Our Research Team
Meet the researchers advancing environmental science
Dr. John R. Lawson
Research Assistant Professor - Department of Mathematics and Statistics: [Google Scholar](https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=hDAU8eQAAAAJ)
I lead our team's mission to improve air-quality communication to industry workers, policy makers, and public in the Uinta Basin, with the goal of maximising both puiblic and economic health by deploying recent findings to real-world situation. My background is in meteorology, and previously worked at the National Weather Center (Norman, Oklahoma) on thunderstorm-prediction models and received my PhD in meteorology from Iowa State University.
My current research focus is improving our in-house air-quality prediction model, Clyfar,
numerical weather prediction,
statistical
analysis, and field observations to understand complex atmospheric phenomena in mountainous terrain.
My journey into atmospheric science began with a fascination for mountain weather during undergraduate studies in mathematics. This led to graduate work in atmospheric sciences where I specialized in boundary layer meteorology and air quality modeling. Now, I'm privileged to study these processes in one of the most meteorologically interesting regions of the western United States.
Current research projects include investigating winter temperature inversions and their impacts on air quality, developing improved forecasting techniques for complex terrain, and mentoring the next generation of atmospheric scientists. I'm particularly interested in making atmospheric science accessible to the public through plain-language communication and community engagement.
When not analyzing weather data or teaching, you'll find me hiking the Uinta Mountains, photographing cloud formations, or attempting to explain why meteorologists find temperature inversions exciting at dinner parties.
Luke Neilson
Research Assistant: [Google Scholar](https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=)
Luke is a high-school student at Uintah High School that works part-time as a (background, skills before joining, what drove him to join).
Currently, I'm developing (research in plain language, one recent project adding to operations/applications, one current project (main focus), one early stage looking to future applications.)
Outside the lab, Luke (hobbies, interests, family life, etc.)
Michael Joseph Davies
Research Assistant: [Google Scholar](https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=O2BnqXEAAAAJ)
Michael (background, skills before joining, what drove him to join)
Currently, I'm developing (research in plain language, one recent project adding to operations/applications, one current project (main focus), one early stage looking to future applications.)
Outside the lab, Michael (hobbies, interests, family life, etc.)