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Research Interests

Field observations of organic gases, mass spectrometry, environmental chamber experiments, atmospheric chemistry modeling, trace gas oxidation mechanism development

Our research combines experimental and modeling tools to identify the ways in which volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere react to produce harmful air pollutants like ozone and particles, and to quantify the impacts of these pollutants on human health and global climate. We develop instruments like mass spectrometers to detect a wide range of VOCs with high sensitivity, and use these instruments in targeted environmental chamber experiments to diagnose the reaction rates and products of VOCs in the atmosphere. We also partner with NOAA, NASA, and others to bring our instruments into the field and make ambient observations from aircraft, stationary sites, and vehicles. We then use atmospheric models like  and  to understand the importance of the chemicals and reactions we observe in chamber studies and the ambient atmosphere on regional to global scales, and to quantify their impacts on air pollution, human health, and the global climate.

Societal Impact

By better understanding the chemical processes that control ozone and particle formation in the atmosphere, we help determine the steps that individuals and institutions can take to mitigate air pollution.

Teaching

MCEN 1024 - Chemistry for Energy & Material Science - Fall 2024 

Background

Dr. Bates received his PhD in chemistry at Caltech and his BS in chemistry and economics from Davidson College. Prior to his appointment at Å·ÃÀ¿Ú±¬ÊÓƵ, he was a postdoctoral fellow in the  at Harvard University, a project scientist at the University of California Davis in , and a research scientist at the  in Boulder, during which he deployed mass spectrometers aboard aircraft and other mobile platforms on the  and  field campaigns.

Select Publications

• Bates, K. H., Evans, M. J., Henderson, B. H., and Jacob, D. J. "." Geosci. Model Dev., 17 (4), 1511-1524, 2024. 
• Bates, K. H., Jacob, D. J., Cope, J. D., Chen, X., Millet, D. B., and Nguyen, T. B. "." Environ. Sci.: Atmos., 3, 1651-1664, 2023. 
• Cope, J. D., Bates, K. H., Tran, L. N., Abellar, K. A., and Nguyen, T. B. "." Proc. Nat’l. Acad. Sci., 119 (36) e2202857119, 2022.
• Bates, K. H., Burke, G. J. P., Cope, J. D., and Nguyen, T. B. "." Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 1467-1482, 2022.
• Dovrou, E., Bates, K. H., Moch, J. M., Mickley, L. J., Jacob, D. J., and Keutsch, F. N. "." Proc. Nat’l. Acad. Sci., 119 (6), e2113265119; 2022.

Select Awards

• 2021 - UBC Early Career Invited Lecture Award - University of British Columbia
• 2017 - Climate & Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship - NOAA
• 2017 - Center for the Environment Postdoctoral Fellowship - Harvard University
• 2014 - NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Select Professional Activities

• 2024 - present: Editor, 
• 2024 - present: Co-chair, Chemistry Working Group, 
• 2024 - present: University coordinating partner,