Grassian, Vicki
Chemistry of environmental interfaces: atmospheric aerosols, aqueous microdroplets; engineered and geochemical nanomaterials, indoor surfaces

Contact Information

Distinguished Professor
Distinguished Chair in Physical Chemistry
Associate Dean for Research, School of Physical Sciences

Office: Urey Hall Addn 3050C
Phone: 858-534-2499
Email: vhgrassian@ucsd.edu
Web: https://sites.google.com/ucsd.edu/grassiangroup/

Group: View group members
Accepting Rotation Students: Yes

Education
1987 PhD, Chemistry, University of California Berkeley
1982 MS, Chemistry, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
1981 BS, Chemistry, State University of New York at Albany

Appointments
2024 - present Associate Dean for Research, School of Physical Sciences
2019 - 2022 Chair, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California San Diego
2018 - 2019 Executive Associate Dean, University of California San Diego
2016 - present Distinguished Professor, University of California San Diego
2016 - present Distinguished Chair in Physical Chemistry, University of California San Diego
2016 - 2018 Associate Dean, Division of Physical Sciences, University of California San Diego
2016 - 2018 Adjunct Professor, University of Iowa
2013 - 2023 Co-Director, Center for Aerosol Impacts on Climate, University of California San Diego
2010 - 2015 F. Wendell Miller Professor, Departments of Chemi, University of Iowa
2010 - 2012 Dean’s Administrative Fellow, College of Liberal A, University of Iowa
2008 - 2015 Director, Nanotoxicology Research Core, Environmen, University of Iowa
2007 - 2012 Associate Director and Key Function Co-Director, I, University of Iowa
2006 - 2015 Director, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute, University of Iowa
2002 - 2015 Full Professor in the Departments of Chemistry, Ch, University of Iowa
1996 - 2002 Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa
1990-1996 Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa

Awards and Academic Honors

2025

ACS PHYS Division Marsha I. Lester Award for Exemplary Impact in Physical Chemistry

2025

Academic Senate Distinguished Research Award, UC San Diego

2024

Pittsburgh Spectroscopy Award

2023

ACS Geochemistry Division Medal and Symposium

2022

Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization “Tribute to Vicki Grassian” Session

2021

NSF Distinguished Lecturer in Mathematical and Physical Sciences

2021

American Chemical Society National Award in Surface Chemistry

2020

Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization Award

2020

Iota Sigma Pi National Honorary Member

2020

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

2019

William H. Nichols Medal, New York Section of the American Chemical Society

2019

Presidential Plenary Lecturer, ACS National Meeting

2019

IUPAC Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering Awardee

2019

Inclusive Excellence Award, UC San Diego

2019

ACS National Meeting, “Surfaces & Interfaces in the Environment: Symposium in Honor of Vicki Grassian”

2018

American Institute of Chemists Chemical Pioneer Award

2018

ACS-CEI Award for Incorporation of Sustainability into Chemistry Education

2015

Chartered Chemist – Royal Society of Chemistry

2014

UI Scholar of the Year Award, Office of VP for Research & Economic Development

2014

Royal Society of Chemistry John Jeyes Award

2014

Midwest American Chemical Society Award

2012

American Chemical Society National Award for Creative Advances in Environmental Science and Technology

2011

Fellow, American Chemical Society

2010

Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry

2010

Fellow, AVS – a Society for the Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces and Processing

2008

Graduate College Outstanding Mentor Award, University of Iowa

2007

Collegiate Fellow – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Iowa

2006

Regents Award for Faculty Excellence, University of Iowa

2005

Fellow, American Association of the Advancement of Science

2004

James Van Allen Natural Sciences Faculty Fellowship, University of Iowa

2002

Distinguished Achievement Award, University of Iowa

1996

E. I. duPont de Nemours & Company Educational Award

1993

Career Advancement Award - National Science Foundation

1992

GE Foundation Faculty Fellowship

1986

Association for Women in Science-Educational Award

Research Interests

Chemistry and impacts of environmental interfaces: atmospheric aerosols, aqueous microdroplets; engineered and geochemical nanomaterials; and indoor surfaces.

Primary Research Area
Physical/Analytical Chemistry

Interdisciplinary interests

Atmospheric and Environmental
Materials

Outreach Activities

Professor Grassian and her group are involved in a range of activities related to teaching and outreach. Mentoring and training the next generation of future scientist are important activities to all group members. Research focus areas of the Grassian group (environment, climate, health, nanoscience) are of broad interest to a variety of active learners that includes elementary school/middle school/junior high school students and their parents, high school students and retirees. Grassian group members have opportunities to give talks, interact, demonstrate and teach about their research and its benefits to society.

