West Texas A&M University students travel to Norway for Arctic research

CANYON, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — In the spring, two West Texas A&M University environmental science students traveled north to Norway to study aerosols in the Arctic.

“The Arctic is warming up – up to six times faster than the rest of the world. We believe it’s the atmospheric aerosols, which is the suspension of liquid in the solid in the air, had some negative impact,” explained WT associate professor of environmental science Dr. Naruki Hiranuma. “We wanted to quantify how bad they are and what’s causing Arctic warming overall.”

Ava Sealy, a WT senior environmental science student and Olwaseyi Adelaja “Victor” Sanusi, a WT environmental science graduate student, were the students who traveled to Svalbard, Norway to study this research.

“We collected a bunch of the filter samples and different grids so we could take them back to our laboratory… and basically analyze those filters and grids and see the different particles and how they react, how they may act in atmosphere, in a controlled environment, [and] how that might affect the way the climate changes and how clouds form,” said Sealy.

The WT students worked at a laboratory and station in Norway by collecting samples and determining at what rate they would freeze by studying different biological and chemical catalysts.

“We are analyzing to see if we could quantify what are the chemicals that are present in this in the atmosphere, and to also quantify what are the biological substances that are present that is causing this,” explained Sanusi.

The second part of the process is through the DNA sampler.

“There’s DNA particles everywhere. We also have filters that are built just for that purpose. We have the chamber, which is also connected through the pipe we simulate in such a way that the air particles are brought in and it is collected through this DNA filter,” further explained Sanusi. “We secure it then this also will be analyzed in the lab.”

Sealy said that this is not a common type of research.

“Not a whole lot of people are interested in this aspect of environmental science and atmospheric chemistry and so it’s super cool to have this door open,” said Sealy.

Dr. Hiranuma said he is proud of both students for taking on this research opportunity.

“It is our privilege, as a scientist, to get an opportunity to do research in the remote locations and potentially provide something meaningful to the community to resolve the knowledge and enthusiasm gap between scientists and the public,” explained Dr. Hiranuma.

For more information on the WTAMU environmental science program, click here.