The Latest
This page highlights updates on AIRI's Events, New Projects, Collaborations, Research, and Team. Updates are ongoing, so check back often!
Events
October 2026
October Updates
Big October ahead for the AIRI team! We're hitting the road for trainings, conferences, and seminars:
-
CAS PAMS Class (Oct 14-15, Cincinnati, OH): Crystal McClure is leading Data Analysis and Validation training for PAMS operators.
-
IMW Ozone Exchange (Oct 26-28, Loveland, CO): Crystal is co-authoring a talk with Clark County DES on characterizing wildfire smoke VOCs using TO-15 and TO-17 methods, and presenting AIRI research, "Same Air, Different Story: Why Air Quality Looks Different Everywhere You Look," on the challenges of public AQI communication.
-
NSF NCAR Seminar Series (Oct 29, NCAR Foothills Lab): We're presenting in the seminar series hosted by the Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling Laboratory (ACOM) to share our scientific research.
Team Feature
September 2026
Connor Joins AIRI!
The AIRI team is thrilled to welcome Connor McCue to the team as a System Support Specialist. Connor holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Virginia Tech with minors in Cybersecurity and Mathematics. He brings experience in full-stack development, database design, embedded systems and security research. We're excited to have him on the team to strengthen the institute's security and IT infrastructure as well as work with AIRI's scientists to support and modernize their research software.
Welcome to the team, Connor!
New Publication
Sept. 17, 2026
Heat and Wildfire Smoke Impacts at California Correctional Facilities
Dr. Samantha Kramer contributed to a new study examining heat and wildfire smoke exposure at California correctional facilities, now published in Environmental Research Communications. This interdisciplinary, multi-institutional study explores how incarcerated populations experience intensifying environmental hazards and sits at the intersection of atmospheric science, environmental health, and environmental justice. The findings highlight critical gaps in how we think about climate vulnerability and adaptation. Stay tuned for more work like this in additional states!
New Publication
Aug. 19, 2026
Current Progress and Needs for Improving Wildfire Prediction
The AIRI team was invited to contribute to the CLIVAR Variations issue on the current state and stakeholder needs of wildfire prediction and predictability. We find that getting better predictions isn't just about better models, it's about understanding what forecasters, emergency managers, and communities actually need. We explore how collaborative research can bridge that gap and make wildfire science more useful in practice, making that case that the best science happens when researchers and the people who use that science work together from the start.
AIRI Research
August 2026
Same Air,
Different Story
What’s your current air quality? What’s the AQI when you’re impacted by fires? It turns out the answer may depend on which app or website you check. This summer we tracked ten of the most popular AQI apps and websites hour-by-hour through two real events this summer: the Boyle Heights warehouse fire in LA and the July 4th fireworks on DC's National Mall. Each site showed a different story about the same air quality at the same moment. Read the full investigation below to see the hour-by-hour breakdown and find out which single site is worth adding to your routine if you only check one. We'll also be sharing this data in full at the Intermountain West Ozone Exchange (October 26-28) in Loveland, CO!
Events
Jul. 23, 2026
From Forecast to Fireline
Dr. Samantha Kramer presented "From Forecast to Fireline: Advancing Wind Prediction for Wildland Fire Operations" at the Unifying Innovations in Forecasting Capabilities Workshop in College Park, MD on July 23, 2026. Her talk tackled a persistent problem: weather models consistently underestimate wind speed extremes over complex terrain, leaving firefighters and communities caught off guard. Using the Thomas Fire as a case study, Sam showed how dynamically downscaled forecasts can capture hour-to-hour wind extremes tied to topography and fire progression that coarser models miss, a powerful reminder that better wind forecasting is a matter of protecting lives on the fireline.
Events
Jul. 16, 2026
Bringing Exertion-Adjusted Air Quality Guidance to Colorado
We're excited to share a new project with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment! On July 16, 2026, Dr. Samantha Kramer presented the project introduction, "Operationalizing Air Quality & Exertion-Adjusted Risk for Outdoor Physical Activity." Current air quality guidance often falls short for people exercising outdoors, since a light walk and a vigorous run can carry very different risks under the same conditions. Through this project, AIRI will expand local air monitoring and build a public dashboard to help Coloradans make more informed decisions about outdoor activity.
New Projects
July 2026
AIRI Partners with Lifers Leaving a Legacy
We're proud to announce a new partnership and project with Lifers Leaving a Legacy, an Oakland-based Community Protection Organization dedicated to empowering residents and building stronger, healthier neighborhoods. Founded by Mr. Charles Reed, Lifers works alongside the community to turn local knowledge into action, and we're honored to support that mission with our air quality expertise. As part of this project, AIRI will help build a real-time air quality dashboard for East Oakland, giving community members easy, ongoing access to monitoring data right in their neighborhood. We'll also be conducting analysis of air toxics, including metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), to help the community better understand not just their air quality, but the specific sources of pollution affecting their neighborhood. We're excited to put trusted information directly in the hands of the people who need it most.
Collaborations
Jun. 15, 2026
CloudFire Inc.
We're excited to announce a new collaboration with CloudFire Inc.! CloudFire's Chris Lautenberger created ELMFIRE, a wildfire simulation tool already trusted by utility companies and counties across the US to help predict how fires spread. We're teaming up with CloudFire to combine forces to improve the science of wildfire behavior and modeling, building better forecasting tools to reduce wildfire risk.
Events
June 2026
Weather & Climate Livestream
Wildfire smoke doesn't check passports and neither should the science that protects us from it.
At the Weather & Climate Livestream, Dr. Samantha Kramer broke down why wildfires and smoke have become a problem without borders. From evacuation science and fire-weather forecasting to the "run from fire, hide from smoke" guidance that keeps communities safe.
Check out her presentation here, watch the talk (right), and join us in advocating for publicly funded wildfire science and research!
Team Feature
Jun. 2, 2026
Olivia and Crystal Join AIRI!
We are thrilled to welcome two exceptional scientists to the AIRI team!
At AIRI, our advantage lies in the credibility of our people — delivering high-rigor science with the speed and flexibility of an independent partner. Crystal D. McClure, PhD and Olivia Ryder, Ph.D. embody exactly that.
Collaborations
Apr. 1, 2026
Integrated Atmospheric Alliance
As a Managing Member, we're thrilled to introduce the Integrated Atmospheric Alliance (IAA) — a new consortium of environmental science experts united by one belief: the science should speak for itself. Transparent science. Trusted outcomes.
IAA brings together leading specialists in air quality, wildfire and smoke science, environmental consulting, and litigation expert testimony. Our structure is built for the complexity of today's environmental challenges — multiple experts, one coordinated framework, seamless collaboration.
Collaborations
Feb. 2, 2026
Pyregence Consortium
Dr. Kramer has joined the Pyregence Consortium; a collaborative wildland fire research network! AIRI is looking forward to advancing open-source tools, data, and science together.
Team Feature
Jan. 1, 2026
Announcing AIRI's Founding Member
With a new year comes new opportunities. We are excited to announce the formation of the Atmospheric Interdisciplinary Research Institute! Founded by Samantha J Kramer, PhD we are thrilled to continue robust and ethical scientific research, tool development, community outreach, litigation support, and consulting through this new employee-owned small business. Stay tuned for more updates!
