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Environmental Science Faculty

Michael A. Edwards
Clinical Assistant Professor

Ph.D., North Dakota State University, 1999

Prof. Edwards teaches undergraduate courses in environmental science, environment and people, techniques in environmental sciences and a graduate course in environmental chemistry. Research Interests: The reaction of anthropogenic ozone with alkenes is known to be a precursor for the generation of hydroxyl radicals in the troposphere. Decomposition mechanisms for an alkene-ozone complex have been proposed, however; the bi-radical intermediates that are formed, referred to as the Criegee intermediates, are very difficult to detect in the gas phase. I am interested in the mechanism of decomposition of these complexes as well as isolation and subsequent reactions of these illusive bi-radical intermediates with organic substrates in the gas phase utilizing fourier transform mass spectrometry instrumentation.

Recent Publications

"Kinetics of the CN + CH2CO and NCO + CH2CO Reactions," Chem. Phys. 1998, 234/1-3, 231.

"Measurements of the Kinetics of the OH + a-Pinene Reaction," 2001, submitted for publication.