Ryan Sullivan
Professor, Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering
Graduate Program Chair, Chemistry
Associate Director, Institute for Green Science
- Doherty Hall 2111
- 412-268-8462
Bio
Courtesy appointment:
- Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Education
Hon.B.Sc., University of Toronto, 2002
M.Sc., University of California, San Diego, 2006
Ph.D., University of California, San Diego, 2008
Postdoctoral Fellow, Colorado State University, 2009–2010
Research
Keywords: Aerosol science; atmospheric chemistry; droplet accelerated chemistry, environmental chemistry; physical chemistry; analytical chemistry; mass spectrometry; interfacial chemistry; mechanical engineering; environmental engineering; climate change; air pollution; aerosol-cloud-climate interactions; single-particle analysis; ice nucleation; heterogeneous kinetics; biomass burning; wildfires; phase separations; Raman spectroscopy; optical tweezers; microfluidics; heterogeneous catalysis; aqueous photochemistry, micropollutants; environmental contaminants; water purification; sustainable chemistry; pollutant remediation; chemical contaminants; human exposome; automated experiments
ResearcherID: B-4674-2008
Projects
Our research focuses on understanding the sources and chemical transformations of chemicals in the environment such that we can understand their persistence and transformation products, and their impacts on humans and the environment. This knowledge advances sustainable chemistry by identifying and evaluating molecular architectures that we predict will become persistent or harmful environmental contaminants, such that more sustainable alternatives can be developed. We seek to develop experimental methods that provide a comprehensive understanding of the environmental molecular lifecycle of synthetic chemicals that may become emerging environmental contaminants, focusing on abiotic aqueous transformations in aerosol particles and in sunlit natural waters driven by indirect photolysis (photooxidation). Identifying persistent transformation products is a major objective as these can have very different environmental chemical behavior and effects than their precursors. We engineer and evaluate new chemical approaches to destroy persistent micropollutants that contaminate our water resources such as using the unique chemistry of aerosols and the sustainable oxidation TAML catalysts invented in the Institute for Green Science and brought to market by our startup company, Sudoc. Through collaboration with materials chemists and engineers we apply our environmental chemistry understanding to develop and evaluate new sustainable polymers and chemicals to ensure they do not become persistent or harmful pollutants.
We have extensive expertise in the chemistry of atmospheric aerosol particles, focusing on mineral-containing particles in wildfire smoke and volcanic ash, and how transformations alters a particle’s ability to nucleate ice that significantly alters cloud microphysical properties. Aerosols are major players in driving air pollution and human health effects, and altering atmospheric radiation, clouds, and thus climate change. Using aerosol optical tweezers to study levitated droplets we explore the feedbacks between reactive gas uptake and changes in aerosol acidity, phase separations, and morphology that can alter further reactive uptake kinetics and chemical reactivity. Recently we have examined the aqueous photochemistry of aerosol particles such as of the light-absorbing brown carbon produced from biomass burning that can act as a photosensitizer that produces oxidants that drive chemical transformations. We combine engineering and physical/analytical chemistry approaches to develop new techniques to study individual particles using mass spectrometry, droplet microfluidics, and optical levitation.
My current course offerings of Environmental Science on a Changing Planet and Environmental Chemistry also support the interdisciplinary university-wide undergraduate program in Environmental & Sustainability Studies.
Publications
Appointments
| Years | Position |
|---|---|
| 2021–present | Professor of Chemistry & Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University |
| 2021–2022 | Senior Fellow, Collegium Helveticum, joint Institute for Advanced Studies of ETH Zürich, the University of Zürich, and the Zürich University of the Arts |
| 2021–2022 | Visiting Professor, Institute for Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich |
| 2017–2021 | Associate Professor of Chemistry & Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University |
| 2012–2017 | Assistant Professor of Chemistry & Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University |
| 2009–2011 | Post-Doctoral Fellow and Research Scientist, Colorado State University |
Awards and Distinctions
| Years | Award |
|---|---|
| 2022–2023 | Provost’s Inclusive Teaching Fellow, Carnegie Mellon University |
| 2019 | Winner, Environmental Award, Carnegie Science Center |
| 2018 | Runner-up, Environmental Award, Carnegie Science Center |
| 2018 | Top Peer Reviewer in Cross-field, Publons 2018 global Peer Review Awards |
| 2016 | National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Award (CAREER) |
| 2015 | Editors’ Citation for Excellence in Refereeing for Geophysical Research Letters |
| 2011 | Cozzarelli Prize, National Academy of Science USA |
Media Mentions
Sullivan quoted on household product safety
MechE’s Ryan Sullivan was quoted in the Daily Mail about the safety of household cleaning products like air fresheners. “To a chemist ‘really clean’ would actually be no scent because the scent is caused by a chemical,” Sullivan first told the Washington Post.
Sullivan shares thoughts on fragrance products in Yahoo
MechE’s Ryan Sullivan shares his thoughts on fragrance products in Yahoo. “Products can contain dozens of chemicals, and all it shows up as is one word on the ingredient list: fragrance,” he says.
Sullivan weighs in on water microdroplet chemistry
MechE’s Ryan Sullivan spoke with Chemistry World about the contentious topic of water microdroplet chemistry, which has inspired mixed feelings among researchers in the field.
Sullivan comments about the unique chemical bonds found in PFAS-containing firefighting foams in the Military Times
ChemE’s Ryan Sullivan makes a comment about the unique chemical bonds found in PFAS-containing firefighting foams in Military Times.
Sullivan talks to The Washington Post about the danger of air fresheners
MechE’s Ryan Sullivan talks with The Washington Post about how air fresheners can actually have serious adverse effects on consumers.
All eyes on “forever chemicals”
Ryan Sullivan has been developing new methods to measure “forever chemicals” in the atmosphere and aerosol particles to answer outstanding questions regarding the components that lead to human exposure.
Sullivan and Gordon receive DOE award
MechE’s Ryan Sullivan and Research Accelerator Hamish Gordon have received funding from the Department of Energy to continue studying how wildfire emissions could affect the climate.
Sullivan organized workshop on chemical exposure
MechE’s Ryan Sullivan organized a workshop titled “Everyday-Everywhere Chemicals and the Human Exposome” at the Collegium Helveticum.
Sudoc named startup to watch by Chemical & Engineering News
Sudoc, a startup co-founded by CMU’s Terrence Collins and Ryan Sullivan, has been named one of 10 startups to watch by Chemical & Engineering News. Sudoc is developing and commercializing TAML catalysts, a bioinspired environmentally friendly molecule that outperforms toxic chemicals in a wide range of applications and can be used to remove pollutants from natural and built environments.
Sudoc named in 10 start-ups to watch
Sudoc (Sustainable Ultradilute Oxidation Catalysis) was named one of “C&EN’s 2021 10 Start-Ups to Watch.” MechE’s Ryan Sullivan is a co-founder of the company.
Making environmental science accessible to all students
New Mechanical Engineering course dives into the connections between Earth’s water, air, land, and life.
Sullivan’s research on wildfires featured
MechE/Chemistry’s Ryan Sullivan’s research on wildfires and cloud formation was featured on the National Science Foundation’s The Discovery Files radio feature.