Postdocs

Helene investigates the sources and pathways of potential mercury exposure using integrated modeling and data analysis. In the context of public health, she examines whether upstream policy-induced variations in mercury emissions will result in local changes in contamination. Prior to joining MIT, Helene completed her PhD at the Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Geophysique de l’Environnement (LGGE, Grenoble, France) where she studied the atmospheric cycle of mercury in remote areas of the Southern Hemisphere (subantarctic and Antarctic regions). During her free time, Helene loves swimming, hiking, and traveling.

Dr. Benjamin Brown-Steiner is a Postdoctoral Associate at the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change and the Center for Global Change Science. His research is on understanding uncertainties associate with simulations of regional atmospheric chemistry, model development and looking at ways to move from a two-dimensional to a three-dimensional atmospheric chemistry model in the MIT Integrated Global System Model (IGSM). Prior to MIT he worked on climate-chemistry simulations examining various impacts on surface air chemistry in the Eastern US as well as diagnostic analysis of the capabilities and limitations of the Community Earth System Model (CESM) with Chemistry. He is also interested in science communication with non-scientists and has regularly volunteered in his community as a science writer and communicator.

Sae’s research goal is to quantify mercury deposition and bioaccumulation to rice paddies to address food security issues in China. As a part of this goal, she will explore major biogeochemical processes governing mercury bioaccumulation to rice grains, and investigate how introduction of new technologies and policies will influence future changes in mercury levels in rice grains. As a side, she hopes to evaluate the impact of this scientific research by assessing the economic cost of rice mercury contamination in China. Prior to joining MIT, Sae completed her PhD at the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department, University of Michigan, where she utilized Hg isotopes to identify sources and understand complex biogeochemical processes governing mercury in natural ecosystems. During her free time, Sae likes to travel, run and do arts and crafts with her friends.

Daniel’s research interests broadly intersect the theme of atmospheric composition, its role in climate change, and the ways that anthropogenic activity can influence both. Originally trained as a meteorologist, his doctoral work undertaken in MIT’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences focused on better representing aerosol-cloud interactions in climate models, and how uncertainty in these processes “clouds” our understanding of  climate change. Working with colleagues in Noelle’s group, he intends to study the role of climate variability on influencing air quality in both the present and future. Beyond this core research, Daniel is active in the science policy community through MIT and other Boston-based organizations such as the American Meteorological Society, an advocate for open/reproducible science, and a zealous Pythonista. When he’s not coding or working, he enjoys unhealthy amounts of coffee and performing on the violin.