Valerio Ferracci
ECG Bulletin February 2018
Valerio Ferracci is a Research Fellow in the School of Water, Energy and Environment at Cranfield University, specialising in field measurements of trace species in the atmosphere.
Valerio Ferracci is a Research Fellow in the School of Water, Energy and Environment at Cranfield University, specialising in field measurements of trace species in the atmosphere.
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What inspired you to become a scientist?
I have always enjoyed puzzles, and science, to me, offered a very similar intellectual stimulus. Having said that, I did have a genuine interest in most subjects at school and, as a result, found the choice of an undergraduate degree course quite daunting. In the end, chemistry won over fierce competition from the humanities: it draws on so many other fields (from physics and maths to, I dare say, philosophy!) that it effectively feels like working in multiple disciplines. How did you come to specialise in atmospheric chemistry? During the first years of my undergraduate degree I was pretty set on inorganic chemistry, but a simple computational practical on simulating the vertical distribution of atmospheric ozone changed all that. The way in which some relatively simple yet elegant reaction kinetics (the Chapman cycle, etc.) could account for the existence of the ozone layer in the stratosphere really struck a chord with me. I then undertook a summer internship, a Masters project and a PhD, all in atmospheric chemistry. |
Focusing on atmospheric ozone at the beginning of my career was also very inspiring, as it offered a compelling narrative both on the detrimental impacts of human activities on the planet, and on what the rapid, concerted remedial action of science and policy can achieve.
Could you describe your current job?
My main interest at the moment is in the use of relatively low-cost sensors to underpin emissions of atmospheric trace species, from greenhouse gases to urban pollutants and biogenic volatile organic compounds. These instruments have the potential to improve on both the spatial and temporal coverage of techniques currently used in atmospheric science, helping with regional air quality to global emissions inventories. The job itself is rather varied: it involves time in the lab developing and testing the sensors, field deployments in a variety of environments (from urban areas to remote forests), and plenty of data analysis.
What advice would you give to anyone considering a career in environmental chemistry?
I can’t stress enough the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science. Keep up to date with what’s current in a variety of fields, even if they feel unrelated to your research. If you can, pick up computer programming early on in your career: it is definitely not “just for modellers”, and being fluent in one or two languages will be an invaluable skill in all sorts of situations.
What are some of the challenges facing the environmental chemistry community?
Communicating to disengaged, sceptical or misinformed audiences is very relevant to environmental scientists in this day and age. I do not think that there is an easy solution: encouraging scientists to engage with the general public is a good start, as well as trying to help people discern the difference between opinions and scientific consensus.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your career so far?
I found the variety associated with atmospheric science most rewarding. I was fortunate to work in a laboratory on gas radical kinetics, run global chemistry-climate models on supercomputers, and even fly on a research aircraft. Most definitely no two days are the same.
If you weren’t a scientist what would you do?
I would like to think it would be something yoga-related. I have come to appreciate the physical awareness that comes with this discipline, so I would find integrating that in my professional life very appealing.
And what do you do when you are not working?
Come rain or shine, you can find me walking my dog. He’s a beagle, and his nose can compete with some of our most sophisticated gas sensors. I am sure there is a research proposal there somewhere…
Could you describe your current job?
My main interest at the moment is in the use of relatively low-cost sensors to underpin emissions of atmospheric trace species, from greenhouse gases to urban pollutants and biogenic volatile organic compounds. These instruments have the potential to improve on both the spatial and temporal coverage of techniques currently used in atmospheric science, helping with regional air quality to global emissions inventories. The job itself is rather varied: it involves time in the lab developing and testing the sensors, field deployments in a variety of environments (from urban areas to remote forests), and plenty of data analysis.
What advice would you give to anyone considering a career in environmental chemistry?
I can’t stress enough the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science. Keep up to date with what’s current in a variety of fields, even if they feel unrelated to your research. If you can, pick up computer programming early on in your career: it is definitely not “just for modellers”, and being fluent in one or two languages will be an invaluable skill in all sorts of situations.
What are some of the challenges facing the environmental chemistry community?
Communicating to disengaged, sceptical or misinformed audiences is very relevant to environmental scientists in this day and age. I do not think that there is an easy solution: encouraging scientists to engage with the general public is a good start, as well as trying to help people discern the difference between opinions and scientific consensus.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your career so far?
I found the variety associated with atmospheric science most rewarding. I was fortunate to work in a laboratory on gas radical kinetics, run global chemistry-climate models on supercomputers, and even fly on a research aircraft. Most definitely no two days are the same.
If you weren’t a scientist what would you do?
I would like to think it would be something yoga-related. I have come to appreciate the physical awareness that comes with this discipline, so I would find integrating that in my professional life very appealing.
And what do you do when you are not working?
Come rain or shine, you can find me walking my dog. He’s a beagle, and his nose can compete with some of our most sophisticated gas sensors. I am sure there is a research proposal there somewhere…
