CV

Below are the academic highlights from the most recent version of my CV. For more information, please feel free to send me an email.

(In Progress) Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley. Advisor: Joshua S. Apte.
(02/2018) Master of Engineering in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Thesis: The phase separation inlet for droplets, ice residuals, and interstitial aerosols (link). Advisor: Daniel J. Cziczo.
(02/2017) Bachelor of Science in Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Thesis: Characterization of a 3D printed pumped counterflow virtual impactor and an aerodynamic lens concentrator (link). Advisor: Daniel J. Cziczo. Minor: Atmospheric Chemistry. Concentration: Music and Theater Arts.

(in review) Koolik, L. H., Alvarado, Á., Budahn, A., Plummer, L., Marshall, J. D., and Apte, J. S.: PM_2.5 exposure disparities persist despite strict vehicle emissions controls in California . In review. (preprint)
(2022) Koolik, L., Roesch, M., Dameto de Espana, C., Rapp, C. N., Franco Deloya, L. J., Shen, C., Hallar, A. G., McCubbin, I. B., and Cziczo, D. J.: A phase separation inlet for droplets, ice residuals, and interstitial aerosol particles. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. (link)

(2024) Koolik, L. H., Marshall, J. D., and Apte, J. S.: A conceptual framework towards equity-oriented decision-making in air pollution. Health Effects Institute Annual Conference 2024.
(2024) Koolik, L., Alvarado, Á., Budahn, A., Plummer, L., Marshall, J., and Apte, J. S.: For Exposure to PM_2.5 from California’s On-Road Mobile Sources, Relative Disparities by Race-Ethnicity Remain Even After Decades of Emissions Controls. Joint AGU/AMS Climate and Health Showcase.
(2023) Koolik, L., Alvarado, Á., Budahn, A., Plummer, L., Marshall, J., and Apte, J. S.: For Exposure to PM_2.5 from California’s On-Road Mobile Sources, Relative Disparities by Race-Ethnicity Remain Even After Decades of Emissions Controls. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2023. (abstract, iPoster video)
(2023) Koolik, L., Alvarado, Á., Budahn, A., Plummer, L., Marshall, J., and Apte, J. S.: Racial-Ethnic Disparities in Exposure to PM_2.5 from California’s On-Road Mobile Sources Remain After Decades of Emissions Controls. Health Effects Institute Annual Conference 2023. (abstract, video)

(2024) American Geophysical Union, Outstanding Student Presentation Award.
(2023) Hearts to Humanity Eternal Graduate Fellowship
(2023) Health Effects Institute, Jane Warren Award.
(2021) University of California, Berkeley Chancellor's Fellowship.
(2019) Ramboll Extraordinary Individual Contribution to the Business Unit Award.
(2016) MIT Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Science Achievement Award.

University of California, Berkeley

Graduate Student Researcher (08/2021-present)

Develops computational pipelines for estimating PM_2.5 exposure disparities associated with changes in emissions.
Coordinates with California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessments and environmental justice groups to provide useful tools for iterating through emissions scenarios.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Graduate Research Fellow (02/2017-01/2018)

Designed and constructed a first of its kind comprehensive phase-separation inlet system for studying the aerosols that activate water droplet and ice crystal nucleation in mixed-phase clouds.
Demonstrated proof of concept during a field campaign at the summit of Mt. Washington by measuring mixed-phase clouds using the inlet.
Constructed 3D models of individual unique instrument components and fabricated them using a stereolithographic 3D printer.
Wrote computational pipelines in Matlab for analyzing large amounts of particle concentration data collected through laboratory and field studies.
Developed computational models for understanding droplet evaporation and breakup to inform air flows through the instrument.

Undergraduate Researcher (09/2015-12/2016)

Designed and tested the first 3D printed prototype of both an aerosol size-selecting device and a particle concentrator to allow for a more thorough investigation of cloud nucleating particle properties.
Investigated an important unknown in the climate system by testing affinity for contact freezing of super-cooled atmospheric water droplets under various atmospheric conditions simulated in a chamber.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Undergraduate Researcher (08/2014-12/2014)

Compared levels of ozone and particulate matter in different policy scenarios with overall costs of implementation, contributing to a report to the EPA that advises them on which policy to pursue.
Performed BenMAP simulations, contributing to results published in a paper entitled “U.S. Air Quality and Health Benefits from Avoided Climate Change under Greenhouse Gas Mitigation” (Garcia-Menendez 2015).

(04/2024-present) Amy Yao: Updating and Maintaining the ECHO-AIR Model
(01/2023-present) Clara Rong: Decomposing California's Agricultural Sector for Insights Towards Equitable Air Quality (abstract, iPoster)
(09/2022-05/2023) Thomas Le: Developing Pipelines for Estimating Stationary Source Exposures

(09/2022-present) MIT Terrascope Alumni Mentor (link): provide support to freshman learning community focused on solving environmental problems
(09/2022-present) GWE x SWE Mentoring: mentor undergraduate women in engineering, providing career and academic advice

(09/2021-present) Community Resources for Science (link): wildfire smoke outreach participant and 2023 coordinator