Educational Background

B.S., 1983, Atmospheric Science, Nanjing Institute of Meteorology

M.S., 1989, Physics, University of Nevada-Reno

Ph.D., 1993, Atmospheric Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Biography

Dr. Renyi Zhang’s scientific endeavors have advanced the understanding of four pressing global issues: (i) air pollution, (ii) climate change, (iii) stratospheric ozone layer depletion, and (iv) the COVID-19 pandemic. His team has developed state-of-the-art methodologies for atmospheric chemistry, weather, and climate research, including experimental techniques to elucidate gas-phase kinetics and aerosol chemistry, instruments to measure trace gases and aerosols in the atmosphere as well as regional and global models to represent aerosol and cloud processes and assess the aerosol-cloud-climate interactions. In the realm of air pollution, his investigations have provided critical insights into the fundamental formation mechanisms and impacts of fine aerosols or particulate matter (PM). His groundbreaking work includes first explaining the mysterious chemistry behind the historic 1952 London Fog and contemporary severe hazes in Asia, a critical contribution to air quality improvement worldwide. His research on aerosols and their radiative forcing has far-reaching implications for climate studies and has improved the assessment of black carbon (BC)'s role in global warming. His research has transformed the understanding of aerosol-cloud interactions, their effects on climate, and the global impacts of regional air pollution, all of which are essential for addressing climate change and accurate predicting weather extremes. In addition, his work has advanced the understanding of adverse health effects on early life development due to exposure to ultrafine particles. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he published two important papers that provided the first pivotal evidence on the airborne transmission of the virus and the efficacy of masking in preventing inter-human transmission, with major implications for protecting the public. His earlier research on stratospheric chemistry contributed to understanding the mechanisms behind the Antarctic ozone hole formation. He is an elected Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Meteorological Society (AMS), and American Geophysical Union (AGU). He was honored by a named symposium at the 2016 National Meeting of the American Chemical Society and received the Humboldt Research Award in 2023.

Dr. Zhang has mentored an elite cadre of early career scientists, including 23 doctoral dissertations, 11 Master theses, 28 postdocs/research scientists, and 14 exchange graduate students. His doctoral students have broadly received employments in academia (e.g., a tenured associate professor at Purdue University, an assistant professor at Stanford University, an assistant professor at University of Connecticut, an endowed Professor at University of New Haven, an associate Lab Director at Florida International University, etc.), government (e.g., a deputy division director at DOE and research scientists at NOAA and NASA, etc.), and industry (e.g., environmental scientists at Intel Corporation, Samsung, Research Triangle International, Aerodyne Research, etc.).

Awards & Recognition

• Humboldt Research Award, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, 2024
• Outstanding Career Award, College of Arts & Sciences, TAMU, 2023
• Sigma Xi Outstanding Distinguished Scientist Award, TAMU, 2018
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2016
• A named symposium for Renyi Zhang at American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting, 2016
• Honor Award for Scientific Excellence, Division of Environmental Chemistry, ACS, 2016
• Fellow, American Meteorological Society, 2015
• University Distinguished Professor, TAMU, 2014 – present
• University-Level Distinguished Achievement Award – Research, TAMU, 2012
• Fellow, American Geophysical Union (AGU), 2012
• Holder of Harold J. Haynes Endowed Chair in Geosciences, TAMU, 2010 – present
• Bush Excellence Award for Faculty in International Research, TAMU, 2009
• Distinguished Achievement Award for Faculty Research, College of Geosciences, TAMU, 2002
• NASA New Investigator Award, 1998
• NASA Graduate Fellowship, 1990 – 1993

