Elinor Tuffnell

Email: E.Tuffnell@uea.ac.uk

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Profile
Having completed a BA in History and an MA in Classical Studies, my focus shifted to the sciences and I completed a BSc Open which combined my love for Chemistry and Environmental Science. I studied all three degrees with The Open University; during this time, I was privileged to take part in numerous field work studies investigating topics such as freshwater populations, shrubland ecosystems, temperature variations under various circumstances (for example with or without arboreal cover, in dry or waterlogged soil), and meteorological effects on honey bee activity.

While my background is quite eclectic, my current research interests are within the sphere of Environmental Science. A passion for analytical chemistry runs in the family, both my father and grandfather were chemists, and I am eager to follow in their footsteps. I’m particularly interested in analytical and atmospheric chemistry; Atmospheric processes have always fascinated me and I hope to focus heavily on the impact of anthropogenic emissions on the atmosphere, notably the effects of CFCs on stratospheric ozone.  

Current research
Analytical chemistry in near-space: Exploring the stratosphere and its role in global climate

Despite the vital role played by stratospheric ozone, the stratosphere itself is still poorly understood. This project seeks to expand our knowledge of the composition and function of stratospheric gasses and will focus on identifying and measuring trace gasses in the stratosphere. This will involve the collection of samples of air from the stratosphere, and will utilise a number of techniques including high-altitude balloons and the AirCore technique (Karion-et-al., 2010). Samples will be analysed using a Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry system, this project will be looking in particular for several trace gasses, notably CFCs and HCFCs.

This project will then compare the resulting data sets to global climate models in order to assess their performance. Since stratospheric circulation is so poorly understood this could greatly improve the reliability and accuracy of climate models. One of the goals of the project is to gain a greater understanding of the presence and concentration of ozone depleting gasses, which should lead to more effective policy decisions to protect the ozone layer, in addition to improved climate modelling.

Find out more!

Supervisory team
Primary Supervisor: Dr Johannes Laube (UEA)
Secondary Supervisors: Professor William Sturges (UEA), Dr Emma Elvidge (UEA), Dr Harald Boenisch of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany.

Other activities

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