Professor Paul S. Monks

Professor of Physical Chemistry

Earth Observation Science

B.Sc., D.Phil. (Oxford),

Tel: 0116 252 2141

Research Interests

The primary research interests of Atmospheric Chemistry research group are the scientific questions underlying: the role of photochemistry in the control of atmospheric composition; chemistry and transport, particularly the impact of long-range transport on chemical composition; the feedbacks between climate and atmospheric chemistry; organic complexity and the control of regional pollution and the measurement of the troposphere from space. In order to answer specific scientific questions, atmospheric measurements are taken from a range of ground-based, aircraft and satellite platforms using a suite of instruments.

RAFT:Real Air Fingerprinting Technology Mass Spectrometer

An integrated approach has been developed to include the design, building and characterisation of instruments, their deployment and use for measurements in the atmosphere through to the analysis, statistical modelling and interpretation of the data. The group adopts an interdisciplinary approach, working on the development of new techniques and instruments coupled to their application in atmospheric science field projects and understanding/analysis of the data collected.

I am currently serving on a number of national and international committees including being an Chair of DEFRA Air Quality Expert Group (Government Science Advisory Committee on Air Quality, BIS Space Leadership Council (provides high level advice to Space Agency and Government). Co-chair for the IGBP-IGAC project (international program that co-ordinates efforts in global environmental change research, NERC SISB (NERC strategy board), management Committee for ACCENT (a EU trans-national network of atmospheric composition scientists) and Co-Chair of Met Office/NERC Scientific Strategy Group for the Joint Weather and Climate Research Program.