Dr. Alan Bandy has been a professor in Drexel's Chemistry department for 32 years. Since 1997, he has been the R.S. Hanson Professor of Atmospheric and Analytical Chemistry. He has a B.S. and an M.S. from Oklahoma State, and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida.
Dr. Bandy was recently awarded one of the first grants to be given by the National Science Foundation for research to be conducted on the environmental phenomenon known as global cooling. The earth is constantly heating, but the rate and conditions at which it cools have yet to be explored. While not as prominent in the mass media as its global warming counterpart, global cooling is a promising area where causes surrounding environmental changes may be found. Dr. Bandy stands at the forefront of this groundbreaking research. Recently, he was kind enough to offer us some of his insights into this area.
ASK: How did you find yourself at Drexel?
Dr. Alan Bandy: Drexel had prominent Chemistry and Physics departments. At that time, Dr. Chrysberg and Dr. Fran were both here and I was attracted to working with them.
ASK: People may not associate the science of chemistry with the effects of global warming or global cooling. What's the link?
AB: The example I give is of a house: if it's cold outside, the furnace is off and the door is open, the house temperature will be dependent on how much cooling is taking place. The same thing occurs with these phenomena. How much heat in the atmosphere depends on the gases present, specifically aerosols and reflections from clouds. The cooling phenomenon is not very well known.
Also, it takes a physical chemist to build and use instruments. I've worked with physicists but not with biologists; they mostly stay in the ocean. It's difficult for non-physical scientists.
ASK: You were recently awarded a grant for this type of research. Tell me about it.
AB: Yes. The program is designed for the South Central Pacific where we're going to look at puffy clouds responsible for reflecting radiation back to space. It will be performed in two steps. First, we'll look at the cloud-free area below the clouds, because the air that rises from this area is what composes clouds. The second step will be to look at the chemistry of the clouds themselves. We are doing this because chemical composition determines reflectivity, and reflectivity ultimately determines cooling.
ASK: How did you become interested in environmental concerns?
AB: I've always been interested, I suppose. My father was a farmer in a pernicious place. So I've always been interested. Coming to Drexel provided me the opportunity to explore my personal research areas of interest in the field.
ASK: At the Oscars, Al Gore's film about global warming, An Inconvenient Truth, captured the award for best documentary. Recently, acclaimed author Michael Crichton appeared on Charlie Rose, where he openly dissented to the film's premise for addressing the issue along with attacking a number of facts offered by Gore. Do you think the film or the book are at all important for awareness?
AB: On the issue of global warming, I'm not an expert. However, in science, theory guides and results decide. There are only two measurable effects for global warming. They are temperature and glacial loss. There are lots of models, but for the most part, they're estimates. An Inconvenient Truth is not good science because it ignores cooling. It speaks to it being an atmospheric phenomenon, whereas it's likely ocean-related. It's really comparing apples and oranges when comparing the use of measurable results to predictions based on models.
ASK: Is there presently much literature on global cooling?
AB: Studies aren't common. This study will be a first step. Clouds are very important and can't be differentiated just by looking at temperatures. Power plants produce a lot of gases; sulfur dioxide can lead to cooling and CO,2 can lead to heating.
ASK: What are the implications of your study?
AB: Well, once it's published, hopefully more money will become available for more studies. We'll be performing a similar study over the coast of Chile around October of 2008, also funded by the NSF.
ASK: Do you think they'll be apt in the coming years to release more funds to this type of science?
AB: The NSF (National Science Foundation) is very interested in real science. Global cooling is the best research. The public should know the scientists who are working on the experiments we've been funded to perform are the best in the world and so are our facilities. I'm very proud of the work we'll be performing for the NSF.
ASK: What do you do when you're not addressing matters of the global environment?
AB: [Laughing] Well, I have 11 grandchildren! But if I'm not spending time with them, I play golf and shoot skeet.