Abstract:
At McMaster University, I lead the P.A.R.T.I.C.L.E.S. (pesticides, art, road dust, traffic, interdisciplinary, combustion, light, equity, surfaces) research group, which consists of a stellar group of trainees working together to learn about the air quality, climate, and health impacts of chemical reactions at environmental interfaces. In the first part of this talk, I will share a big-picture overview of my team’s latest answers to a diverse range of questions, including:
- Does wildfire smoke ‘contaminate’ urban surfaces?
- How can museum storage environments influence the ‘health’ of cultural heritage objects?
- Should you cure polymer clay jewelry in the same oven that you cook your food in?
- What are a hot dog roller, a plant heating pad, a toaster oven, a food dehydrator, and a bunch of over-the-door shoe racks doing in our lab?
Outside of the laboratory, I spend my time helping my young son, Garnet, to learn about the world, and writing a memoir as part of the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Non-Fiction program at the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia. According to my recently submitted major project synopsis, “Free Spirited Girl: A Memoir in Fragments weaves first-person vignettes from a life shaped by undiagnosed attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with reflections on the intersections between disability and identity. At once frenetic yet lyrical, Free Spirited Girl is ultimately an exploration of what it means to reimagine a life in a way that makes space for empathy and grace.” In the second part of this talk, I will share my experiences with later-in-life ADHD diagnosis and suggest some practical strategies for supervisors to ensure that their training environment supports growth for neurodivergent learners.
Biography:
Sarah A. Styler obtained her BSc, MSc, and PhD from the University of Toronto and conducted postdoctoral research at the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research in Leipzig, Germany. In 2015, she joined the University of Alberta as an Assistant Professor of Environmental Chemistry; in Summer 2020, she moved east to McMaster University, where she is currently an Assistant Professor of Environmental Chemistry and Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Atmospheric Chemistry.
