Dr. Gannet Hallar

Title: Assistant Research Professor and Director of the Storm Peak Laboratory
Affiliation: Division of Atmospheric Sciences
Location: Steamboat Springs, CO
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Phone: 970.819.0968
Full Resume: Download PDF

Professional Interests

In 2003, Dr. Hallar completed her Ph.D. in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Supported by a National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship, she worked at NASA Ames Research Center from 2004 – 2006. In 2006, Dr. Hallar also worked as an adjunct faculty at Santa Clara State University. Most recently as an Assistant Research Professor with the Desert Research Institute, she directs Storm Peak Laboratory, a high elevation atmospheric science facility in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. This laboratory has undergone major changes under her leadership including new instrumentation, new research foci, new field courses, and a significant building expansion. Currently, at Storm Peak Laboratory, Dr. Hallar also work as adjunct faculty for the University of Nevada, Reno and teaches a graduate level field course in Mountain Meteorology.

The overarching theme of Dr. Hallar’s research is using high quality measurements of trace gases, aerosol physical and chemical properties, and cloud microphysics to understand connections between the biosphere, atmosphere, and climate, along with the impact of anthropogenic emissions on these connections. More specifically, currently her research uses high elevation sites, combined with airborne measurements, to study the formation processes of Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) and Ice Nuclei (IN) and how differing formation processes impact mixed-phase cloud microphysics. This research topic is stemmed in many potential formation mechanisms of aerosols, including nucleation, secondary organic aerosols, and primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP’s).

In addition to her research, Dr. Hallar leads two large National Science Foundation programs to support diversity in the atmospheric sciences. Geoscience Research at Storm Peak (GRASP) is a program providing mentoring and field research experiences for a diverse group of undergraduate students. Atmospheric Science Collaborations and Enriching NeTworks (ASCENT) is a program focusing on women in atmospheric science/meteorology to initiate positive professional relationships among female faculty of different ranks and postdoctoral researchers.

Research Areas

• Cloud Microphysics
• In Situ Trace Gas Measurements
• Aerosol Optical Properties

Research Web Site

• Storm Peak Laboratory