Jason D. Surratt, PhD

Professor Surratt specializes in atmospheric chemistry fundamentals.

Dr. Surratt's lab utilizes advanced mass spectrometry and chromatographic techniques to understand as deeply as possible the atmospheric chemistry that occurs in both the gas and particulate phases, with special focus on the chemistry leading to the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA).

Since SOA is a major fraction of atmospheric fine particulate matter, chemically characterizing it resolves its sources and impacts on climate, air quality and public health. By using this approach, Dr. Surratt has helped to reveal the detailed chemical pathways leading to SOA formation from the atmospheric oxidation of isoprene (the most abundant non-methane hydrocarbon on Earth) in the presence of anthropogenic pollutants.

His research combines synthetic organic and atmospheric analytical chemistry with toxicogenomics, toxicology and systems biology.

Honors and Awards

Kenneth T. Whitby Award

2021, American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR)

Newton Underwood Award for Excellence in Teaching

2020, UNC-CH, Gillings School of Global Public Health

Reviewer Award

2019, Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T) Letters

Best Paper Award for Zhang et al., “Effect of Aerosol-Phase State on Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation from the Reactive Uptake of Isoprene-Derived Epoxydiols (IEPOX)"

2019, Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T) Letters

Teaching Innovation Award

2018, UNC-CH, Gillings School of Global Public Health

Selected Highly Prolific Authors

2017, ES&T Letters

James J. Morgan Early Career Award Lectureship, Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T)

2016, American Chemical Society

Ruth and Philip Hettleman Prize for Artistic and Scholarly Achievement

2015, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Editors’ Citation For Excellence in Refereeing

2015, Journal of Geophysical Research (JGR) – Atmospheres

Camille & Henry Dreyfus Environmental Chemistry Mentor

2013

Sheldon K. Friedlander Award

2013, American Association for Aerosol Research

Early Career Award

2013, Environmental Protection Agency

Walter A. Rosenblith New Investigator Award

2012, Health Effects Institute

Atmospheric Chemistry Colloquium for Emerging Senior Scientists (ACCESS)

2011, Gordon Research Conference on Atmospheric Chemistry

Fast Breaking Paper In the Field of Environment/Ecology for the manuscript entitled: "Evidence for Organosulfates in Secondary Organic Aerosol"

2008, ScienceWatch.com

EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Graduate Fellowship

2004-2007, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Representative Courses

Environmental Chemistry (ENVR 403)

Aerosol Physics and Chemistry (ENVR 416)

Research Interest

• Air Quality and Atmosphere Science

Key Publications

PFOS Dominates PFAS Composition in Ambient Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Collected Across North Carolina Nearly 20 Years After the End of Its US Production. Zhou, J.; Baumann, K.; Mead, R. N.; Skrabal, S. A.; Kieber, R. J.; Avery, G. B.; Shimizu, M.; DeWitt, J. C.; Sun, M.; Vance, S. A.; Bodnar, W.; Zhang, Z.; Collins, L. B.; Surratt, J. D.*; Turpin, B. J.*  (2021). Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, 23(4), 580-587.

Heterogeneous Hydroxyl Radical Oxidation of Isoprene Epoxydiol-Derived Methyltetrol Sulfates: Plausible Formation Mechanisms of Previously Unexplained Organosulfates in Ambient Fine Aerosols. Chen, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Lambe, A. T.; Rongshuang, X.; Lei, Z.; Olson, N. E.; Zhang, Z.; Szalkowski, T.; Cui, T.; Vizuete, W.; Gold, A.; Turpin, B. J.; Ault, A. P.; Chan, M.N.; Surratt, J.D.*  (2020). Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 7(7), 460-468.

Increasing Isoprene Epoxydiol-to-Inorganic Sulfate Aerosol Ratio Results in Extensive Conversion of Inorganic Sulfate to Organosulfur Forms: Implications for Aerosol Physicochemical Properties. Riva, M.; Chen, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Lei, Z; Olson, N. E.; Boyer, H. C.; Narayan, S.; Yee, L. D.; Green, H. S.; Cui, T.; Zhang, Z.; Baumann, K. D.; Fort, M.; Edgerton E. S.; Budisulistiorini, S. H.; Rose, C. A.; Ribeiro, I. O.; e Oliveira, R. L.; dos Santos, E. O.; Szopa, S.; Machado, C. M. D.; Zhao, Y.; Alves, E. G.; de Sá, S.S.; Hu, W.; Knipping, E. M.; Shaw, S. L.; Duvoisin Junior, S.; de Souza, R. A. F.; Palm, B. B.; Jimenez, J. L.; Glasius, M.; Goldstein, A. H.; Pye, H. O. T.; Gold, A.; Turpin, B. J.; Vizuete, W.; Martin, S. T.; Thornton, J. A.; Dutcher, C. S.; Ault, A. P.*; Surratt, J. D.*  (2019). Environmental Science & Technology, 53(15), 8682-8694.

Development of a Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography (HILIC) Method for the Chemical Characterization of Water-Soluble Isoprene Epoxydiol (IEPOX)-Derived Secondary Organic Aerosol. Cui, T.; Zheng, Z.; dos Santos, E. O.; Zhang, Z.; Chen, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Rose, C. A.; Budisulistiorini, S. H.; Collins, L. B.; Bodnar, W. M.; de Souza, R. A. F.; Martin, S. T.; Machado, C. M. D.; Turpin, B. J.; Gold, A.; Ault, A. P.; Surratt, J. D.*  (2018). Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, 20(11), 1524-1536.

Effect of Aerosol-Phase State on Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation from the Reactive Uptake of Isoprene-Derived Epoxydiols (IEPOX). Zhang, Y.; Chen, Y.; Lambe, A. T.; Olson, N. E.; Lei, Z.; Craig, R. L.; Zhang, Z.; Gold, A.; Onasch, T. B.; Jayne, J. T.; Worsnop, D. R.; Gaston, C. J.; Thornton, J. A.; Vizuete, W.; Ault, A. P.; Surratt, J. D.*  (2018). Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 5(3), 167-174.

Education

PhD, Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, 2010

BS, Meteorology, North Carolina State University, 2003

BA, Chemistry, North Carolina State University, 2003