He received his Ph.D. in chemistry from Caltech, and his B.A. and B.S. degrees in chemistry and meteorology, respectively, from North Carolina State University. His current research utilizes advanced mass spectrometry techniques with synthetic organic chemistry to understand as deeply as possible the atmospheric chemistry that occurs in both the gas and condensed phases, with special focus on the chemistry leading to the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). His research has helped to derive model parameterizations that more explicitly predict atmospheric levels of isoprene-derived SOA, and has revealed the importance of acid-catalyzed multiphase chemistry in SOA formation.