Dr. Richard Flagan

Biography

Richard C. Flagan is the Irma Ross McCollum-William H. Corcoran Professor of Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. He received his B.S.E. from the University of Michigan in 1969, followed by an S.M. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1971, and completed his Ph.D. in 1973. His academic career began at Caltech, where he served as an Assistant Professor in Environmental Engineering Science from 1975 to 1981. He progressed to Associate Professor and then Professor, specializing in Chemical Engineering and Environmental Science Engineering. Throughout his tenure, he has held numerous significant roles including Acting Executive Officer and Executive Officer of Chemical Engineering. Flagan’s research interests focus on the chemistry and physics of aerosols and their role in atmospheric processes, which are crucial to understanding climate change. He employs a combination of laboratory and field measurements to enhance our understanding of aerosol formation and growth mechanisms, particularly secondary organic aerosols. His work aims to improve knowledge of aerosol distributions and impacts on the global climate, while also contributing to research in nanotechnology and planetary atmospheres.

Research Interests

Courses