Image Gallery

Particles in the atmosphere provide reactive surfaces for adsorption as well as for chemical and photochemical reactions.

The Grassian research group collaborates with chemists and other scientists in the Center for Aerosol Impacts on Chemistry and Climate (CAICE) to study the chemistry of sea spray aerosol. CAICE is a Chemical Center of Innovation funded by NSF.

Fe nanoparticles, such as goethite, alpha-FeOOH, nanorods, show unique reactivity with atmospheric water vapor and reactive gases (e.g. nitric acid) compared to microrods. Studies of nanoscale reactivity in environmental and human health processes are currently being investigated.

Selected Publications

Hartmann, E.M.; Dannemiller, K. C.; Farmer, D. K.; O'Brien, R. E.; Berberich, J.; Ditto, J. C.; Farinas, O. R.; Gall, E. T.; Ganguly, A.; Grassian, V. H.; Greene, R.; Hegarty, B.; Ilacqua, V. A.; Isaacman-VanWertz, G.; Li, J.; Loukou, E.; Marr, L. C.; Nastasi, N.; Prussin, A. J.; Stephens, B.; Tillema, S. J.; Turpin, B. J.; Vance, M. E.; Verma, V.; Waring, M. S. "Ten Questions Concerning Indoor Dust", Building and Environment, 2026, Vol. 288, 113988

Roy, T. K.; Rubio, P.; Cruz, J.; Wauer, N. A.; Hettiarachchi, E.; Amaro, R. E.; Grassian, V. H. "Revealing the Impact of pH on Lipase Structure and Surface Propensity at the Air–Water Interface and in Aqueous Aerosols", Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 2026, Vol. 17, 818–824

Fankhauser, A.M.; Butman, J. L.; Cooke, M. E.; Fyodorova, Y.; Liu, Y.; O’Brien, R. E.; McNeill, V. F.; Geiger, F. M.; Grassian, V. H.; Ault, A. P. "Indoor Surface Chemistry Variability: Microspectroscopic Analysis of Deposited Particles in Dwellings Across the United States", Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, 2025, Vol. 27, 1704-1713

Gong, K.; Sehuraman, S.; Tam, A.; Tang, Z.; McNeill, V. F.; Grassian, V. H. "Size Dependent Uncatalyzed Sulfite Oxidation in Aqueous Microdroplets", Environmental Science & Technology, 2025, Vol. 59, 19932–19941

Hettiarachchi, E.; Grassian, V. H. "pH-Dependent Surface Interactions and Structure of Adsorbed DNA on TiO2 Particle Surfaces: Implications for Environmental DNA", Cell Reports Physical Science, 2025, Vol. 6, 102716

Mehndiratta, L.; Wang, J.; Slade, J.; Grassian, V. H. "Ester Formation in Alcohol Microdroplet Sprays: Enhanced Reactivity of C8 to C16 Carboxylic Acids with C1 to C3 Alcohols and the Effect of Water", Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2025, Vol. 129, 10807–10818

Rojas Garcia, K.; Krueger, A. M.; Montaño Medina, A. D.; Velasco Ortiz, A. G..; Navea, J. G. and Grassian, V. H. "Elucidating the Impact of Wildfire Molecular Tracers on Nitrous Acid (HONO) Production from Aqueous Nitrate Photochemistry", ACS Environmental Science & Technology - Air, 2025, Vol. 2, 1259–1270

Roy, T. K.; Yang, S.; Li, M.; Kumar, S.; Dutcher, C. S.; Grassian, V. H. "Distinct Oligomerization of Lactic Acid in Aqueous Microdroplets", Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2025, Vol. 129, 10540-10549

Yang, S.; Li, M.; Wang, J.; Grassian, V. H.; Kumar, S.; Dutcher, C.S. "The Role of Interfacial Processes in Accelerated Reactions in Nano- and Micro-droplets", Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2025, Vol. 129, 6424–6436

Hettiarachchi, E.; Grassian, V. H. "Impact of Surface Adsorption on DNA Structure and Stability: Implications for Environmental DNA Interactions with Iron Oxide Surfaces", Langmuir, 2024, Vol. 40, 27194−27205

Ilgen, A. G.; Borguet, E.; Geiger, F. M.; Gibbs, J. M.; Grassian, V. H.; Jun, Y.S.; Kabengi, N.; Kubicki, J. D. "Capturing the complex structure and dynamics of solid-water interfaces in continuum-scale models", Nature Communications, 2024, Vol. 15, 5326 – 1 to 14

