September Slugs and Steins with Professor Javier González-Rocha

How can flying robots help us track the air we breathe—and the pollutants we can't see? In this talk, I’ll share how our team uses aerial robotic systems—commonly known as drones—to measure wind patterns and detect airborne pollutants in places that are hard to reach with traditional monitoring equipment. These systems are helping us better understand how toxic and climate pollutants move through the atmosphere, and how they affect both human health and the environment.

From wildfire smoke drifting across communities to methane leaks from dairy farms and oil fields, these emissions are often poorly monitored—especially in rural or overburdened areas. Our low-cost, adaptable drone systems offer a new way to fill that gap. By combining real-time flight data, environmental sensors, and advanced modeling, we can generate targeted, on-demand measurements that inform air quality assessments and improve emissions tracking.

This work sits at the intersection of engineering, environmental science, and community collaboration—with the goal of building tools that empower people and support climate resilience from the ground up.