2018 News & Events

Matt Coggon, Brian McDonald, and Jessica Gilman, atmospheric research chemists at NOAA ESRL CSD, discuss "Deodorant, Cleaning Products & the Virtue of Smelling Bad" for Science on Tap on Tuesday, June 12, 6:30pm - 9:00pm at the Gunbarrel Brewing Company.

Have you ever read the product labels on your favorite hair spray or deodorant? Ever heard of the compound "decamethylpentasiloxane"? And what exactly is a "fragrance"? The products that we use every day are designed to evaporate and eventually find their way into the atmosphere. Once there, these chemicals may undergo processes that lead to the formation of smog and urban air pollution. Many years ago, cars were the dominant source urban air pollution in the U.S., but because of regulations to limit vehicle emissions, most cars emit few smog-inducing chemicals. As a result, consumer products, many of which are designed to mimic the fragrances of flowers and trees found in nature, are now one of the major contributors to air pollution in urban air. In this talk, the speakers present research aimed at understanding the emissions of consumer products and show that in places like Boulder, CO, people emit just as much pollution as their cars. Stay after the talk to see the tools used to measure air pollution. There is a show-and-tell of the CSD mobile laboratory (van pictured) and demonstration on how state-of-the-art instruments are used to measure the emissions of personal care products.

Science on Tap is an outreach activity organized by Chelsea Thompson, Patrick Veres, and Matt Coggon, CIRES atmospheric research chemists at CSD in Boulder, in cooperation with Gunbarrel Brewing Company (GBC). The monthly program is an opportunity for science enthusiasts and beer lovers to gather and discover recent research in science and technology. Local scientists across a variety of disciplines present their work in a fun, informal, and interactive setting while enjoying some of Boulder's finest craft beers. If you go, expect the brewery's usual beverage options and food trucks, with a 30-40 minute presentation followed by discussion and Q&A.