Li, M.; Yang, S.; Rathi, M.; Kumar, S.; Dutcher, C.; Grassian, V. H. "Condensation Kinetics in Aqueous Microdroplets Driven by Coupled Interfacial Reactions and Gas-Phase Partitioning", Chemical Science, 2024, Vol. 15, 13429 – 13441

Mehndiratta, L.; Lyp, A. E.; Slade, J. H.; Grassian, V. H. "Immersion Ice Nucleation of Atmospherically Relevant Lipid Particles", Environmental Science:Atmospheres, 2024, Vol. 4, 1239-1254

Sedlak, J.A.; Vishnoi, M.; Forsch, K.; Bhadha, P.; Aarons, S. M.; Grassian, V.H. "Probing Interactions at the Organic-Inorganic Interface of Biomass Burning Aerosol: Reactivity of Organic Tracer Species With Different Iron Oxide Mineral Phases", ACS Earth & Space Chemistry, 2024, Vol. 8, 2463–2473

Angle, K.J.; Grassian, V. H. "Organic Acid Evaporation Kinetics From Aqueous Aerosols: Implications for Aerosol Buffering Capacity in the Atmosphere", Environmental Science: Atmospheres, 2023, Vol. 3, 316–327

Angle, K.J.; Grassian, V. H. "the Kinetics of Nitrate and Chloride Depletion", Chemical Science, 2023, Vol. 14, 6259-6268

DeMott, P. J.; Hill, T. C. J.; Moore, K. A.; Perkins, R. J.; Mael, L. E.; Busse, H. L.; Lee, H.; Kaluarachchie, C. P.; Mayer, K. J.; Sauer, J. S.; Mitt, B. A.; Tivanski, A. V.; Grassian, V. H.; Cappa, C. C.; Bertram, T. H.; Prather, K. A. "Atmospheric Oxidation Impact on Sea Spray Produced Ice Nucleating Particles", Environmental Science:Atmospheres, 2023, Vol. 3, 1513-1532

Frank, E. S.; Fan, H.; Grassian, V. H.; Tobias, D. J. "Adsorption of 6-MHO on Two Indoor Relevant Surface Materials: SiO2 and TiO2", Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2023, Vol. 25, 3930–3941

Kim, D.; Grassian, V. H. "Analysis of Micro- and Nanoscale Heterogeneities within Environmentally Relevant Thin Films Containing Biological Components, Oxyanions and Minerals Using AFM-IR Spectroscopy", Environmental Science:Processes & Impacts, 2023, Vol. 25, 484 – 495

Leobardo Bañuelos, J.; Borguet,E.; Brown, G. E. Jr.; Cyan, R.T.; DeYoreo, J. J.; Dove, P. M.; Gaigeot, M.-P.; Geiger, F. M.; Gibbs, J. M.; Grassian, V. H.; Ilgen, A. G.; Jun, Y.-S.; Kabengi, N.; Katz, L.; Kubicki, J. D.; Lützenkirchen, J.; Putnis, C. V.; Remsing, R. C.; Rosso, K. M.; Rother, G.; Sulpizi, M.; Villalobos, M.; Zhang, H. "Oxide- and Silicate-Water Interfaces and Their Roles in Technology and the Environment", Chemical Reviews, 2023, Vol. 123, , 6413−6544 [View]

Li, M.; Boothby, C.; Continetti, R. E. and Grassian, V. H. "Size-Dependent Sigmoidal Reaction Kinetics for Pyruvic Acid Condensation at the Air-Water Interface in Aqueous Microdroplets", Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2023, Vol. 145, 22317-22321

Abbatt JPD,Morrison GC,Grassian VH,Shiraiwa M,Weschler CJ,Ziemann PJ "How should we define an indoor surface?", Indoor Air, 2022, Vol. 32, Issue 1, e12955

Alves, M. R.; Coward, E. K.; Gonzales, D.; Dang, D.; Sauer, J. S.; Mayer, K.; Prather, K. A.; Grassian, V. H. "Changes in Light Absorption and Composition of Marine- Chromophoric Marine-Dissolved Organic Matter Across a Microbial Bloom", Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, 2022, Vol. 24, 1923 - 1933

Angle KJ,Nowak CM,Davasam A,Dommer AC,Wauer NA,Amaro RE,Grassian VH "Amino Acids Are Driven to the Interface by Salts and Acidic Environments.", J Phys Chem Lett, 2022, Vol. 13, Issue 12, 2824-2829

Coward, E. K.; Seech, K.; Carter, M. L.; Flick, R. E.; Grassian, V. H. "Of Sea and Smoke: Western US Wildfires an Unprecedented Source of Dissolved Organic Carbon to the Coastal Pacific Ocean", Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 2022, Vol. 9, 869–876

