About me

Hi! I’m Arshad, an interdisciplinary researcher passionate about exploring the intersections of climate, air quality, and public health. I’m a Research Scientist at the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC) at the University at Albany, State University of New York. I received my PhD in the Atmospheric Sciences from the University at Albany and my Dual-Degree BS-MS in Physics from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, India.

My experiences have shaped my research into two broad directions: (1) improving the accuracy of aerosols in chemistry and climate models, and (2) understanding impacts of air quality and climate change on the health of humans and their built environment. This means addressing questions like, “How do these tiny particles in the air affect the weather or climate?” and “How does the air we breathe impact people’s health differently?” Toward figuring this out, I use powerful computer models, a wide variety of measurements (thankfully made by more enterprising folk!), and machine learning (a type of artificial intelligence) to uncover patterns and make robust, trustworthy predictions. At the core of my research is a commitment to solving real-world issues, aimed at bolstering our communities’ climate and health resilience.

Below you’ll hear me talk about my doctoral dissertation work: