Upcoming: 4th Annual Air Quality Research and Development Consortium (AIRDC) Workshop 2026
The 4th Annual Air Quality Research and Development Consortium (AIRDC) Workshop aims to bring together atmospheric composition and air quality modeling collaborators from the greater-DC area (and beyond) to present and discuss ongoing and emerging research and development in the areas of Emissions Inventories and Modeling, Air Quality Modeling and Related Applications, and Observations and Data Fusion.
Dates: June 9, 2026
Abstract Due Date: May 8, 2026
CSER Spring 2026 Seminar Series:
Join Us for the CSER SPRING 2026 Webinar Series
Thursdays: 4:00 PM EST
The George Mason University Center for
Satellite and Earth Science Research
(CSER) hosts its Spring 2026 Webinar
Series featuring talks from leading
researchers in the Earth sciences.
News Reports:
George Mason University Research Releases:
- George Mason University (November 1, 2024): George Mason REACHes for regional health policy solutions: https://www.gmu.edu/news/2024-11/george-mason-reaches-regional-health-policy-solutions
- George Mason University College of Science (March 25, 2024): Mason scientists sound “wake-up call” on Virginia’s wildfires: https://science.gmu.edu/news/mason-scientists-sound-wake-call-virginias-wildfires
- George Mason University College of Science (October 26, 2023): AOES Professor to head AGU’s GeoHealth Section: https://science.gmu.edu/news/aoes-prof-head-agus-geohealth-section
- George Mason University College of Science (June 8, 2023): Canadian wildfire smoke and particulate matter blanket northeastern U.S : https://science.gmu.edu/news/canadian-wildfire-smoke-and-particulate-matter-blanket-northeastern-us
- George Mason University News: (June 26, 2020): Saharan dust storm headed to the U.S.: https://content.gmu.edu/news/586746
- George Mason University College of Science News (Dec 12, 2020): “Climate Dynamics Student ‘Unsung Hero’”: https://science.gmu.edu/news/climate-dynamics-student-unsung-hero
- George Mason University News (September 25, 2020): Mason professor warns of health risks from Western wildfire smoke: https://content.gmu.edu/news/588726
- GMU News Release (May 23, 2017): Mason leads national research on Valley Fever and dust storms: https://www2.gmu.edu/news/425746
Media Reports:
March 11, 2026:
How much of our rising nitrogen pollution is being driven by a warming world with increasing fire activity?
In a new paper by CSER scientists in Nature, they show how climate‑driven wildfires—now more frequent and severe in the western U.S.—are increasingly responsible for surging reactive nitrogen emissions and deposition, pushing critical load exceedances up by 20–40% and signaling a growing atmospheric impact of a hotter, drier climate in the region.
Citation: Campbell, P.C., Tong, D.Q., Chang, S. et al. Increased contributions of climate-driven wildfires to nitrogen deposition in the United States. Commun Earth Environ (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03279-4
NOAA News (Feb 24, 2026):
GMU CSER scientists help lead development of an advanced Unified Forecast System – Air Quality Model Version 8 (UFS-AQMv8) community capability at NOAA.
The updated UFS-AQMv8 includes numerous scientific advancements including updated chemistry and processes, updated physical parameterizations, updated emissions data and models, and improved fire emissions and behavior. The community version includes most of the features planned for the next operational implementation of the National Air Quality Forecasting Capability (NAQFC) at NOAA/NWS, UFS-AQMv8, and will continue to incorporate developments from the UFS-AQM technical and scientific teams as they progress.”
Link: https://epic.noaa.gov/ufs-aqm-capability-announcement/
Fallowed Fields Are Fueling California’s Dust Problem
NASA (April 30, 2025):
Dusty Days Are Here Again for El Paso
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154230/dusty-days-are-here-again-for-el-paso
The Lancet (April 8, 2025):
Climate change fuels deadly dust storms worldwide
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(25)00123-7/abstract
Fortune (March 20, 2025): Also in Insurance Journal.
Kansas highway pileup that killed 8 was caused by an impenetrable dust storm like one out of the 1930s ‘Dust Bowl’
https://fortune.com/2025/03/18/kansas-highway-pileup-dust-storm
Associated Press (March 18, 2025):
A highway pileup in western Kansas shows how dust storms can turn deadly
https://apnews.com/article/kansas-dust-storm-2050868fa23c03f5e573df3d42154e4d
(Also in NBC, ABC, Dallas News, WNKY, etc)
Eos (March 12, 2025):
Will Its $154 Billion Price Tag Keep Dust from Being Swept Under the Rug?
Environmental Health Perspective (January 22, 2025):
Valley Fever: Fine Mineral Dust Modeling Points to High-Risk Regions and Seasons in California
https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP16213.
Fox News (September 5, 2024):
Valley fever outbreak reported after California music festival as health officials cite ‘hotspot’
(also in WFIN and others)
West Magazine (Stanford University) (August 23, 2024):
Rising from dead and dying lakes, western dust storms menace species, drivers, and public health
Newswise (August 14, 2024):
Wildfires in the U.S. and Canada Remind Us That Health Impacts Defy Borders.
NASA News (November 15, 2023):
Satellite Data Can Help Limit the Dangers of Windblown Dust.
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/satellite-data-can-help-limit-the-dangers-of-windblown-dust/
FOX 5 (KSWB-TV, San Diego, CA, November 8, 2023):
San Diego-area health impacts from air pollution among worst in US: report
American Thoracic Society (November 1, 2023):
Wildfires Impact Health Across Every Region in U.S. According to “Health of the Air” Report
https://www.thoracic.org/about/newsroom/press-releases/journal/2023/health-of-air-report-2023.php
NASA News (October 6, 2023):
Air Quality Forecasts Get an Upgrade.
https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/our-impact/story/air-quality-forecasts-get-upgrade
Yale Climate Connection (July 13, 2023):
Flu-like valley fever is on the rise. There’s a climate connection.
National Geographic (May 30, 2023):
Are dust storms getting worse? Here’s why they’re so destructive.
NPR St Louis (May 15, 2023):
Lessons from the sudden, fatal dust storm that caused a 72-vehicle pileup on 1-55
Latin Times (May 5, 2023):
Many Parts Of US Have Seen Increase In Dust Storm-Related Fatalities
https://www.latintimes.com/many-parts-ushave-seen-increase-dust-storm-related-fatalities-543901
NBC News (May 4, 2023):
Dust storms have killed hundreds and are a growing problem in parts of the U.S.
The Weather Channel (May 3, 2023):
Dust Storm Traffic Deaths Are Undercounted, NOAA Study Shows
https://weather.com/safety/news/2023-05-02-dust-storm-pileup-deaths-undercounted-illinois-crashes
The Week (May 2, 2023):
6 dead after rare Illinois dust storm causes highway pileup
https://theweek.com/storms/1023170/6-dead-after-rare-illinois-dust-storm-causes-highway-pileup
Houston Chronicle (11 April 2023):
Spring is peak season for haboobs, dust storms in West Texas. Here’s why they happen and what to know.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-weather/article/dust-storms-texas-haboobs-17883605.php
AASHTO Journal (7 April 2023):
NOAA: Dust Storms Contribute To Higher Traffic Fatalities
https://aashtojournal.org/2023/04/07/noaa-dust-storms-contribute-to-higher-traffic-fatalities
Fox Weather (8 April 2023):
Dust storms are more dangerous than previously thought.
https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/study-travel-weather-deadly
NOAA Research (5 March 2023):
How deadly are dust storms?
https://research.noaa.gov/article/ArtMID/587/ArticleID/2984/How-deadly-are-dust-storms
New York Post (3 February 2023):
Valley fever fungal infection could spread from Southwest, doctors warn: ‘New cases emerging’
https://nypost.com/2023/02/03/valley-fever-could-spread-from-southwest-researchers-warn
Physics Today (9 December 2022):
Global observations and improved models track atmospheric dust
https://physicstoday.scitation.org/do/10.1063/PT.6.1.20221209a/full
Nature (August 1, 2022):
Dust-up over dust storm link to ‘Valley Fever’ disease
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-02089-w
NASA (April 15, 2022):
Monitoring Ozone and Tracking Red Tides
https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/our-impact/story/monitoring-ozone-and-tracking-red-tides
NOAA Research News (December 21, 2021):
New Dust Forecast Model Excels in Predicting Recent Dust Storms
https://www.arl.noaa.gov/news-pubs/arl-news-stories/fengsha
NASA Climate Change (August 19, 2021):
A New Way to Track Dust Storms and Valley Fever: With Cake Pans
https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3110/a-new-way-to-track-dust-storms-and-valley-fever-with-cake-pans
The Buzz in the Community (26 June 2021):
Drought and Dust.
https://www.thebee.news/drought-dust
NASA News (April 10, 2021):
Building Connections for National Public Health Week.
https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/our-impact/story/building-connections-national-public-health-week
Eos (2020):
Saving Lives by Predicting Dust Storms (December 14, 2020):
https://eos.org/articles/saving-lives-by-predicting-dust-storms
CBS WUSA9 (June 30, 2020):
What is the Saharan dust storm and how could it affect our area?
NASA News (April 7, 2020):
NASA Contributes to National Public Health Week:
https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/our-impact/news/nasa-contributes-national-public-health-week
Documentary “Dust Rising” (by Lauren Schwartzman), featuring our research on dust and Valley fever, 2018;
https://www.dustrisingfilm.com
Sierra Magazine:
Summer of Sand: Massive dust storms known as haboobs transport toxic particles. (November 2, 2018). https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/summer-of-sand-haboob
PBS NewsHour:
Why more dust storms and Valley fever are blanketing the Southwest: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/dust-storms-valley-fever-blanketing-southwest/
Geographical (Royal Society of Geography): Dust up: storms and illness in North America
http://geographical.co.uk/nature/climate/item/2289-dust-up
NBC 4 News – KVOA: Warming Oceans are Creating More Dust Storms and Increasing Valley Fever in the Southwest, NOAA Study Says
http://www.kvoa.com/story/35423063/warming-oceans-are-creating-more-dust-storms-and-increasing-valley-fever-in-the-southwest-noaa-study-says
NOAA News: Spike in Southwest dust storms driven by ocean changes
http://www.noaa.gov/media-release/spike-in-southwest-dust-storms-driven-by-ocean-changes
Forbes: Dust Storms In The Southwestern U.S. Are Increasing. Is There A Connection To Valley Fever?
NBC 12 News: Are there more dust storms in Arizona now?
http://www.12news.com/news/local/arizona/are-there-more-dust-storms-in-arizona-now/439375311
AccuWeather: Are more dust storms in the southwestern US causing a spike in valley fever cases?
Voice of America (VOA) Farsi Division (January 23, 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBFM7XanvWQ