Two new NASA-funded instruments on the rooftop of Whittier College’s Science & Learning Center are creating both new insights into air quality and research opportunities for students.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awarded funding to Assistant Professor of Chemistry Peter Peterson for the installation of Pandora and AERONET spectrometers at Whittier’s campus. From the rooftop, the rotating gold and white instruments will spend at least the next 5 years scanning the Los Angeles Basin’s atmosphere for aerosols and other pollutants.
“NASA also uses a few different satellites to study pollution from space. So we are joining their ground-based networks to evaluate those measurements and how effective they are,” Peterson said. The measurements will also paint a clearer picture of how Whittier’s air compares to the larger Los Angeles area.
The project will also broaden research opportunities in atmospheric chemistry and environmental science for Whittier students. The instruments will be integrated into class lessons, and the NASA award helps pay at least two students per year, for the next five years, to study the gathered data alongside Peterson, as well as cover their travel expenses to present their work at conferences.
The new spectrometers further support Whittier’s goal to provide students with meaningful, hands-on experiences in their scientific studies.
“We use research-grade instrumentation in all our lab experiences, so every student gets to touch instrumentation that is used in industry, in research at bigger places,” Peterson said. “A lot of times when you go to bigger schools, you get to learn about that instrumentation, but it’s a look-don’t-touch thing. … I think that’s the big thing that sets [the College’s chemistry department] apart.”
The atmospheric technology is just one example of students benefiting from Whittier’s connection with NASA. Earlier this year, the College hosted one of its scientists for a lunch with students, where they discussed the special guest’s career path and what day-to-day life at NASA is like. Students have also been involved in NASA-supported quasar research with physics professor Glenn Piner.
