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A sea mist form over the La Jolla area of San Diego
February 09, 2026
Trace gases play unseen role in cloud droplet formation
UCR-led study finds that tiny, invisible gases long thought to be irrelevant in cloud formation appear to play a major role in determining whether clouds form—and possibly whether it rains. This realization runs counter to more than a century of assumptions about the physics behind cloud droplet formation.
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Charles Cai
January 13, 2026
From waste to wearable
UCR chemical engineering researchers have completed construction of a pilot biomass processing facility that transforms forestry and agricultural waste into pulp that can be made into textiles and building construction products.
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a drone image of campus.
December 05, 2025
Clearing the Air
Alumnus William Carter has pledged two gifts totaling an estimated $3.65 million to UCR.
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Gasoline pumps
November 25, 2025
Study finds lower emissions from higher-ethanol gasoline
Landmark UC Riverside vehicle emissions study allows California to move forward with less costly and less polluting gasoline blend.
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Inside UCR

Hydrogen fuel van emission testing
May 27, 2026
Hydrogen combustion van tested at UCR
UC Riverside environmental engineers are testing a van imported from France with a hydrogen combustion engine as part of an international effort to advance decarbonization of the transportation industry and curb greenhouse gas emissions.
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Georgios Karavalakis
February 09, 2026
Professor selected for prestigious SAE fellowship
Georgios Karavalakis, a UCR professor of chemical and environmental engineering, has been elected a Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International, one of the highest honors in the mobility engineering field.
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Matthew Barth
December 11, 2025
Professor honored by National Academy of Inventors
Matthew Barth, a longtime UC Riverside engineering professor whose work has shaped global transportation systems and clean mobility innovations, has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors
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Thomas Koch Professor Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and CEO of Allianz Wasserstoff Motor
May 14, 2025
Conference touts the promise of clean hydrogen technology
Created by UC Riverside, University of Michigan, and several industry partners, the Hydrogen Engine Alliance - North America hosted the Inaugural 2025 North American Hydrogen Engine Conference in Riverside on May 1 and 2.
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More from insideucr.ucr.edu
Seven members of the UC Riverside EcoCAR team stand beside R'VOLT, their blue Cadillac LYRIQ competition vehicle, at the General Motors Milford Proving Ground during the final EcoCAR EV Challenge in Michigan. Team members wear matching blue UCR EcoCAR jackets, with two other competition vehicles visible in the background under a clear sky.

UCR EcoCAR Team Completes Final Competition in Four-Year EV Challenge

The UC Riverside EcoCAR team traveled to Michigan in May for the fourth and final competition of the EcoCAR EV Challenge, closing out four years of work on R’VOLT, the team’s reengineered Cadillac LYRIQ.
By Sara Salsgiver |
Research poster from UC Riverside CE-CERT on air quality monitoring in urban rail environments, featuring the study objectives, portable sampling methods, monitoring equipment, and graphs comparing ultrafine particle and PM₁₀ concentrations across rail, bus, pedestrian, airport, and rural environments.

New Study Examines Air Quality Across Urban Transit Environments

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside’s Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) are advancing understanding of air quality conditions in transportation-related urban environments through a mobile monitoring study conducted across Southern California.
By Sara Salsgiver |
A CE-CERT researcher speaks at a community meeting in San Pedro, standing beside a projected presentation slide titled “San Pedro Air Quality Study.” The meeting was held at the Boys & Girls Club of the Los Angeles Harbor and focused on research examining the impact of ship emissions on local air quality.

CE-CERT Brings Ship Emissions Research to San Pedro Residents

In the community, monitoring sites in San Pedro will measure local air quality over time. These sites will track particulate matter, black carbon, carbonyls, volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other chemical markers associated with ship emissions. The goal is to create long-term, place-based data that reflects neighborhood conditions.
By Sara Salsgiver |
Four individuals stand beside a presentation screen displaying the UC Riverside logo and “3rd Place” during an awards recognition event held in a restaurant banquet room.

UCR ITE student leader earns third place at regional presentation meeting

A UC Riverside electrical and computer engineering student earned third place at the 2026 Bob Crommelin Student Presentation Award Meeting, an annual conference hosted by the Riverside and San Bernardino chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (RSBITE).
By Sara Salsgiver |
Two researchers adjust a sensor-equipped apparatus mounted on top of a vehicle, working with exposed wiring and instrumentation in a laboratory setting.