Selected Publications

• Li‡, Y., J. Zhao‡, M. Gomez-Hernandez‡, M. Lavallee‡, N.M. Johnson, and R. Zhang*, Functionality-Based Formation of Secondary Organic Aerosol from m-Xylene Photooxidation, Atmos. Chem. Phys. 22(15), 9843-9857 (2022). https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9843-2022
• Zhang*, R., N.M. Johnson, Y. Li‡, Establishing the exposure-outcome relation between airborne particulate matter and children’s health, Thorax 77, 322-323 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2021-217915
• Li, Y. ‡, J. Zhao‡, Y. Wang, J.H. Seinfeld, and R. Zhang*, Multi-generation production of secondary organic aerosol from toluene photooxidation, Environ. Sci. Technol. 55, 8592–8603, (2021). https://doi/10.1021/acs.est.1c02026
• Li, Y. ‡, Y. Ji, J. Zhao‡, Y. Wang, Q. Shi, J. Peng†, Y. Wang†, C. Wang†, F. Zhang†, Y. Wang†, J.H. Seinfeld, and R. Zhang*, Unexpected oligomerization of small α-dicarbonyls for secondary organic aerosol and brown carbon formation, Environ. Sci. Technol. 55, 4430–4439, (2021). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c08066
• Ji†, Y., Q. Shi, Y. Li‡, T. An, J. Zheng†, J. Peng†, Y. Gao, J. Chen, G. Li, Y. Wang‡, F. Zhang, A.L. Zhang, J. Zhao‡, M. J. Molina, and R. Zhang*, Carbenium ion-mediated oligomerization of methylglyoxal for secondary organic aerosol formation, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 117, 13294-13299, (2020). http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1912235117
• Zhang*, R., Y. Li‡, A.L. Zhang, Y. Wang‡, and M.J. Molina, Identifying airborne transmission as the dominant route for the spread of COVID-19, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 117, 14857-14863 (2020). https://doi.org/doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2009637117
• Zhang†, F., Y. Wang‡, J. Peng †, L. Chen, Y. Sun, L. Duan†, X. Ge, Y. Li‡, J. Zhao‡, C. Liu, X. Zhang, G. Zhang, Y. Pan, Y. Wang, A.L. Zhang, Y. Ji†, G. Wang†, M. Hu , M.J. Molina, and R. Zhang*, An unexpected catalyst dominates formation and radiative forcing of regional haze, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 117, 3960-3966 (2020). https://doi.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1919343117
• Guo†, S., M. Hu, J. Peng†, Z. Wu, M.L. Zamora‡, D. Shang, Z. Du, J. Zheng, X. Fang, R. Tang , Y. Wu, L. Zeng, S. Shuai, W. Zhang, Y. Wang, Y. Ji†, Y. Li‡, A.L. Zhang, W. Wang†, F. Zhang†, J. Zhao‡, X. Gong†, C. Wang†, M.J. Molina, and R. Zhang*, Remarkable nucleation and growth of ultrafine particles from vehicular exhaust, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 117, 3427–3432 (2020). https://doi.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1916366117
• Zhang*, R., G. Wang†, S. Guo†, M.L. Zamora‡, Q. Ying, Y. Lin‡, W. Wang†, M. Hu, and Y. Wang‡, Formation of urban fine particulate matter, Chem. Rev. 115, 3803-3855, DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00067 (2015). https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-11967-2015
• Zhang*, R., A.F. Khalizov†, L. Wang†, M. Hu, W. Xu‡, Nucleation and growth of nanoparticles in the atmosphere, Chem. Rev. 112, 1957-2011 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1021/cr2001756
• Zhang*, R., Getting to the critical nucleus of aerosol formation, Science 328, doi:10.1126/science.1189732, 1366-1367 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1189732
• Zhang*, R., I. Suh‡, J. Zhao‡, D. Zhang‡, E.C. Fortner‡, X. Tie, L.T. Molina, and M.J. Molina, Atmospheric new particle formation enhanced by organic acids, Science 304, 1487-1490 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1095139
• Molina, M.J., R. Zhang, P.J. Wooldridge, J.E. Kim, J.R. McMahon, H.Y. Chang, and K.D. Beyer, Physical chemistry of the H2SO4/HNO3/H2O system: Implications for the formation of polar stratospheric clouds, Science 261, 1418-1423 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.261.5127.1418

Symbols denote the corresponding author (*) or papers by R. Zhang’s graduate students (‡) and postdocs/research scientists (†)