My research goal is to improve our understanding of the role that atmospheric volatile organic compounds play in affecting air quality and climate. Specifically, my project with the Thornton group aims to quantify the contribution that these VOCs have on the formation of secondary organic aerosols, which are potentially significant climate altering species. The tool that I will employ is called the chemical ionization high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer, which is well suited to accurately identify and quantify a whole suite of organic and inorganic acid species in both the gas and particle phases.