CE-CERT Secures NVIDIA Academic Grant to Advance Cooperative Autonomous Systems

CE-CERT has been awarded a highly competitive NVIDIA Academic Grant to support new research in cooperative autonomous systems and edge AI.
By Sara Salsgiver |
Group photo of more than 50 researchers, agency leaders, and policymakers standing outside the CE-CERT building during the OMEGA Dissemination Workshop, December 11, where CE-CERT presented findings on freight emissions monitoring, air quality impacts, and mitigation strategies in Inland Southern California.

CE-CERT Completes Two Research Projects to Advance Freight Emissions Monitoring and Mitigation in Inland Southern California

New CE-CERT research reveals how real-world freight activity shapes neighborhood air quality—and what data-driven strategies can reduce exposure in Inland Southern California.
By Sara Salsgiver |
A bar chart comparing PM2.5/PM10 ratios across categories LM, ECE, and NAO. Each category contains subgroups labeled D, HMC, CC (under LM); D (under ECE); and D (under NAO). Bars are gray with colored overlays for HMC (red) and CC (blue). Each bar displays a mean value with vertical error bars showing ±1 standard deviation. Individual data points appear as small colored dots, with outliers marked separately. A legend in the upper right identifies “Mean,” “Mean ± 1 SD,” and “Outliers.” The y-axis ranges from

CE-CERT and Link Engineering Publish Landmark CRC Report on Non-Exhaust Vehicle Emissions

CE-CERT, in partnership with Link Engineering, has released a landmark CRC report providing the most comprehensive synthesis to date of non-exhaust vehicle emissions from brakes, tires, and road wear. The review of 300+ studies offers critical insights that will help guide future air-quality policy as transportation shifts toward cleaner, electrified technologies.
By Sara Salsgiver |
A group of five high school students on a STEPCon (Science and Technology Education Partnership Conference) tour are gathered in the world's largest indoor atmospheric processes chamber at the UC Riverside CE-CERT Atmospheric Processes Laboratory. The students are intently focused on a researcher in a blue jacket, who is enthusiastically explaining a concept with his arms raised, standing near a laptop. The massive chamber is dramatically lit by arrays of intense cyan/blue UV lights

CE-CERT Hosts STEPCon and Open House 2025

CE-CERT successfully hosted its annual Open House and STEPCon 2025, welcoming over 1,170 students and community members for immersive tours of its world-class labs in air quality, clean energy, and sustainable transportation.
By Sara Salsgiver |
Twenty-two participants from the Binational Working Group on Zero-Emission Vehicles pose on a staircase at the Casa de la Universidad de California in Mexico City.

CE-CERT Co-Leads Binational Effort to Address Zero-Emission Infrastructure Across California and Mexico

On September 17-18, UC Alianza MX and the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis hosted the kickoff meeting of the re-established Binational Working Group on Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs).
By Sara Salsgiver |
A vertical split image shows two new faculty members. On the left is Dr. Eunjeong Hyeon, a woman with long dark hair, wearing a striped shirt. On the right is Dr. Abhilash Vijayan, a man with short dark hair, wearing a blue shirt and a black blazer.

CE-CERT Welcomes Two New Faculty Members: Dr. Eunjeong Hyeon and Dr. Abhilash Vijayan

CE-CERT is strengthening its team of researchers with the addition of Dr. Eunjeong Hyeon and Dr. Abhilash Vijayan. The two new faculty members bring valuable expertise in connected vehicle technology and climate research to help expand our leadership in environmental innovation.
A photo of five men standing in a line outside of the CE-CERT building at UC Riverside. From left to right: Arun Raju, Don Collins (holding a plaque), Prof. İdris Demir, Alfredo Martinez-Morales, and Musa Yilmaz. The photo was taken during Prof. Demir's visit to explore opportunities for international collaboration in energy research and academic exchange.