Fan, H.; Frank, E. S.; Lakey, P. S. J.; Shiraiwa, M.; Tobias, D. J.; Grassian, V. H. "Heterogeneous Interactions between Carvone and Hydroxylated SiO2", Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2022, Vol. 126, Issue 6267−627,

Fan, H.; Frank, E. S.; Tobias, D. J.; Grassian, V. H. "Interactions of Limonene and Carvone on Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) Surfaces", Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2022, Vol. 24, 23870-23883

Fan, H.; Lakey, P. S. J.; Frank, E. S.; Tobias, D. J.; Shiraiwa, M.; Grassian, V. H. "Comparison of the Adsorption-Desorption Kinetics of Limonene and Carvone on TiO2 and SiO2 Surfaces under Different Relative Humidity Conditions", Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2022, Vol. 126, 21253–21262

Habre R,Dorman DC,Abbatt J,Bahnfleth WP,Carter E,Farmer D,Gawne-Mittelstaedt G,Goldstein AH,Grassian VH,Morrison G,Peccia J,Poppendieck D,Prather KA,Shiraiwa M,Stapleton HM,Williams M,Harries ME "Why Indoor Chemistry Matters: A National Academies Consensus Report.", Environ Sci Technol, 2022, Vol. 56, Issue 15, 10560-10563

Hettiarachchi, E.; Grassian, V. H. "Heterogeneous Formation of Organonitrates (ON) and Nitroxy-Organosulfates (NOS) from Adsorbed Alpha-Pinene Derived Organosulfates (OS) on Mineral Surfaces", ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, 2022, Vol. 6, 3017–3030

Hettiarachchi, E.; Grassian, V. H. "Heterogeneous Reactions of Alpha-Pinene on Mineral Surfaces: Formation of Organonitrates and Alpha-Pinene Oxidation Products", Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2022, Vol. 25, 4068–4079

Karimova NV,Luo M,Sit I,Grassian VH,Gerber RB "Absorption Spectra and the Electronic Structure of Gallic Acid in Water at Different pH: Experimental Data and Theoretical Cluster Models.", J Phys Chem A, 2022, Vol. 126, Issue 2, 190-197

Or VW,Alves MR,Wade M,Schwab S,Corsi RL,Grassian VH "Nanoscopic Study of Water Uptake on Glass Surfaces with Organic Thin Films and Particles from Exposure to Indoor Cooking Activities: Comparison to Model Systems.", Environ Sci Technol, 2022, Vol. 56, Issue 3, 1594-1604

Pandit S,Grassian VH "Gas-Phase Nitrous Acid (HONO) Is Controlled by Surface Interactions of Adsorbed Nitrite (NO₂^-) on Common Indoor Material Surfaces.", Environ Sci Technol, 2022, Vol. 56, Issue 17, 12045-12054

Sauer JS,Mayer KJ,Lee C,Alves MR,Amiri S,Bahaveolos CJ,Franklin EB,Crocker DR,Dang D,Dinasquet J,Garofalo LA,Kaluarachchi CP,Kilgour DB,Mael LE,Mitts BA,Moon DR,Moore AN,Morris CK,Mullenmeister CA,Ni CM,Pendergraft MA,Petras D,Simpson RMC,Smith S,Tumminello PR,Walker JL,DeMott PJ,Farmer DK,Goldstein AH,Grassian VH,Jaffe JS,Malfatti F,Martz TR,Slade JH,Tivanski AV,Bertram TH,Cappa CD,Prather KA "The Sea Spray Chemistry and Particle Evolution study (SeaSCAPE): overview and experimental methods.", Environ Sci Process Impacts, 2022, Vol. 24, Issue 2, 290-315

Sit, I. Quirk, E.; Grassian, V. H. "Differential Surface Interactions and Surface Templating of Nucleotides (dGMP, dCMP, dAMP and dTMP) on Oxide Particle Surfaces", Langmuir, 2022, Vol. 38, 15038-150

Angle KJ,Neal EE,Grassian VH "Enhanced Rates of Transition-Metal-Ion-Catalyzed Oxidation of S(IV) in Aqueous Aerosols: Insights into Sulfate Aerosol Formation in the Atmosphere.", Environ Sci Technol, 2021, Vol. 55, Issue 15, 10291-10299

Angle, K. J.; Crocker, D. R.; Simpson, R. M.; Moore, A. N.; Mayer, K. J.; Mora Garcia, S. L.; Smith, S.; Martz, T. R.; Prather, K. A.; Grassian, V. H. "Acidity Across the Interface From the Ocean Surface to Sea Spray Aerosol", Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2021, Vol. 118, e2018397118

