmental exposure assessment

Dr. Tessum's research interests center on environmental monitoring methodologies with particular emphasis on air pollution exposure assessment. Her work integrates mobile and stationary measurement systems to characterize spatial and temporal variations in air quality across different environments. She investigates both agricultural settings (particularly grain safety and spray technologies) and urban environments (focusing on traffic-related pollution sources). Her research combines field measurements with data analysis techniques to improve understanding of human exposure to air pollutants, particularly PM2.5. She has developed expertise in electrostatic charge measurement in spray systems and mobile monitoring platforms for capturing fine-scale pollution patterns.

Analysis of Dr. Tessum's publication record reveals a consistent focus on methodological improvements for environmental monitoring. Her work demonstrates progression from basic measurement techniques (such as electrostatic charge on spray drops) to increasingly sophisticated exposure assessment approaches that integrate multiple monitoring platforms. A notable trend is her development of hybrid monitoring strategies combining mobile platforms with stationary reference sites to create high-resolution exposure maps. Her research has practical applications in both agricultural safety (preventing grain entrapment) and urban public health (understanding PM2.5 exposure sources in cities).

Dr. Tessum collaborates extensively with environmental health researchers including Marshall, Vedal, and Larson on air quality studies. Her work has been referenced in policy sources and has gained attention in academic circles with significant Mendeley readership. While specific grant information isn't detailed in the provided text, her research appears to involve field measurements, data analysis, and development of environmental monitoring methodologies across both agricultural and urban settings.

Her research group likely operates specialized laboratories for aerosol measurement and environmental monitoring, with capabilities for both field deployments and controlled environment testing. The fingerprint analysis of her work highlights key technical areas including surfactants, water spray systems, passive sampling devices, collection efficiency, and mobile monitoring technologies.