Rector of Batman University Visits CE-CERT to Explore Energy Research Collaboration

CE-CERT welcomed Prof. Idris Demir, Rector of Batman University, to explore new opportunities for international collaboration in clean energy research, innovation, and academic exchange.
By Sara Salsgiver |
A front-view, full-body shot of three UCR CE-CERT researchers standing inside a mobile lab truck. From left to right: graduate student Maryam Yousefi, in a blue university jacket; graduate student Minghao Han, in a gray t-shirt and glasses; and CE-CERT Director Dr. Don Collins, in a collared shirt. They are all looking at the camera and smiling faintly. The mobile lab has shiny, corrugated metal walls and is filled with intricate scientific equipment on metal racks, with many wires visible.

CE-CERT Collaborates with University of Houston and Baylor University on Major Air Monitoring Initiative

In a groundbreaking partnership, UCR's CE-CERT, the University of Houston, and Baylor University are launching a high-tech mobile air monitoring campaign across California to uncover invisible pollution and guide efforts for cleaner, healthier communities.
By Sara Salsgiver |
ollage of 18 individual headshots arranged in two rows. Between the two rows, there's a blue banner with white and yellow text that reads: "CONGRATS TO CE-CERT’S 2025-26 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS!"

CE-CERT Announces 2025-2026 Scholarship Recipients

CE-CERT is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025-2026 Scholarship Awards totaling $47,000. We congratulate them on their hard work and thank our generous donors who made these awards possible.
The UCR EcoCAR team gathers for a group photo next to their Cadillac LYRIQ in the workshop, all wearing matching blue team polos and smiling for the camera.

UCR EcoCAR Team’s Year 3 Journey

In May 2025, the UC Riverside EcoCAR team competed in the Year 3 EcoCAR EV Challenge, continuing its role in a national initiative to train the next generation of clean mobility engineers.
By Sara Salsgiver |
Certificate of Recognition from the IEEE CVPR 2025 Workshop DriveX awarded to Chuheng Wei for winning 1st Prize (Gold Medal). The certificate was presented on July 12, 2025, during the IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR) in Nashville. Signed by Walter Zimmer (Workshop Organizer) and Prof. Dr. Ross Greer (Workshop Co-Organizer), with logos for IEEE, DriveX, and CVPR.

CE-CERT Team Wins Gold at CVPR DriveX Challenge

A CE-CERT research team has earned the Gold Award at the CVPR 2025 DriveX Workshop, an international competition focused on developing advanced models for connected and autonomous vehicles.
By Sara Salsgiver |
Kiara Salgado, a young woman with long dark hair wearing a black outfit, stands next to Don Collins, who is wearing a black blazer and khaki pants. They are both smiling at the camera in a classroom filled with students and poster presentations displayed on tables in the background.

UCR Partners with RUSD and Empower You on Community Air Quality Awareness Program

The University of California, Riverside, in partnership with Riverside Unified School District and non-profit organization Empower You Edutainment, launched the Community Air Quality Awareness Program.
By Sara Salsgiver |

CE-CERT Measures Brake and Tire Emissions in Real-World Driving Conditions

Researchers at CE-CERT are studying brake and tire wear emissions, which are becoming increasingly important sources of small airborne particles that can affect air quality and health.
By Sara Salsgiver |

CE-CERT Students Earn Honorable Mention at 2025 Bob Crommelin Conference

As part of their senior design project, CE-CERT students received Honorable Mention at the 2025 Bob Crommelin Student Presentation Award Meeting for their research on improving EV efficiency at signalized intersections.
By Sara Salsgiver |
Three researchers wearing bright red immersion suits stand on the deck of a ship, with the open ocean and partly cloudy blue sky in the background. The group is positioned near a white metal door and railing, with containers and equipment visible on the deck.

CE-CERT launches study of ship emissions off SoCal coast

CE-CERT is leading a $3.5 million, 30-month study to better quantify these impacts. Funded through the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment, this project represents one of the most comprehensive efforts to date to measure and characterize emissions from oceangoing vessels near the Southern California coast.
By Sara Salsgiver |
pen trunk of a silver Toyota Corolla showing a blue portable emissions analyzer connected to a black hose, used for measuring ammonia emissions during on-road testing.

CE-CERT Conducts Real-World Study on Ammonia Emissions from Light-Duty Vehicles

Researchers are collecting real-world emissions data on ammonia, a pollutant that contributes to the formation of secondary fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which has known impacts on air quality and human health.
By Sara Salsgiver |
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