Naomi Zimmerman

Naomi Zimmerman

Naomi Zimmerman

Assistant Professor

B.A.Sc. (University of Waterloo), Ph.D. (University of Toronto), Postdoctoral Fellowship (Carnegie Mellon University), Canada Research Chair in Sustainability

phone: (604) 822-9433
email: nzimmerman@mech.ubc.ca
website: Naomi Zimmerman
lab website: iREACH (Integrated Research in Energy, Air, Climate & Health)
office: CEME 2066

Research Interests

A core objective of atmospheric science is to improve air quality. This is motivated by recent estimates that air pollution exposure is the fourth leading cause of premature mortality globally. Furthermore, many sources of air pollutants are co-emitters of climate-forcing agents, such as greenhouse gases and black carbon, and thus air quality and climate science are intricately related fields. Emissions of air and climate pollutants may be effectively co-managed using well-crafted environmental policy or through technology shifts. However, the effectiveness of any given policy or technology decision on air quality and climate outcomes is often difficult to quantify due to the rapid pace of technology change and research methods that poorly represent real-world pollutant behaviour.


My research program revolves around the development and application of real-world-based tools to quickly and quantitatively assess the impact of our policy and technology decisions on air pollution and climate outcomes, and to use the knowledge gained to support better environmental policy planning.

As part of this work, students are part of interdisciplinary teams and engage with a range of relevant stakeholders, including colleagues in other departments at UBC (e.g., Liu Institute, IRES), non-profits, and regulatory agencies.

Current Research Work

  • Assessment of spatial heterogeneity of air pollutants using high spatiotemporal resolution monitoring networks to reduce exposure and promote environmental justice
  • Quantification of the role new transportation technology (e.g., LNG, connected vehicles, autonomous vehicles) on air and climate
  • Understanding the impact of renewable energy technology in developing countries (e.g. solar microgrids) on combined air, climate and socioeconomic outcomes

Selected Publications

  • Z. Le Hong, and N. Zimmerman. “Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Implications of Autonomous Vehicles in Vancouver, Canada.” Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, vol. 90, p. 102676, 2021.
  • B. Liu, and N. Zimmerman, “Fleet-Based Vehicle Emission Factors Using Low-Cost Sensors: Case Study in Parking Garages.” Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, p. 102635, 2020.
  • N. Zimmerman, H.Z. Li, A. Ellis, A. Hauryliuk, E.S. Robinson, P. Gu, R.U. Shah, Q. Ye, L. Snell, R. Subramanian, A.L. Robinson, J.S. Apte, A.A. Presto, “Improving Correlations between Land Use and Air Pollutant Concentrations Using Wavelet Analysis: Insights from a Low-cost Sensor Network,”. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 20, 314-328, 2020.
  • N. Zimmerman, K. Rais, C.H. Jeong, P. Pant, J.M. Delgado-Saborit, J.S. Wallace, G.J. Evans, J.R. Brook, K.J.G. Pollitt, “Carbonaceous aerosol sampling of gasoline direct injection engine exhaust with an integrated organic gas and particle sampler,” Science of the Total Environment, 652, pp.1261-1269, 2019.
  • P.K. Saha, N. Zimmerman, C. Malings, A. Hauryliuk, Z. Li, L. Snell, R. Subramanian, E. Lipsky, J.S. Apte, A.L. Robinson, A.A. Presto,  “Quantifying high-resolution spatial variations and local source impacts of urban ultrafine particle concentrations,” Science of the Total Environment, 655, pp.473-481, 2019.
  • C. Malings, R. Tanzer, A. Hauryliuk, S.P. Kumar, N. Zimmerman, L.B. Kara, A.A. Presto, R. Subramanian, “Development of a general calibration model and long-term performance evaluation of low-cost sensors for air pollutant gas monitoring,” Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 12(2), pp.903-920, 2019.
  • H.Z. Li, P. Gu, Q. Ye, N. Zimmerman, E.S. Robinson, R. Subramanian, J.S. Apte, A.L. Robinson, A.A. Presto, “Spatially dense air pollutant sampling: Implications of spatial variability on the representativeness of stationary air pollutant monitors,” Atmospheric Environment: X, 2, p.100012, 2019.
  • Omara, N. Zimmerman, M.R. Sullivan, X. Li, A. Ellis, R. Cesa, R. Subramanian, A.A. Presto, A.L. Robinson, “Methane Emissions from Natural Gas Production Sites in the United States: Data Synthesis and National Estimate,” Environmental science & technology, 52(21), pp. 12915-12925, 2018.
  • N. Zimmerman, A.A. Presto, S.P. Kumar, J. Gu, A. Hauryliuk, E.S. Robinson, A.L. Robinson, R. Subramanian, “A machine learning calibration model using random forests to improve sensor performance for lower-cost air quality monitoring,” Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 11(1), 2018.
  • J.M. Wang, C.H. Jeong, N. Zimmerman, R.M. Healy, G.J. Evans, “Real world vehicle fleet emission factors: Seasonal and diurnal variations in traffic related air pollutants,” Atmospheric Environment, 184, pp.77-86, 2018.
  • C. Maikawa, N. Zimmerman, M. Ramos, M. Shah, J. Wallace, K. Pollitt, “Comparison of airway responses induced in a mouse model by the gas and particulate fractions of gasoline direct injection engine exhaust,” International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(3), p.429, 2018.
  • P.K. Saha, E.S. Robinson, R.U. Shah, N. Zimmerman, J.S. Apte, A.L. Robinson, A.A. Presto, “Reduced ultrafine particle concentration in urban air: changes in nucleation and anthropogenic emissions,” Environmental science & technology, 52(12), pp.6798-6806, 2018.
  • J.M. Wang, C.-H. Jeong, N. Zimmerman, R. Healy, N. Hilker, G.J. Evans, “Real-World Emission of Particles from Vehicles: Volatility and the Effects of Ambient Temperature”. Environ. Sci. Technol., 51 (7), 4081-4090, 2017.
  • N. Zimmerman, J. M. Wang, C.-H. Jeong, J.S. Wallace, G.J. Evans, “Assessing the climate trade-offs of gasoline direct injection engines”. Environ. Sci. Technol., 50 (15) 8385-8392, 2016.
  • N. Zimmerman, J.M. Wang, C.-H. Jeong, N. Hilker, R.M. Healy, K. Sabaliauskas, J.S. Wallace, G.J. Evans, “Field measurement of gasoline direct injection emission factors: spatial and seasonal variability”. Environ. Sci. Technol., 50 (4), 2035-2043, 2016.
  • J.M. Wang, C.-H. Jeong, N. Zimmerman, R. Healy, D.K. Wang, F. Ku, G.J. Evans, “Plume-based analysis of vehicle fleet air pollutant emissions and the contribution of high emitters”, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 3263-3275, 2015.
  • N. Zimmerman, C.-H. Jeong, J.M. Wang, M. Ramos, J.S. Wallace, G.J. Evans, “A source-independent empirical correction procedure for the fast mobility and engine exhaust particle sizers”, Atmos. Environ., 100, 178-184, 2015.
  • N. Zimmerman, K.J. Godri Pollitt, C.-H. Jeong, J.M. Wang, T. Jung, J.M. Cooper, J.S. Wallace, G.J. Evans, “Comparison of three nanoparticle sizing instruments: the influence of particle morphology”, Atmos. Environ., 86, 140-147, 2014.

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