Dr. Sonia Lasher-Trapp

Assistant Professor

E-mail: slasher@purdue.edu

Associated Website(s): Cloud Microphysics Research Group, Purdue Climate Change Research Center (PCCRC), Climate & Extreme Weather (CLEW)

Education

Ph.D.- University of Oklahoma (Meteorology).

M.S.- University of Oklahoma (Meteorology).

B.S.- Saint Louis University (Meteorology).

Research Interests

Cloud microphysics, precipitation, giant aerosol, cloud entrainment, numerical modeling and measurements of clouds and precipitation.

Teaching Interests

Atmospheric Thermodynamics, Atmospheric Physics, Cloud Physics, Clouds and Climate

EAS 421 Atms Thermodynamics

EAS 631 Cloud Physics

Awards and Honors

  • Sigma Xi Research Society

  • Patricia Roberts Harris Fellow

  • Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society

  • Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Honor Society

Professional Experience

  • Assistant Professor: Purdue University, January 2003-present

  • Research Scientist: New Mexico Institute of Mines and Technology, in residence at NCAR, Dec 2000- Dec 2002

  • Postdoctoral Research Associate: Texas A&M University, in residence at NCAR, Aug 1998-July 1999, Feb 2000-Nov 2000

  • Postdoctoral Fellow: Advanced Study Program, NCAR, Aug 1999-Jan 2000

Selected Publications

  • Barth, M., and coauthors, 2006: Coupling Between Land Ecosystems and the Atmospheric Hydrologic Cycle through Biogenic Aerosol Pathways. bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 86, 1738-1742.

  • Lasher-Trapp, S., W. A. Cooper and A. M. Blyth, 2005: Broadening of Droplet Size Distributions from Entrainment and Mixing in a Cumulus Cloud. QJRMS, 131, 195-220.

  • Blyth, A. M., S. G. Lasher-Trapp and W. A. Cooper, 2005: A Study of Thermals in Cumulus Clouds. QJRMS, 131, 1171-1190.

  • Lasher-Trapp, S., S. Bereznicki and J. Stachnik, 2004: Giant and Ultragiant Aerosol Particles: Source of Large Supercooled Drops in Mixed-Phase Clouds? Proceedings, 14th International Conference on Clouds and Precipitation, Bologna, Italy, 831-835.

  • Blyth, A. M., S. G. Lasher-Trapp, W. A. Cooper, C. A. Knight and J. Latham, 2002: The Role
    of Giant and Ultra-giant Aerosols in the Initiation of Rain in Warm Cumulus Clouds. J. Atmos.
    Sci., 60, 2557-2572.

  • Knight, C. A., J. Vivekanandan and S. Lasher-Trapp, 2002: First Radar Echoes and Early ZDR
    History of Florida Cumulus. J. Atmos. Sci., 59, 1454-1472.

  • Lasher-Trapp, S. G., W. A. Cooper and A. M. Blyth, 2002: Measurements of Ultragiant Aerosol
    Particles in the Atmosphere from the Small Cumulus Microphysics Study. J. Atmos. Ocean.
    Tech., 19, 402-408.

  • Lasher-Trapp, S., C. A. Knight and J. M. Straka, 2001: Early Radar Echoes from Ultragiant
    Aerosol in a Cumulus Congestus: Modeling and Observations. J. Atmos. Sci., 58, 3545-3562.

  • Doswell, C. A. III, and S. G. Lasher-Trapp, 1997: Measuring the Degree of Irregularity in
    Observation Networks. J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 14, 120-132.