William Vizuete, PhD

A leading cause of global premature deaths are exposures to ozone and particulate matter (PM). PM alone is responsible for 3.7-4.8 million premature deaths worldwide. PM is also an important atmospheric radiative forcer and plays a critical role in our understanding of the impacts of climate change. Tackling problems of air pollution mortality and climate change are the global public health issues that motivate Dr. Vizuete's research. In his research, Dr. Vizuete focuses on understanding how the atmosphere can change the formation processes of ozone and PM, and its connection to human health. Through this research, he has increased our scientific knowledge in these areas and produced new insights through air quality models (AQMs), field studies, laboratory experiments and the development of a patented novel in vitro technology.

A better understanding of the atmosphere gives us the knowledge to improve the tools and methods that policymakers use to make effective control strategies to clean the air above our dirtiest cities. What excites Dr. Vizuete most about his research is that he is doing something that makes a real impact on society. Millions of people in the world breathe dangerously polluted air. Through his work, Dr. Vizuete is able to provide scientific advice to policymakers who make decisions that can improve our quality of life.

Representative Courses

View Dr. Vizuete's courses

Education

PhD, Chemical Engineering, University of Texas-Austin, 2005

MS, Chemical Engineering, University of Texas-Austin, 2003

BS, Chemical Engineering, University of Missouri-Rolla, 1998