Amie Dobracki

Brookhaven National Laboratory

Environmental and Climate Sciences Department
Bldg. 815E, Room 1-44
P.O. Box 5000
Upton, NY 11973-5000

(412) 608-9943
adobracki@bnl.gov

Expertise | Research | Education | Publications | Awards

Expertise

• Aerosol chemical, physical, and optical properties
• in-situ atmospheric observations
• anthropogenic influences on climate
• instrument development and use.
• Programming: Igor Pro, Squirrel/PIKA, Python
• Instrumentation: HR-ToF-AMS, SP2, SMPS, CPC, UHSAS, Nephelometer, PSAP

Research Activities

Aug. 2018 - Present, Graduate Research Assistant, University of Miami

• Integrated datasets from multiple field (ground + aircraft) campaigns (ORACLES and LASIC)
• Analyzed data from the HR-ToF-AMS, ACSM, SP2, SMPS, DMA, CPC, Nephelometer, and PSAP
• Developed a parameterization to quantify changes in single scattering albedo due to changes in aerosol chemical properties
• Presented at four conferences, published two first-author papers and co-authored five papers in peer-reviewed journals

Aug. 2015 - Aug. 2018, Graduate Research Assistant, University of Hawaii, Honolulu

• Integrated, calibrated, and installed a suite of in-situ aerosol sampling instruments on the NASA P3-B aircraft in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
• Collected data on the HR-ToF-AMS and flew over 450 hours on the NASA P3-B over the southeast Atlantic Ocean.
• Leadfinaldatapreparationandscientificanalysisoforganicaerosolobservations.
• Presented at five conferences and co-authored ten papers published in peer-reviewed journals.

May 2013 - May 2015, Laboratory Research Assistant, Liberty Technologies Company Pittsburgh, PA

• Designed and executed experiments using eutectic salts to coat metals commonly used in manufacturing military-grade weapons.

Aug. 2014 - May. 2015, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, PA

• Designed and constructed an experiment to study double shell nanoparticles and their optical properties.

Education

Aug. 2018-June 2023, Ph.D. Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science

• Atmospheric Science (Advisor: Dr. Paquita Zuidema)
• Thesis: Understanding the chemical, physical, and optical properties of African biomass-burning aerosol over the southeast Atlantic Ocean

Aug. 2015-May 2018, M.S. Chemical Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu

• Chemical Oceanography (Advisor: Dr. Steven Howell)
• Thesis: Chemical characterization of African biomass-burning over the southeast Atlantic Ocean

Aug . 2011-May 2015, B.S. Chemistry, Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, PA

• Minors: Mathematics, Psychology
• Thesis: Core-Shell properties of double-shell nanoparticles

Selected Publications

• Dobracki A, Zuidema P, Howell S, et al (2022) An attribution of the low single-scattering albedo of biomass-burning aerosol over the southeast Atlantic. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-501
• Che H, Segal-Rozenhaimer M, Zhang L, et al (2022) Cloud processing and weeklong ageing affect biomass burning aerosol properties over the south-eastern Atlantic. Communications Earth & Environment 3:. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-022-00517-3
• Barrett PA, Abel SJ, Coe H, et al (2022) Intercomparison of airborne and surface-based measurements during the CLARIFY, ORACLES and LASIC field experiments. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques 15:6329–6371. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6329-2022
• Zhang L, Segal-Rozenhaimer M, Che H, et al (2022) Light Absorption by Brown Carbon over the South-East Atlantic Ocean. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-1000
• Dang C, Segal-Rozenhaimer M, Che H, et al (2021) Biomass burning and marine aerosol processing over the southeast Atlantic Ocean: A TEM single particle analysis. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-724
• Howell SG, Freitag S, Dobracki A, et al (2021) Undersizing of aged African biomass burning aerosol by an ultra-high-sensitivity aerosol spectrometer. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques 14:7381–7404. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7381-2021
• Redemann J, Wood R, Zuidema P, et al (2021) An overview of the ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS) project: aerosol–cloud–radiation interactions in the southeast Atlantic basin. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 21:1507–1563. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1507-2021
• Shinozuka Y, Saide PE, Ferrada GA, et al (2020) Modeling the smoky troposphere of the southeast Atlantic: a comparison to ORACLES airborne observations from September of 2016. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 20:11491–11526. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-11491-2020
• Diamond MS, Dobracki A, Freitag S, et al (2018) Time-dependent entrainment of smoke presents an observational challenge for assessing aerosol–cloud interactions over the southeast Atlantic Ocean. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 18:14623–14636. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-14623-2018

Awards & Recognition

• 2021, Best Student Presentation Award, American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting, Aerosol-Cloud-Climate Interaction Symposium
• 2018, NASA Group Achievement Award for ORACLES, NASA