Dr. Alex B. Guenther is an internationally recognized leader in atmospheric and terrestrial ecosystem research currently serving as Professor of Earth System Science at the University of California, Irvine. He brings extensive expertise from his previous position at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory where he led the Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory's atmospheric aerosol science theme from 2013 to 2015. Dr. Guenther earned his PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Washington State University in 1989, following a Master's degree in Environmental Engineering from the same institution and a Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Puget Sound. His distinguished career has established him as a pivotal figure in understanding the complex interactions between terrestrial ecosystems and atmospheric chemistry.
Dr. Guenther has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed journal articles that have fundamentally advanced the field of atmospheric chemistry and ecosystem science. He developed numerical models that are widely adopted by scientific and regulatory communities worldwide for simulating biogenic reactive gas and aerosol emissions in air quality and climate modeling applications. His research methodology encompasses leading more than 40 integrative field studies across six continents, investigating tropical, temperate, and boreal ecosystems to quantify chemical fluxes between terrestrial environments and the atmosphere. This comprehensive approach has provided critical observational data that transformed understanding of how ecosystem processes influence atmospheric composition, air quality and climate dynamics.
As a thought leader in his field, Dr. Guenther has shaped international research agendas through his service as chair of the Global Emissions Inventory Activity and the Integrated Land-Ecosystem Process Study core activities of the International Geosphere Biosphere Program. He contributed as an author to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Third and Fourth Assessment Reports, providing critical expertise on biogenic emissions and their climate implications. At UCI, he continues to advance Earth system science through his research on biogenic volatile organic compounds and their environmental impacts while mentoring the next generation of environmental scientists. His current work focuses on integrating advanced measurement capabilities with sophisticated modeling approaches to further elucidate the complex interactions between ecosystems and atmospheric processes, ensuring his continued influence on environmental science policy and research directions worldwide.