Huang L,Frank ES,Riahi S,Tobias DJ,Grassian VH "Adsorption of constitutional isomers of cyclic monoterpenes on hydroxylated silica surfaces.", J Chem Phys, 2021, Vol. 154, Issue 12, 124703

Huang L,Frank ES,Shrestha M,Riahi S,Tobias DJ,Grassian VH "Heterogeneous Interactions of Prevalent Indoor Oxygenated Organic Compounds on Hydroxylated SiO₂ Surfaces.", Environ Sci Technol, 2021, Vol. 55, Issue 10, 6623-6630

Karimova NV,Alves MR,Luo M,Grassian VH,Gerber RB "Toward a microscopic model of light absorbing dissolved organic compounds in aqueous environments: theoretical and experimental study.", Phys Chem Chem Phys, 2021, Vol. 23, Issue 17, 10487-10497

Lee C,Dommer AC,Schiffer JM,Amaro RE,Grassian VH,Prather KA "Cation-Driven Lipopolysaccharide Morphological Changes Impact Heterogeneous Reactions of Nitric Acid with Sea Spray Aerosol Particles.", J Phys Chem Lett, 2021, Vol. 12, Issue 20, 5023-5029

Mael LE,Busse HL,Peiker G,Grassian VH "Low-Temperature Water Uptake of Individual Marine and Biologically Relevant Atmospheric Particles Using Micro-Raman Spectroscopy.", J Phys Chem A, 2021, Vol. 125, Issue 44, 9691-9699

Mael LE,Peiker G,Busse HL,Grassian VH "Temperature-Dependent Liquid Water Structure for Individual Micron-Sized, Supercooled Aqueous Droplets with Inclusions.", J Phys Chem A, 2021, Vol. 125, Issue 51, 10742-10749

Pandit S,Mora Garcia SL,Grassian VH "HONO Production from Gypsum Surfaces Following Exposure to NO₂ and HNO₃: Roles of Relative Humidity and Light Source.", Environ Sci Technol, 2021, Vol. 55, Issue 14, 9761-9772

Sit I,Wu H,Grassian VH "Environmental Aspects of Oxide Nanoparticles: Probing Oxide Nanoparticle Surface Processes Under Different Environmental Conditions.", Annu Rev Anal Chem (Palo Alto Calif), 2021, Vol. 14, Issue 1, 489-514

Ault, A. P.; Grassian, V. H.; Carslaw, N.; Collins, D. B.; Destaillats, H.; Donaldson, D. J.; Farmer, D. K.; Jimenez, J. L.; McNeill, V. F.; Morrison, G. C.; O’Brien, R. E.; Shiraiwa, M.; Vance, M. E.; Wells, J. R.; Xiong, W. "Indoor Surface Chemistry: Developing a Molecular Picture of Reactions on Indoor Interfaces", Chem, 2020, Vol. 6, 3203–3219

Frank, E. S.; Fan, H.; Shrestha, M.; Riahi, S.; Tobias, D. J.; Grassian, V. H. "Impact of Adsorbed Water on the Interaction of Limonene with Hydroxylated SiO2: Implications of π-Hydrogen Bonding for Surfaces in Humid Environments", Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2020, Vol. 124, 10592–10599

Karimova, N. V.; Luo, M. Grassian, V. H.; Gerber, R. B. "Absorption Spectra of Benzoic Acid in Water at Different pH and in the Presence of Salts: Insights from the Integration of Experimental Data and Theoretical Cluster Models", Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 2020, 22, 5046-5056., 2020, Vol. 22, 5046-5056

Luo, M.; Wauer, N. A.; Angle, K. J.; Dommer, A. C.; Song, M.; Nowak, C. M.; Amaro, R. E.; Grassian, V. H. "Insights into the Behavior of Nonanoic Acid and Its Conjugate Base at the Air/Water Interface Through a Combined Experimental and Theoretical Approach", Chemical Science, 2020, Vol. 11, 10647 - 10656

Sit, I.; Sagisaka, S.; Grassian, V. H. "Nucleotide Adsorption on Iron (III) Oxide Nanoparticle Surfaces: Insights into Nano-Geo-Bio Interactions Through Vibrational Spectroscopy", Langmuir, 2020, Vol. 36, 15501−15513.

Wu, H.; Calzada, S.; Or, V.; Grassian, V. H. "Transformations of CuS Nanoparticles in Humid Environments: Relative Humidity Dependence of the Oxidation of CuS to CuSO4", Nanoscale, 2020, Vol. 12, 19350–19358