Karena McKinney

Karena received her B.A. in Chemistry from Harvard University and Ph.D. in Atmospheric Chemistry from the University of California, Irvine where she studied the role of halogens in stratospheric ozone loss. After working as a Postdoctoral Scholar at the California Institute of Technology, she became an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Amherst College and a Lecturer in Environmental Science and Engineering at the Harvard Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. She joined the Colby faculty in 2017. She has taught courses in general, environmental, atmospheric, and analytical chemistry, instrument design, and chemistry and environmental science for non-majors. Dr. McKinney’s research focuses on the atmospheric chemistry of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), hydrocarbon-based molecules synthesized and emitted by trees and other plants. These compounds play a key role in determining the chemistry and composition of the lower atmosphere by controlling the cycling of atmospheric oxidants and the production of ozone and secondary organic aerosols (particles). Her research group uses a combination of direct field measurements and lab experiments to investigate the mechanisms and processes controlling the emissions and oxidation reactions of BVOCs, and seeks to elucidate the complex interplay between naturally occurring emissions and anthropogenic pollutants, which can drastically alter the chemical fate and atmospheric impact of these compounds.